One of my favorite comic strips is Calvin and Hobbes, featuring a little boy and his stuffed cat.
Calvin always had a vivid imagination, which led to some interesting and very insightful comments about everyday life.
In just a single, simple frame, the comic strip makes a lasting comment about our expectation for instant gratification these days.
In the image, Calvin laments how long it will take to cook his food.
“Six minutes to microwave this?? Who’s got time for that?”
His dad just rolls his eyes.
We are all guilty of wanting things right now.
We want to lose weight the first day of our diet, even though we gained weight slowly.
We want to play an instrument today, even though we haven’t put in the months and years of practice.
We want to have a retirement account, even though we aren’t willing to save each month.
With everything available at our fingertips from movies to food, we have become a society which expects something to happen immediately. We can access information instantaneously so we expect the same of everything in our lives.
But in reality, the best things in life take time, take perseverance, and take patience.
And a perfect example of this happened this week in McCook.
Nine years ago, Linda Graff had just wrapped up her daughter’s wedding in McCook. She had utilized the parking lot between the Keystone and the Fox Theater, as well as the Fox for movies for the kids and the Keystone for the dance.
It was a great example of using all those spaces together for a beautiful wedding and reception, but she realized it could be so much more. She conceived of transforming the parking lot into a gathering space, where people could do everything from just hanging out over coffee to a formal reception.
The idea rolled around in her head for the next few years but finally gained traction five years ago when the Norris Institute decided to take on the project. Since then, the concept of Norris Alley has gone through many design changes, but the idea never went away.
And this week - on Linda’s birthday appropriately - the Norris Institute officially broke ground on the Norris Alley project between the two iconic buildings. If construction goes as planned, the space should be usable on McCook’s Heritage Days at the end of September.
No, the project isn’t complete yet, but the first hurdle is out of the way - getting started.
With a lot of hiccups along the way, the organizers could have given up at any point and just thrown in the towel. That would have been the easy button.
Instead, they continued to modify the design, continued to raise money and continued to push forward to make Norris Alley a reality. And because of that perseverance, McCook will be a better place when it is done.
The McCook Dog Park is another example of an idea which has brewed for years and should finally see fruition this year. One of the first mentions of a dog park in McCook was in 2011 when a site and funding was briefly considered. Since then, a new site has been selected and enough funds to purchase and install all the fencing has been raised.
Hopefully this year, the McCook Dog Park will finally be in place as the last few steps are completed to make the facility a reality.
Again, the project has been a long time coming but McCook will be a better place when it is done.
There are many examples of projects which were conceived but never happened. There are others which seemingly happened over night. But it is those ideas which require determination and persistence that will endure for years and which will make McCook an even better place to call home.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
August 2025 Volunteer of the Month Bruce McDowell can be found walking around McCook for his health, to be helpful or maybe even attend a meeting.
It takes work and effort to be social but its vital to our community.
McCook's young people are shaping their hometown through a various projects.
MCFF Summer Hometown Intern Natalie Roberts shares how her perspective on McCook changed over the past few months.
With the McCook Aquatic Center closing soon for the season, another tradition - Mr. Bill and his 25-cent snow-cones - will likely be coming to an end soon too.
McCook among five Nebraska communities in Revitalize and Thrive Program
Getting Outside of National Night Out Nearly everyone can tell you their last interaction with the police or the fire department. And unfortunately because of the nature of the organizations, it is usually not at a positive moment. My last contact with the McCook Police Department was just a few weeks ago, when I was pulled over on B Street in McCook…on my scooter. I pulled into the wrong lane when making a turn, which is illegal. But in my defense, it was an act of self-defense to just get through the intersection of East B and Sixth streets alive. Since the drivers haven’t seen a stop-light since Holdrege, cars and semis regularly run the traffic light, which makes me a wee bit vulnerable as I pass through the lanes. I got off with a warning but the true punishment were the texts throughout the day from everyone who saw me with my scooter and the police officer. Since most exchanges with police and fire are not on good terms, National Night Out was created to have an evening of positive interactions, to remind the public that the police and fire departments are just normal people, doing their jobs, looking out for their friends and neighbors, trying to create a safe community for everyone. National Night Out is designed to simply join your friends and neighbors for an evening of fellowship and fun. It is an opportunity to meet local law enforcement, creating safer and more caring neighborhoods. McCook is joining thousands of other communities across the country in hosting National Night Out, which typically takes place on the first Tuesday of August every year. Planned for Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 5:30-7 p.m. in and around Norris Park in McCook, the night includes a bike parade, a walk, awards for bike decorating, desserts and more. In other words, it is simply a block party to hang out. Numerous organizations have come together to make the evening possible. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the McCook Rotary Club are hosting a bike parade that starts at 6 p.m. Linda Maiden with State Farm, a bicycle helmet advocate, will also be in Norris Park. The streets around Norris Park will be shut down to provide a safe area to ride, as well as more space to cruise around the block. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bike, scooter, roller skates or anything on wheels. This could mean streamers, pompom balls, markers or even the old classic - playing cards in the spokes of your wheels. Some supplies will be available at the park for use if you show up and realize you are the most underdressed person at the party. If your bike has an inch of dust on it, this is a great time to get it out, wipe it off and get it rolling. And if your bike needs minimal fixes like a flat tire or a brake adjustment, bike tools will be on hand along with myself and my hubbie, who know just enough about bike repair to be dangerous but did manage a 300-plus mile bike ride last week so we must be doing something right. But let’s say you don’t have a bike or biking isn’t your cup of tea? Then you are still encouraged to join the “Walk in the Park,” hosted by Community Hospital. Designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle, walkers will stroll around the park and the neighborhood at whatever pace you feel like with strollers and dogs on leashes welcomed. And perhaps most importantly, there will be a chance to meet members of the McCook Police and Fire Department, getting to see police cars and fire engines close-up in a non-emergency manner, always the best way to see them. And if the weather cooperates, there may be a fire hose, water and spraying involved. If you have been at the Culbertson Fourth of July parade, you know it is up to you to stay out of the line of fire if you want to remain dry. We all have excuses for why we don’t want to go out at night, especially after a long day at work. But National Night Out in McCook on Aug. 5 is a great reason to get out your bicycle and lace up your walking shoes. Hang out with your friends, get to know your neighbors and meet your first responders. That is what makes our communities just a little bit better.
Judy McCune named July 2025 McCook volunteer of the month
Joyce Anderson named June 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
