'Nicest Place in America' -- Caring neighbors may not be unique, but only in McCook can Mr. Bill be found

Thursday, July 18, 2019
Bill Donze serves a 25-cent snow cone.
Lorri Sughroue/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. -- While McCook may have its fast-food restaurants and chain stores which can be found across the country, it’s the little, unique things which truly set McCook apart - which are “Only in McCook.”

It’s those “Only in McCook” tidbits which have helped McCook and Sehnert’s Bakery earn the Nebraska nomination for “Nicest Place in America” from Reader’s Digest.

As this series nears its’ conclusion, let’s recognize those people, those events, those businesses which make us want to call McCook home, which make McCook nice.

Only in McCook is there the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Nebraska. Only in McCook is there Nebraska’s first two-year junior college, McCook Community College.

Only in McCook includes those required stops when someone returns to McCook, from the enticing smell of hand-made onion rings wafting from Mac’s Drive-In to a buying a kitchen gadget you didn’t know existed - or needed - from Knowlen and Yates.

Only in McCook is there a “YMCA House Band,” led by Ginger tenBensel and Gene Malleck, playing a free concert nearly every week to those passing through to exercise and those who intentionally stop by for great, fun music.

Only in McCook would a neighbor call and Facebook message until she got ahold of the vehicle’s owner to tell him his tail lights were on - and then find the keys to turn them off for him. Yes, Andy Long, your wife gave up your story about leaving the lights on while you were out of town.

And only in McCook is there a Mr. Bill.

Whatever your thoughts may be, Bill Donze - or more specifically his van - is one of the most recognizable people in McCook and can be found nearly every day during the summer and throughout the school year serving snow cones and candy and snacks to kids and adults alike.

With his van covered in signs for 25-cent snow cones, the line of customers is constant throughout the afternoon. At the end of every “shift,” he can be found the grounds around his van with his “pick-up” stick, gathering bits of trash dropped by the kids.

Whether new to the area or just visiting, the concept of Mr. Bill is hard to grasp. But as Mr. Bill explains it, he appreciates McCook allowing him to do what he loves.

He genuinely enjoys interacting with the kids; reminiscing with their parents, some who first visited as kids’ themselves; helping grandparents figure out their grandchild’s favorite flavor; or chatting with workers stopping by mid-shift to cool off with a snow cone.

And money is never the issue. The price of his snow cones have been 25-cents since 1983, costing Mr. Bill money these days. But even if a kid doesn’t have a quarter, Mr. Bill will find something for the child to have before they leave. And thanks to donations from fellow patrons, Mr. Bill has been having more and more “free snow-cone” days, handing out 200 cups a day of flavored ice.

Mr. Bill is truly an example of “Only in McCook” and one of many reasons McCook and Sehnert’s Bakery is in the running for “Nicest Place in America.” Voting ends Sunday, July 21, so remember to vote once a day until then at https://www.rd.com/nicestplaces/the-nicest-place-in-nebraska-sehnerts-bakery-in-.... Or find the link to the Reader’s Digest page at mccookfoundation.org.

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