This is McCook’s decade! I believe we’ll be sitting downtown after a Live at the Bieroc show in 2030 and look back and be amazed at what the community has accomplished. We’ll talk about how we built a new aquatics facility and new athletic fields. We’ll be excited about the improvements in programming and facilities at the Y. We’ll share about our visit with new business owners who purchased existing businesses and have kept the downtown active. Maybe we’ll even have someone at our table who is enjoying their new home in the new subdivision. It will be a great night.
2020 has been a challenging year for our nation. It is discouraging to see how the pandemic, systematic racism, and environmental crisis have affected our country. On the flip side, it has taught millions of people how to work from anywhere and longing for a higher quality of life.
This puts McCook in a great place and creates a sense of urgency to build a better community to call home. I’m proud to be part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee as it is an organization that is the catalyst to move some of these initiatives forward. One of our core beliefs is we have abundance and assets in our community that we can build upon.
The idea of abundance has always been difficult for me, but I’ve had a chance to see it up close recently. I’ve been a part of the conversations with Senator Ben Nelson to create an endowment that will drastically improve our library programming. I’ve seen another large endowment gift come to the foundation. I’ve benefited from another funder who wanted to both make the Keystone Cowork Space a reality and to help MCFF get a $20,000 match to assist our local schools adapt to the pandemic.
People who live and grew up in McCook still love McCook. It is encouraging in my role as people reach out to me from across the country wanting to get updates and offer their assistance to make McCook a better place.
This being the case, we can’t wait for the calvary to save us or move us forward. For McCook to move forward, we need to move McCook forward. This will require some sacrifice as we give more of our time, talent, and treasures to our community. This will require us to examine our individual responsibilities to our community and neighborhood instead of parading around our individual rights. This will require us to invest in our community.
Rural communities that are moving forward have a vision for a better future, tell the positive side of their local story, and have strong public-private partnerships. The things we want to see happen this next decade will require the participation of city and county government, philanthropy, and our business community. The exciting thing is I know we have the people and organizations that can make it happen.
There’s big things in store for our community this decade, but we need your involvement. The McCook Community Foundation Fund has grown our endowment to be able to provide over $100,000 in grants on an annual basis. If you are a part of an eligible organization, our next grant application deadline is October 1. If you are able to give to build the endowment, let us know.
This It is our time! Help us know what you want to see a part of our vision and let us know how you can help. We have a strong heritage in McCook. Those of us working in the community today are standing on the shoulders of giants. Now is our time to move this community to the next level. I’m looking forward to that conversation we’ll be having at the Bieroc in 10 years because this is our decade.
Among his many affiliations, Andy Long is the executive director of the McCook Economic Development Corporation and a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee.
Once a month, a member of the MCFF committee will take over the Community Connection column to share why they belong to the fund and why it is important to the community.
Jeremy Shaw named April 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
While the Bison Alumni Newsletter will still be available digitally, a new printed service is available.
During a recent performance at the Fox Theater by the Lied's Arts Across Nebraska, there was one group who was not thanked: those who showed up for the event, which is a big deal.
Mark Friehe named March McCook Volunteer of the Month.
Although the Bodensteiners no longer live in Southwest Nebraska, they are still connected and wanted to see if prosper and thrive.
From long-term projects to weekly events, you cannot say "there is nothing to do" or "nothing is happening."
With the goal of reaching 200 subscriptions, the Bison Alumni Newsletter is launching a subscription service.
Long-time volunteer Don Harpst was recognized as the first McCook Volunteer of the Month in March 2025.
McCook's youth survey shows that young people now value safety in their community, something McCook provides.
Building Connections in McCook Matters June in McCook will be abuzz with fun events including a Youth Summit, hosted by McCook Community Foundation Fund. Our young people in Youth Change Reaction will host the first Nebraska Community Foundation gathering for youth, which will bring youth from across Nebraska to McCook. While still in the planning stages, our students identified that McCook is great because of connections . Our young people easily recognize how critical this factor is to people attraction, to people retention, and to improve their futures. What I miss most about my high school classroom is connections with students and colleagues. In education, I taught first, second, and sometimes third generations in families. My husband, Greg, and I are not McCook natives, but I eventually knew who was related to whom and usually where the parent(s) were employed. Going to the grocery store meant greetings from students and sometimes their family members. I officially retired from my high school classroom nine years ago in May. When you retire, the most-asked question becomes “What do you do with your time?” I try to maintain those connections and make new ones by belonging. For the past seven years, Sharon Bohling and I have volunteered to help plan and organize Bison Days for our high school students, which took place February 10 and 11. It would not happen without the financial support of McCook Community Foundation Fund, plus the McCook High School, local businesses, and the talented people of Southwest Nebraska who say “yes” when one of us reaches out to ask for the donation of time and talent. I would venture that they allow us to be on the Bison Days’ committee because we both have connections within our community—it’s certainly not our computer savvy. Connections can also solve a problem. Recently, I signed up to help a local family in crisis. My morning plan revolved around delivering my donation at a designated drop-off place. That didn’t work out. Fortunately, I still work with youth in various capacities, so I know that Keri Wilkinson works for Camy Bradley. Keri was an organizer for the family fundraiser, so I walked in Camy’s office hoping to find Keri. She was not there, so Camy and I visited briefly. She knew someone (who I did not know) who could possibly give me further direction. Only in a town with connections are you able to interrupt someone’s business, have her reach out for you using her connections , and offer to keep the donations for me until Keri’s return. Another great example of connecting can be found over coffee. Dee Friehe and I are longtime teacher friends. During a chance meeting at the grocery store a few weeks ago, she shared how she was there following a funeral service and was gathering supplies to deliver supper to the grieving family that night. She also updated me on her group of adults who meet for coffee on Thursdays at Ember’s, which varies from 8-28 depending on the day. She recognized the need for adults moving to McCook or folks just wanting to get out to make connections . Dee’s husband, Mark, also hosts his own group of men who are new(er) to McCook. She regaled me with stories of their Christmas party and other special gatherings. Wanting to call McCook your home is solidified by building connections . Ronda Graff has written about McCook Connects which matches a McCook person with someone new to the community of similar interests. I earned my McCook Connects’ T-shirt welcoming a young family with children. We have since spent many hot summer days sitting on bleachers together cheering on our 4-H horse kids while they show their horses. Warning: I connected them with a “free” new-to-them horse. Be careful connecting with me or you’ll probably own a horse. You do not have to be retired to connect in this community. Volunteering is a surefire way to meet people. McCook has many civic groups looking for new faces. Attend a church here; we have many welcoming congregations. Go to ball games or school concerts, attend concerts in the park, learn a new skill through the college, show up at a Third Thursday event or invite the neighbors for a BBQ. Take your youngsters to story hour or Move and Groove at the library. Go watch an event at the Kiplinger Arena. You can even take it a step further: Make a friend or call a friend and invite him/her to go with you. It is human connection that keeps us healthy and happy. If McCook Community Foundation Fund can help you connect in some meaningful way, please reach out for advice or support. *** While Pam Wolford may be retired, she is just as busy serving on the McCook Community Foundation Fund committee and started a new Learn and Return Scholarship with MCFF, while stepping up to grandparent whenever the call comes in.
