McCook's recognition for giving recognized across state

Thursday, February 13, 2014

McCOOK, Nebraska -- Generous giving has been a mark of distinction for the McCook community since the community's founding in 1882, with churches, parks, hospitals, charitable causes and people in need all benefiting from the caring and sharing of McCook citizens.

Take a drive around town and you will see many, many examples, including the McCook YMCA, Community Hospital, Heritage Hills Golf Course, the emerging Oncology Radiation Center, the city's parks and many of the buildings at McCook Community College, including the spectacular new $10 million Events Center.

With this history of outstanding support for community causes, it is no surprise to long-time local residents that McCook has won widespread statewide recognition for the super successful start-up years for the McCook Fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Since starting in 2001 with two $1,000, spur-of-the-moment pledges by Floyd Hershberger and Cloyd Clark, the McCook Community Foundation Fund has skyrocketed upward to more than $2 million in endowment assets in the early months of 2014.

Communities and organizations statewide are taking notice.

The latest example of McCook's generous spirit is its rapid response to a challenge grant issued by Susie Buffett of the Sherwood Foundation. "Raise $500,000 by December 31 of 2015," the Sherwood Foundation and Ms. Buffett said, "and we will make a contribution of $250,000 to the McCook Community Foundation Fund."

The offer was set forth in January 2013 to McCook and three other Nebraska communities noted for their charitable giving: Norfolk, Nebraska City and Shickley. All the towns are responding well, but McCook leads the pack. With 22 months remaining to gather gifts, the McCook Fund has already received pledges of $465,000, only $35,000 short of the total challenge amount for the 36-month period.

"At all levels and in all ways, the residents of the McCook area are so giving of their time, talent and treasure," says Karl Shaddock. In fundraising circles, you hear those three alliterative words -- Time, Talent and Treasure -- innumerable times, reflecting their overwhelming importance for giving and living.

Whose best at the Triple T Test is subject to debate, but there's no question that McCook is a clear contender for honors in the Giving Spirit department.

The 13-year-old McCook Fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation is a perfect example. Just look at what the McCook Fund gave back to the community in 2013. The cause is listed first, followed by the McCook Fund's contribution:

* McCOOK SKATE PARK -- $8,000;

* SCHOOL BACKPACK GIVEAWAY -- $500;

* LEADERSHIP CLASS PROJECT -- $500;

* HILLCREST HOME BUS -- $3,000;

* HERITAGE HILLS YOUTH GOLF PROGRAM -- $1,000;

* SHARE THE HEAT PROGRAM-- $500;

* TEAMMATES SCHOLARSHIP -- $1,000;

* COLLEGE CENTER FOR ENTERPRISE -- $500;

* LUTHERAN SERVICES YOUTH DIVERSION PROGRAM -- $2,500;

* FOX STAGE LIGHTING -- $2,500;

* RADIATION ONCOLOGY CENTER -- $5,000;

* STUDENT COUNCIL DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP -- $1,000;

* SOCCER 'GO FOR THE GOAL' -- $500.

The gifts -- which come from the McCook Fund's Endowment Account -- are not huge amounts; but they are important amounts, encouraging action on important and inspiring community projects. Going forward there will be more and more money to give away each year. As the total endowment grows -- helped considerably by continuing contributions and challenge gifts by groups like the Sherwood Corporation -- the annual grants by the McCook Fund will keep increasing.

Charged with the responsibility of determining which community projects get grants from the McCook Fund is the Advisory Committee, which currently consists of Doug Skiles, chair; Janet Korell, vice chair; Cheri Beckenhauer, secretary; Mark Graff, treasurer; and Peggy Been, Tom Buresh, Dale Dueland, Don Harpst and Leigh Ann Miller, members.

The McCook Fund is affiliated with the Nebraska Community Foundation, which was established in 1994 by the Nebraska Rural Development Commission. This was during the administration of Gov. Ben Nelson, a McCook native who went on to serve two terms as governor and two terms as a U.S. Senator. Maxine Moul, lieutenant governor at the time, was tapped as the Nebraska Community Foundation's first leader.

From that point, the Nebraska Community Foundation has gone forward to serve 251 Nebraska communities in 77 counties. As of an accounting five months ago -- on September 30, 2013 -- total assets of the Nebraska Community Foundation were $94.5 million, of which $57.2 million were endowed assets.

For fundraising organizations, endowed assets are treasured because they are not committed to a specific project or area, meaning they can be used at the funding organization board's discretion when community needs arise.

Karl Shaddock, whose office is located in the suite of offices on the third floor of the Keystone Business Center, is a development coordinator for both the McCook Fund and the Nebraska Community Foundation. A graduate of McCook High School and Notre Dame University, Karl is not only optimistic -- he is brimming with excitement -- as he anticipates the future of the McCook Fund and the McCook community.

"There are a lot of great things happening," he said. "The McCook Fund is a vibrant force which is positioned to help the community succeed in the coming century."

Still in his 20s, Shaddock is in the early stages of his life of service. So is the McCook Fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation, which did not come into existence until the early years of the 21st century.

What will the future hold? Based on success to date -- and Shaddock's and the McCook Community Foundation Fund's commitment to community giving -- it's a good bet that the giving of Time, Talent and Treasure will continue to be hallmarks of the McCook community for generations to come.

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  • The best way to judge the future is to look at the past. The Foundation has proven to reinvest in the community in many different forms, not just one. Give today

    -- Posted by dennis on Thu, Feb 13, 2014, at 4:39 PM
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