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.
Sara Rippen named February 2026 McCook Volunteer of the Month
Practicing Good Stewardship Takes Effort But Reaps Many Rewards
Bison Days brings high schoolers and community members to learn about job possibilities but also interests and hobbies in their hometown.
With little to snow on the ground in McCook, holiday lights help beat the drab and dreary season.
To kick off the new year, Jo Beebe has been selected as the January 2026 McCook Volunteer of the month. While many people might know Jo for her years at the Sports Shoppe, she can be found giving hours of her time to the community, especially at St. Patrick Church. Whether during the weekly Mass or for a funeral or wedding, Jo shares her beautiful voice from the choir loft, as well as leading the choir members. Jo, along with her husband Harold, also has served as the St. Pat’s GALA host couple in the past and continues to help with set-up and cleanup of the annual event. Jo is also active with the Fall Festival, the Rosary Rally and the Wild Game Feed in Curtis every year. She attends every the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults class and helps students prepare for confirmation. And since retiring from the Sports Shoppe, she is active in the Altar Society, and volunteers at the Bargain Bazaar thrift store. According to her nomination, “The way Jo gives of her time and talents to our parish and community is a reflection of her faith,” and the community and the church are better because of her generosity. The McCook Philanthropy Council selects the monthly recipient for the McCook Volunteer of the Month award as part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s McCook Volunteer program. If there is a volunteer in the community who should be recognized, please contact the McCook Chamber of Commerce at 308.340.3200 or visit McCook Volunteers on the MCFF 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. Please have information about the nominee along with where and how they volunteer in the community.
Master Storyteller Will be Missed but Memories Remain
Maintaining the status quo or not doing anything may be cheaper initially but long-term, the costs are more.
Make 2026 memorable by getting involved and making an impact in your community.
As the year comes to a close, members of the MCFF Advisory Committee share "why" they do their community work.
