Humans have a penchant for looking far ahead. Ask a room of kids what they want to be when they grow up, and you’ll quickly discover just how creative we can be when it comes to envisioning our future. Along the same lines, if you ask members of a community about their dreams for their hometown, you’ll leave with a long list...

There’s a particular thrill when, after hours of searching, you discover that item, act or experience that you know will brighten someone’s day. The perfect gift is more than a present, it’s an act of appreciation and an indication of your dedication to understanding and cherishing the most important people in your life...

Our Nebraska hometowns are a gift – maybe one we too often take for granted. A good friend of mine once told me that gifts don’t become gifts until they are given, received and appreciated. College students who participated in this summer’s Hometown Internships, a Nebraska Community Foundation program, took that message to heart this summer. This year, their assignment – “Operation Discovery” – focused on helping them uncover the magic of their communities through experiential learning...

Having an estate plan in place is so important. Doing so can save time, money and stress for your loved ones, not to mention prevent unnecessary family disagreements. If you are reading this, take it as your sign to finally get that plan in place. I assure you, it’s easier than most people think...

Imagine living in a world that always looked upstream to address the problems we face. Instead of repeatedly putting out fires (whether real or metaphorical), we looked at how to prevent them in the first place. That is precisely the approach numerous organizations are taking across Nebraska when it comes to addressing dental health. Intervene early – prevent suffering later...

Nebraskans cherish our communities and want to see them thrive. We invest our time, talent and treasure into building a brighter future for everyone, not just ourselves. Research confirms that sentiment. AmeriCorps’ 2019 Volunteering in America survey notes that 589,714 volunteers in our state contributed 53.8 million hours of service to the places and projects they are passionate about. ...

Show, don’t tell. You probably heard those words from an English teacher at some point in your life. The rule reminds writers to not just tell readers what’s happening but show them through evocative language. Instead of saying “Nebraska has a lot to see,” say “In Nebraska, you can hike through sun-dappled woods along the Missouri River, wander through an otherworldly landscape of strange rock formations or stand beneath cascading sheets of water at Smith Falls after a long day floating on an innertube.”. ...

Nebraskans are blessed. We have enormous abundance in every one of our Nebraska hometowns. Last November, Nebraska Community Foundation released its most recent intergenerational transfer of wealth study. This study provides key information on a tremendous opportunity to build and sustain our Nebraska hometowns...

Hope alone doesn’t go very far. Hope alone assumes we need only to sit back and wait for good things to happen. That our communities are predestined to succeed merely because that’s the expectation. There’s also a hint of resignation, like everything is just outside our control. We hope because we cannot see ourselves making a difference...

The 2020 census is an important tool for understanding population trends and demographic shifts in our Greater Nebraska hometowns, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. Articles lamenting the shrinking population of rural areas abound, but we know better...

A cloudy future greeted Rhonda Schuessler as she assessed the state of the world in March 2020. Here Wee Grow Child Development Center, the daycare she operates in Sidney, had recently closed its doors to protect families and staff from the novel coronavirus. Though temporary, the closure created uncertainty...

One year ago, this column focused on another unprecedented event. Nebraskans all across the state suffered catastrophic losses as a result of the floods of March 2019. Dozens of Nebraska communities declared disaster. Thousands of homes were impacted. For small businesses, farms, ranches, and governmental services including schools, healthcare and basic infrastructure, the effects were profound – and in some communities, are still being felt...