Head Start artists plan 2-day show in support of Coat Closet Give-Away and Big Give Day

Head Start artists pose with the artwork they created for "Head Start Art Show 2016," an art show in cooperation with "Big Give McCook." Artists are, front row from left: Aicha Zalud, Devan Chisom, Alize~ Garcia, Zoey Braun, Daphany Degener, Isabella Mason and Bethany McKillip. Back row: Rose Routier, Adrianna Carfield, Ella Miner, Sequoia Anderson, Drake Bussard, Jesse Chavaya, Matthew Taylor and Araceli Morales. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- In support of "Big Give McCook," McCook Head Start student-artists plan a two-day showing of their artwork during the community's annual "Coat Closet and Winter Clothing Give-Away" next week.

The students' work will be displayed in McCook's Memorial City Auditorium, at the corner of West Fifth and C streets, Wednesday, Nov. 2, from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m., and Thursday, Nov. 3, from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

As a token of appreciation for support of Head Start and "Big Give Day," those who enjoy the art show will have an opportunity to choose an original piece of artwork to take home and enjoy.

"Big Give McCook" is an online and in-person donation event in support of the Community Chest. "Big Give Day" is from midnight to midnight on Thursday, Nov. 3.

The purpose of a "Big Give Day" is to connect donors to the charitable causes they care about, said Community Chest co-chair Lisa Felker. It is also a concentrated way to bring attention to the local non-profit organizations which rely on these donations for funding throughout the year.

"Big Give McCook" replaces the annual end-of-the-year campaign usually conducted by the Community Chest. Instead, donors will have the ability to donate online at the "Big Give McCook" website, www.biggivemccook.org, where they can choose up to 10 organizations at once.

Or people will be able to donate in person with a check or cash at "giving stations" set up around McCook. Again, donors can choose to give to one, two or all of the organizations included in the "Big Give McCook" event.

"Giving stations" will be available at the following businesses during their regular business hours: the YMCA, McCook National Bank, Great Western Bank, Horizon Bank, First Central Bank, AmFirst Bank and Hillcrest Nursing Home.

The organizations supported by the 2016 "Big Give McCook" event are: Adult Basic Education; Domestic Abuse/Sexual Assault Services; the Ed Thomas YMCA; Family Resource Center; Live Y'ers; Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska; McCook Community Chest; McCook Humane Society; Mid-Nebraska Community Action Head Start, Homeless Prevention and Commodity Supplemental Food Program; Prairie Plains CASA; Share the Heat; Southwest Nebraska Habitat for Humanity; TeamMates Mentoring Program of McCook; McCook Arts Council, The Salvation Army; and the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

Lucy Stapp, director of McCook's Head Start center, said that donations designated to Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska will help meet needs of local families through:

* Head Start, which sees to children's and families' educational needs and comprehensive services such as screenings and follow-up for health, development and behavior; health and safety; and social and emotional health;

* Homeless Prevention, which provides emergency assistance for utilities and rent, to prevent utility disconnects and evictions in seven Southwest Nebraska counties; and

* The Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which provides 2,250 food packages a year to the elderly in the seven-county coverage area.