Ashton McCoy fills a water bottle during her shift at the McCook YMCA. This past spring, the Y was a recipient of $4,000, which was used to replace outdated water fountains throughout the facility.
Grant applications are due by Thursday, Oct. 1 at 5 p.m. to be eligible for the fall grant cycle. Grant applications are available online at mccookfoundation.org.
This past spring, eight different grants were distributed to local organizations and projects. But like everything in 2020, even those grants are bit different this year. Several of the grants have not been used yet, because they were planned for events which were cancelled or postponed or took on a new purpose.
Simply Strings received $1,000 for its September 2020 concert, but that event has been postponed with a date still to be determined, hopefully in early 2021.
Cultivate Rural Leaders (CLR) was to host a leadership symposium as part of the Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training and banquet, planned for McCook in November 2020. While NCF’s 2020 banquet is now a virtual event, McCook is scheduled to host the 2021 annual banquet which will include CRL’s leadership symposium.
And 2020 was supposed to be the fifth anniversary of the Prairie Roots Festival, the free outdoor music festival at Barnett Park. When Prairie Roots was cancelled like most events, the McCook Arts Council decided to donate the $1,500 to local arts teachers to purchase additional art supplies.
But the remaining spring 2020 grants are in use throughout the community:
- McCook Community College received $5,000 toward the Hormel Business Competition, planned for this fall/winter
- High Plains Historical Society received $800 for a new Red Willow County 4-H display
- Ed Thomas YMCA received $4,000 to replace aging water fountains throughout the facility
- McCook Public Schools received $1,500 for its special education sensory room at the McCook Elementary School
- And the Family Resource Center received $1,500 for its patient assistance program, a collaboration with the Community Hospital Foundation
Of the nearly $140,000 in grants this year, more than $100,000 of those funds have been part of the MCFF’s new COVID-19 Response Account. Those projects have included everything from a $40,000 Bridging the Homework Gap program at McCook schools to $20,000 for utility and rent assistance funding through Community Action Partners. MCFF also collaborated with McCook Christian for the COVID-Cash spending program, which wrapped up earlier this month.
Funds for projects relating to the pandemic are still available on an on-going basis with no specific deadline. The grant application for the COVID account is also available on the MCFF website.
Twice a year, the McCook Community Foundation Fund distributes grants to local non-profit organizations and other charitable programs, which meet MCFF’s mission: Making McCook a better place to call home.
Since its inception in 2001, MCFF has distributed more than $560,000 in grants and scholarships with a complete list available on the MCFF website.
McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.
McCook's last hometown bakery closed this past week, leaving a void not just for donuts but for connections.
Many organizations and businesses in McCook offer the opportunity to recycle, reuse and repair items that may just end up in the trash.
Organizer for Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival and former librarian named Oct 2025 volunteer of the month.
McCook's Third Thursdays were created to get businesses and organizations involved and designed to create life-long memories for the community.
Long-time community advocate Barb Ostrum received the Sept 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month award.
We need to celebrate our young people while they are here and encourage them to return.
While some like myself appreciate a rainy day, others dread them for a variety of reasons. We need to be empathetic as interact with others.
MCFF Fall Grant Deadline is Oct. 1. Complete list of former recipients on MCFF website
With so much going, it is time for a “This, That and the Other Thing” column, where we will cover several topics, not very deeply but hopefully with a sense of humor as we clean up and prepare for a busy week in McCook. *** McCook again made state and national news this week for ice. This time, it was in the form of hail that pounded the community for hours upon hours. Conversations this week begin with “where were you….?” or “how many windows did you lose?” And while they may be legitimate and are offering their services, it is like vultures with all the roofing repair and dent removal businesses which have descended upon McCook following the storm. As city officials noted, do your due diligence with any company doing repairs for you and follow the old adage, which is old and still around because it’s true: If something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. And one last note on the storm, we need to be careful what we ask for. As storm after storm approaches McCook and then splits in two to go around the town, we finally got one to roll right over us. The storm liked McCook so much it slowed down and just there. I was in Lincoln during the storm and trying to determine when I would drive home. I thought the weather app had frozen or the radar was broken because every time I looked, the storm was still sitting over McCook, doing its damage. I guess we can be thankful the next time a storm seemingly just goes around us. *** We are in the thick of McCook’s Heritage Days celebration. Congratulations to all the Heritage Days Royalty, which was announced at the MNB Bank Mixer this week. A special shout-out to Bill Donze, better known as Mr. Bill and his wife, Kathy, who were honored as royalty for their impact in McCook. As many know, Mr. Bill is fighting cancer and the prognosis isn’t good. The chances of him selling snow-cones and candy out of his van next summer near the McCook Aquatic Center are not good. One judge of his impact was the response to my column about Mr. Bill a few months ago. The post was shared thousands of times, viewed nearly 70,000 times with just as many comments by people sharing their fond memories of Mr. Bill. So when you see Mr. Bill riding down Norris in the convertible this weekend in the Heritage Days parade, send extra prayers and well-wishes to the man who has brought so much joy to so many kids - and adults too - over the years. *** Continuing on the Heritage Days theme, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the McCook Rotary Club is tossing all egos and formality out the window this weekend. As the president of the McCook Rotary Club, I invite everyone to at least watch, if not participate, in the Rotary’s first inflatable costume relay race on Saturday as part of the festivities in Norris Park. These are those giant, blow-up costumes you usually see around Halloween. The first costumes were usually T-Rexes but now there is everything imaginable available as a design. With the idea for the race originally conceived by Melanie Goodenberger, she has purchased everything from corn on the cob to a cowboy riding a chicken. This is a fund-raiser for the Rotary Club with a cost of just $20 for a team of four to participate in the relay race. But it is also a chance to giggle, perhaps make a fool of yourself and just have fun. Come to the park Saturday afternoon for the Wiener Dog races and stay for the Rotary Relay races. While the dogs will already be close to the ground, the relay race participants will likely just end up on the ground. *** With so much going on in McCook this week, I debated whether there should be another activity the next week but the response has already been great for the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska’s next production in McCook. Hosted by the McCook Creative District, the Omaha Street Percussion ensemble will perform at the Fox Theater on Wednesday, Sept. 24. There is a matinee showing at 10:30 a.m. but I will be up-front…we are testing the capacity of the Fox with every seat already claimed with students. If that is the only show you can make, please come and we’ll find you a seat but it may be those up in the rafters. Otherwise, please plan to attend the 7 p.m. show on Sept. 24. And even better, there is no cost thanks to the Kimmel Foundation and the Friends of the Lied. This is a busy week and a busy weekend but this is a great opportunity to sit back and enjoy a fun, entertaining evening of live music.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
