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Cambridge native Lory Cappel joins Osborne staff
U.S. Rep. Tom Osborne's new rural initiatives coordinator is a Cambridge native and the program support assistant for Southwest Nebraska Resource Conservation and Development.
Lory Cappel of McCook starts her new position as a member of Congressman Osborne's staff on Monday.
Osborne said, "As I visit with people in the communities of the Third District, I see a great need for diversity in Nebraska's economy. As many communities continue to lose population, entrepreneurship is key to help stem the tide of depopulation and create better income opportunities."
The congressman continued, "As the Rural Initiatives Coordinator, Lori will serve as a great resource in the endeavor to strengthen Nebraska communities. I welcome Lori to my staff."
Bruce Rieker of Grand Island, Osborne's chief of staff, said Lory will be responsible for promoting rural economic development in Nebraska's Third District and for perpetuating Osborne's message that rural economic development is not only important to the Third District -- it is vital.
"Rural economic development is a huge priority of Congressman Osborne," Rieker said.
Working with Scot Blehm, Osborne's rural initiatives director, of Scottsbluff, Lory will be responsible for updating Osborne's "Rural Economic Development Handbook," prepared during his first term in office.
Lory will also be responsible for case work within the Third District, joining other staff members who are "the hunters and gatherers of information, the eyes and the ears, and the spokespeople for Congressman Osborne," Rieker said.
He continued, "Lory will be this part of the state's liaison for Tom Osborne's office. And vice-versa. She will be Congressman Osborne's liaison to this part of the state."
Lory's office will be in McCook, making her one of nine staff members who work in offices located in the Third District. Eight of Osborne's staff members work in Washington, D.C.
Lory will travel throughout the district, Rieker said, appearing with Congressman Osborne on his travels throughout the district.
Lory's experiences with Southwest Nebraska's RC&D, based in Cambridge, will help her as she focuses on rural economic development over a larger portion of Nebraska.
The purpose of the RC&D, Lory said, is to build regional collaboration. She worked with individuals, organizations, communities, and counties to identify their needs and develop programs to meet those needs.
Since its inception in 1994, Lory said, Southwest RC&D has addressed a wide array of topics: wellhead protection, water and natural resources issues, rural business opportunities and development, entrepreneur efforts and tourism.
Lory said she learned, through her association with RC&D efforts, that communities can learn from each other, and can become each other's greatest resource.
Rieker said the function of the RC&D is similar to the rural initiative component of Osborne's office. "Lory will be able to direct constituents to the resources they need to answer their questions, address their concerns and solve their problems," Rieker said.
Lory said she is excited about her new position and the opportunities is offers. Her family is very supportive of this advancement in her career, she said.Lory's husband, Rod, farms. She has one son, Tyler tenBensel, a junior at Cambridge High School; and two daughters, Tara tenBensel of McCook and Tina Hanna of Lincoln. Tina's husband, Jay, is stationed at Kuwait City in the Middle East.
Lory's mother is Mae Groshong of Cambridge. Her father is the late Dean Groshong.
Details on an office location and contact numbers for Cappel will be announced later.