Never a perfect time; only now

Earlier this year, my husband and I had the privilege of buying a building on Norris Avenue. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked, “What are you going to do with the building?” I would have enough money to renovate the site or at least put on a new coat of paint.

While we are still determining what is the best fit for the community, we didn’t want the building to sit empty or unused.

So while the building at 416 Norris is not perfect - heck, we’re not even done demolishing - the site will be used tonight for a student art show led by the McCook Arts Council (MAC). The show is part of McCook’s “An Evening of Arts” for Big Give McCook, which will showcase just a few of the nonprofits involved in the one day of giving with a focus on arts and culture.

Along with family and friends of the student artists, the public is invited to stop by and see for themselves how creative and artistic our young people are. The student art show will be open from 5-9 p.m. today (and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday).

As an added bonus, MAC will be providing appetizers and drinks as the public views the art pieces. And the site will be an in-person giving station and power hour from 6-7 p.m. for Big Give McCook.

Am I worried about inviting people into an unfinished building? Not at all. All of the nicks and dings in the walls add character.

In fact, not all of the plaster has been removed as we exposed more of the brick walls - and we’ll likely leave it like that because it shows the history of the building. The kitchen sink in the back of the building has a constant drip that will be fixed, but at least we’re assured that we have water in the facility. And the light in the restroom? Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. Regardless, it will be an adventure until the site is finished.

Like most things in life, if we waited until everything was perfect, we’d never do anything. Instead, we need to take the leap and do things now.

And today - Big Give McCook 2021 - is a great example of just doing things now, rather than waiting for the perfect time.

Now in its sixth year, most people have at least heard of the one-day giving event. More than 30 nonprofit organizations benefit from donations given from midnight to midnight as part of Big Give McCook.

But you may be saying to yourself, “This isn’t a great time for me to make a donation,” “Times are tough.” “We barely have enough money to support ourselves, much less others.”

Very rarely is there a perfect time for anything and it doesn’t take much to make a difference.

When Big Give began in 2015, organizers considered calling it Give Big McCook. But that was not what the day was about. Yes, large donations are accepted, appreciated and needed.

Instead, the Community Chest volunteers wanted to create an opportunity where everyone could get involved, where everyone could feel like a philanthropist for the day, where everyone could make an impact. Because every donation matters. Every dollar helps these organizations. Every donor makes a difference.

And it’s not just money that you can give big. This is also an opportunity to give of your time and talent.

The Big Give McCook website, www.biggivemccook.org, lists information about each organization, including what they do, the projects they are working on, and how to contact them. Consider visiting the website just to find out more about the organizations to see what fits your passion. There isn’t an organization out there which wouldn’t take more volunteers, which doesn’t need more advocates, which couldn’t use more support.

Before anyone says that this isn’t the perfect time to give of their treasure, to give of their time or to give of their talent, consider this final thought.

Exercising on a regular basis can be tedious and arduous. We know working out is good for us, but there are some days that you just don’t want to go to the gym. But we drag ourselves out to the track for a run or to the pool for a swim. And when it is over, rarely - if ever - does someone regret doing that workout. In fact, we almost always feel better afterward.

The same holds true for giving a donation. While it may seem arduous to give a donation sometimes, we rarely regret giving to something that matters. In fact, we almost always feel better afterward - sometimes even better than the recipient.

So consider giving a donation today as part of Big Give McCook, where each of us can do our part to make McCook an even better place to call home.

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Dec. 2025 Volunteer of the McCook Beautifying Downtown McCook

By Ronda Graff • December 17, 2025

Linda Graff named McCook Volunteer of the Month for December 2025

Seasons of Lists Includes Priority Lists

By Ronda Graff • December 15, 2025

By focusing on what is important, we can make an even better impact in our communities.

Holiday Home Tours Return

By Ronda Graff • December 11, 2025

After a 10-year hiatus, the McCook Holiday Home Tours return focusing on downtown upstairs apartments.

Nov. 2025 Volunteer Willing to Help Wherever Needed

By Ronda Graff • November 25, 2025

While many people think volunteering is for older residents, serving your community has no age restrictions. And young people can regularly be found lending a hand or offering their services in their hometown. The November 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month recognizes one of many young people are working to make their community an even better place to call home: Grady Riemenschneider. Currently a senior at McCook High School, Grady volunteers with a wide variety of organizations and groups. As a four-year member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Youth Change Reaction, Grady serves as the ambassador for the youth group’s “Cars Under Stars,” the outdoor movie theater at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. At nearly every showing, he can be found operating the projector and setting up the parking lot, as well as passing along his knowledge to the next ambassador. In McCook’s FFA program, Grady has held officer roles the past four years and is currently the chapter vice president, organized the chapter banquet in 2025 and coached for the conduct of chapter meetings. Along with serving as the president of the Driftwood Feeders 4-H Club, he assists with setup, tear down and fundraising for the dog show and helps fellow members train their dogs. Grady steps in to help and lead at local events, including Prairie Plains CASA’s Kick in’ It Up for CASA and the Cajun Broil; the Edward Jones Alzheimer’s Walk; operating sound boards for various groups; and Feed the Farmer. And he has served as a youth leader at McCook Christian Church for elementary youth since approximately 2018 as well as stepping up to ensure the ag program ran smoothly during a teacher’s maternity leave Upon request from his mother about some of Grady’s activities, Sharleen noted that he is the “Chief Household Operations Officer: first responder for Mom’s to-do list, go-to chauffeur and caretaker for his favorite sidekick (a.k.a. his nephew), and the family’s unofficial event planner who somehow keeps everyone together without a clipboard.” The McCook Philanthropy Council recognizes a volunteer every month who is doing good work in McCook and Red Willow County. If there is a volunteer in the community who should be recognized, please contact the McCook Chamber of Commerce at 308-345-3200 or visit McCook Volunteers on the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s website, mccookfoundation.org to complete a nomination form. The only requirement is that the nominee must be a resident of McCook or Red Willow County but please have information about the nominee along with where and how they volunteer in the community. The volunteer honoree is selected monthly by the McCook Philanthropy Council.

Much to be Thankful For in McCook

By Linda Taylor • November 25, 2025

With the holiday's nearing, MCFF member and Mayor Linda Taylor reflects on the many things to be thankful in McCook.

Honoring the Strunk Legacy in McCook

By Ronda Graff • November 22, 2025

The names of those people who have made a generational impact on McCook and Southwest Nebraska is a long list. Many of them are working day-in, day-out right now to make their mark on the community. And then there are those people who no longer call McCook home but still make an impact long after they are gone. Allen Strunk is one of those people. Allen passed away on Nov. 1 at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada but he never lost the love of his hometown. Born and raised in McCook, Allen was a member of an already well-known family, Harry and Arlene Strunk. The Strunks started and published the McCook Daily Gazette, with the motto, “Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy in this world.” A saying that was so important that Harry had it etched at the top of his downtown newspaper office on Norris Avenue. That sense of service was passed along to Allen, who continued to serve his community as he took over leadership of the Gazette. I didn’t know Allen personally until he came back for visits years later. Even though my first job upon arriving in McCook was at the McCook Daily Gazette and Allen had turned over the publishing reins to Gene Morris many years prior, the Strunk legacy loomed large. He was instrumental in the building of the then-new YMCA, moving the facility from downtown to its current location next to the McCook High School. He was a key player in the new hospital, again moving from one location to a new expanded space. And McCook Community College benefitted his involvement in an expansion. Those projects continue to impact McCook today. And the support didn’t stop just because Allen retired from the Gazette and left McCook. There are programs the Strunks are involved in that benefit McCook and Southwest Nebraska. The Strunks continue to support Santa Claus Lane, which is overseen by the McCook Chamber of Commerce. And which after a few years of decline is seeing a resurgence of enthusiasm and nostalgia for the decorative holiday pieces lining Norris Avenue. Allen funds the annual McCook Area Outstanding Teacher award, which provides a financial prize to several teachers every year. And Allen recognized the work of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, providing a donation several years ago so that he could see its impact while he was still alive. This has led MCFF to consider how they will recognize and remember Allen for years to come. Because of his belief in service to his community, this could mean more recognition for the countless volunteers who keep our community thriving. It could be a day of community service, to see how many people can come together to make something happen. It could be a celebration for all the great things happening in our community. During Allen’s memorial service this past week in McCook, his step-daughter-in-law read the poem, “The Dash" by Linda Ellis, who published it in 1996. It reflects on the meaning of the dash between the birth and death dates on a tombstone. The dash is a reminder of everything that happens between the moment a person is born and the moment a person dies. The dash emphasizes the importance of how one lives their life during that time. The dash prompts a person to think about living, rather than worrying about dying. Ultimately, the dash is where all the good - and the bad - happens. And Allen Strunk made the most of his “dash,” both in his community and within his family. We can’t all run a newspaper. We likely aren’t going to etch our favorite saying into a building. But we all need to consider how we are paying the “rent for the space we occupy in this world.” And we can all make a difference in our hometowns, whether we currently live in them or even if we haven’t stepped foot on the main street in years.