Many can do what one alone cannot

It's an economy of scale. For a lot of us it can get a bit overwhelming at times. A family loses everything in a fire. A friend has a friend who is going to have his electricity shut off. A neighbor knows a family that hasn't been able to pay their water bill all summer.

The needs are enormous. But what can one person do? And how do we know that the person receiving the aid is going to be responsible with it?

Enter the economy of scale. And enter the United Way.

It's true. Many of us, individually, can't do much. But collectively and by contributing bit by bit through a payroll deduction plan or by pledging, we can pool our resources and do so much more.

The McCook United Way board has set a record-breaking goal this year. The needs are record-breaking. Some of them are downright heartbreaking. Each year the board calls upon the citizens in the area to dig a little deeper and partner with one another to meet the diverse needs of a diverse community.

It is a hallmark of the residents of Southwest Nebraska. We are a hardy bunch, self-sufficient, responsible and reliable.

It's that sense of sufficiency, responsibility and integrity that brings us out in a snowstorm to shovel our neighbor's walk. It's that sense of community that inspires us to stop and offer assistance to someone on the side of the road.

And it is that sense of responsibility that calls us to come together for united giving in support of community causes.

With our gifts, we are making it possible for 19 agencies to continue to serve the community. These are essential services, such as the Handi-Bus, the Salvation Army, Adult Education, Homelessness Prevention and Special Olympics. There are also programs to assist domestic abuse victims, abused and neglected children in the court system, as well as the Head Start program, Job Support programs, Partners in Parenting and the Home Delivered Meal Program.

The United Way also helps fund Swatter's 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Commodity Supplement program, FAIR, Cedars Southwest and the Ed Thomas YMCA.

For all these programs ... for all the good they do ... the United Way is seeking to raise $85,000. That amounts to just a little over $10 for each of McCook's 8,000 citizens. There's power in united giving. When each of us give a little, we can help a lot.