News Release
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Community foundation celebration full of energy
All too often, annual banquets become obligatory events where the average age of the attendees is well over fifty. Not so at this year's annual banquet of the McCook Community Foundation held at Republican River Valley Event Center Saturday night.
"It's a great feeling to see all these young people here," said McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee Member Stan Goodwin of the dozen or so high school students who attended the event. "They kind of charge the room up with all their energy."
Most of the young people in attendance were part of the newly formed Youth Change Reaction (YCR), a youth foundation formed entirely of community-minded McCook High School students with a mission to undertake projects benefiting Southwest Nebraska. Their emphasis is on improving the quality of life for young people in the McCook area and their motto is "It's up to us."
YCR Co-Presidents Ashley Pick and Austin Edwards awarded a grant of $500 to McCook Elementary School Principal Linda Baumbaugh. The funds will be used to help teach Spanish to McCook Elementary Students. The funds are available as the result of an endowment fund created with a gift from the Andy and Geri Anderson family.
Through an anonymous donation of $1,000, McCook Community Foundation also chose to name YCR as a Founder of the organization. "We feel that this group can spearhead the youth in becoming strong community leaders and really show our young people that they can and do make a difference in our community," said President Don Harpst.
Another young person in attendance received a standing ovation during the banquet. Trenton Klimper was the young man who spearheaded the War Memorial Project in Norris Park as part of his Eagle Scout Project. He not only raised all of the funds necessary for the statute entitled "Going Home", but he also navigated several community meetings necessary to get permission to place the monument and choose a design. The McCook Community Foundation gifted $1,000 to the project and handled the funds, making contributions tax-deductible for donors.
The Foundation also recognized Jerome Becker, a graduate of Southern Valley High School who is currently attending the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture studying agriculture production. Becker received the $1,000 Bernard and Nelda Haag scholarship.
The Legacy Award, which was created to recognize individuals and families for their financial commitment above $10,000 to sustain and improve the opportunities for citizens of this area, was presented to Mr. Arvene Myers. "Throughout his lifetime, he has invested in his community in creative, heartfelt, and practical ways," said Harpst. "He has quietly displayed his generosity over the years to so many who were in times of need."
Other grant awards included:
| * | McCook Art Guild, $900 for the Five State Art Competition; |
| * | From the Don and Alice Harpst Endowment: Tri Valley Medical Foundation - $800; Hillcrest Nursing Home - $800; Leadership Institute - $800; and Memorial United Methodist Church Endowment - $389. |
| * | From the C.T. and Helen Jewell Endowment: Red Willow County K-9 Project - $1,000. |
| * | From the Andy and Geri Anderson Endowment: McCook Economic Development Corporation for McCook Youth League - $5,000; McCook Community College Foundation for the MCC Event Center - $5,000; Bison 2010 Reunion - $2,010; and City of McCook Heritage Senior Center for the purchase of a commercial steamer- $2,000. |