By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

The grant deadline for the McCook Community Foundation Fund is quickly approaching with applications due Wednesday, Oct. 1. In the meantime, grants from this past spring are in use throughout the community from supporting a new wrestling facility to the use of a digital scanner to research genealogy.

As one of McCook’s newest non-profits, the McCook Athletic Group (MAG) is leading the development of a new wrestling facility on East B Street. MCFF provided a grant earlier this year to help with the costs of the renovated building.

Prior to the creation of the MAG training center, the only facility to wrestle in was the McCook High School wrestling room with the McCook youth wrestling club always having to wait until after all the other practices. Colt Hosick and Jim Kenny and myself had been dreaming about an additional facility for many years.

With the addition of the high school varsity girls team in recent years, practice space became even more scarce with more than 130 kids participating in 2024. 

“Wrestling has been gaining a lot of momentum as a sport with boys and girls the last few years,” Hosick said. “The youth program is seeing continued growth and there are plans to have separate practices for the girls and boys because participation numbers are so good and this is now possible with the MAG facility.”  I think the youth program had close to 130 kids last year.   

In March of 2024, Hosick and Kenny enlisted the support of varsity wrestlers’ parents, who also had a passion to try and make a private facility a reality. Hosick added that Attorney Bryant Brooks and accountant Nikki Cappel also helped with start up procedures, Adam Johnson donated the electrical work and Bob Chalupa helped throughout the building, Hosick said.   

Organizers are hoping use of the building isn’t limited to wrestling but that it can also be used by any group/program that needs a padded surface for their activity.

“We have a vision for entry-level gymnastics, tumbling, self-defense classes, stretching, yoga,” Hosick said, adding, “With that being said, we don't want to take any programming away from our local YMCA...we want to work together synergistically and help each other out whenever possible.”

Ultimately, organizers of the MAG Training Center want it to benefit McCook youth as much as possible. 

Hosick said, “Our objective is to maintain a facility with an extremely safe and positive environment for whatever sport or activity that is taking place. We don't want there to be any financial barriers or any type of participation barriers for anyone that wants to participate in wrestling or anything else.”

The MAG Training Center was among seven grants awarded in May. 

Others included:
McCook High School, NORE Science Trip; McCook Community College, CNA Scholarships; 6th Floor/Artbank, operating expenses, youth docents; Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society, microfilm digital scanner; Family Resource Center, hygiene program/unrestricted; and McCook Humane Society, challenge grant for building project. And continued support for the YMCA capital campaign.

A complete list of MCFF grants as well as applications are available on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org. Applications are due by Wednesday, Oct. 1, 5 p.m. or must be post-marked by Oct. 1. 

For more information, visit the MCFF website or email, mcffund@gmail.com.