Drive-In returning for Heritage Days

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Reached at his apartment in Lincoln -- where he is attending summer classes at the University of Nebraska -- Gavin Harsh shared the good news for the fourth straight year: "Once again," he said, "the McCook Optimists are joining with me to bring another drive-in movie to McCook."

Gavin -- a third year agronomy major at UN-L -- announced that this year's drive-in movie will be presented Saturday night, Sept. 24, during McCook's Heritage Days celebration. The drive-in shows will begin at dusk in the area south of the grandstands at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. "The Optimists have been terrific, giving me financial backing every year to present the shows," Gavin said.

This year, in fact, the Optimists have told Gavin they will provide the extra money needed for the big 40-foot wide and 20-foot tall inflatable screen that provides a large screen experience for drive-in movie goers.

Optimists are now voting on which two movies will be shown during the 2016 drive-in showing. "There will be one kids' movie and one adult flick," said Tom Bredvick, the Optimists' member who is helping Gavin with drive-in movie arrangements.

Gavin, the son of Pam Harsh of McCook and Doug Harsh of Bartley, started the drive-in movies as a way of giving back to the McCook community just after his graduation from McCook High School in 2013. "McCook has done so much for me. I wanted to give something back in return," he said.

Since it takes between $4,000 and $5,000 to bring the drive-in movies to town, Gavin goes around town each year to collect donations from merchants to help offset the cost. "The merchants have been wonderful," Gavin said. "For all three years we have done the shows -- including the first two at the fairgrounds and last year in the parking lot in front of American Ag Lab and the Cornerstone Fellowship church -- we have come close to breaking even," Harsh said.

The shows have been hugely popular, attracting large turnouts of cars and pickups, with those attending making free will donations as the price of admission. And, the news is spreading, with Gavin receiving inquiries from Ogallala and Broken Bow, asking what it would take for them to present drive-in movies in their communities.

In McCook, the idea has become so popular that Nate Hennings, the manager of Walmart Super Center, has suggested to Gavin that the community should join together to raise funds to buy our own inflatable and movable drive-in movie screen.

"I'm looking into the costs of doing that," Gavin said. He has a vested interest in the community. "After I graduate from UN-L in May of 2017," Gavin said, "I will be coming back to Southwest Nebraska to join my father, Doug Harsh, at the Dusty Prairie Ranch."

The ranch has a long history of service by the Harshs. Gavin's great-grandfather, Lester Harsh, made his mark in the 20th Century as a State Senator and as the history-minded president of the Museum of the High Plains in McCook. In succeeding generations, the Harsh farming and ranching legacy has been carried forward by Del Harsh, Gavin's grandfather, and Doug Harsh, Gavin's father.

"I'm grateful to my family," Gavin said. "They have impressed me with the importance of giving back. I like to give back and I look forward to making Southwest Nebraska my lifetime home."

Thanks to you, too, Gavin. With the drive-in movies, you have helped bring our town -- and our area -- closer together.