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Nicest Place in America -- 4-H'ers lend a hand to distant neighbors
ronda graff
MCFF
ZMcCOOK, Neb. -- The request was simple from the kids with the Driftwood Feeders 4-H club: What can we do to help?
The 4-H members, based in Red Willow County, wanted to do something for those affected in northeast Nebraska by the flooding in March, especially those with ties to the agricultural community. They hoped to collect enough items to fill a trailer, maybe two.
In the end, the young people collected enough donations to fill two stock trailers, a semi-tractor trailer and another enclosed trailer. Plus, they inspired several businesses to make their own donations to those across Nebraska who were affected by the flooding.
Thanks to the generosity of the community as well as the gratefulness of being spared from the flooding, McCook and Southwest Nebraska showed why it is the Nebraska nomination for “Nicest Place in America” by Reader’s Digest.
As the flooding continued across Nebraska in March, the 4-H group started collecting specific items and within just a week, the donations were ready to go.
“The people and businesses were amazing,” 4-H Leader Pam Gaston said. The trailers were filled to the top with livestock supplies and animal feed, paper goods, bottled water, even loaves of bread. And $4,000 in financial donations also was collected.
Businesses were also inspired by the young people and stepped up to donate to the cause, from Nick’s Distribution contributing paper goods to Landmark Equipment Company donating the use of the semi along with gas for the trip. Garrison’s Country Peddler donated dozens and dozens of muck boots because of a common problem in the flooded areas: supplies simply weren’t available because they had either all been sold or destroyed or flooded roads prevented deliveries.
Frenchman Valley Coop in McCook was asked if it would donate dog food but went above and beyond that request. The Coop ended up sending a separate donation of 44 tons of a bagged sweet feed to Battle Creek.
Originally, the supplies collected by the young people were supposed to go to O’Neill, because of a connection between volunteer Cindy Dueter and the area. But as they prepared to make the delivery, the road to Verdigre, Neb., opened up for the first time since flooding began. Since the community hadn’t received any relief supplies at that point, the trailers were redirected.
And they were welcomed with open-arms and were actually over-whelmed by everything the Driftwood Feeders brought.
“They had a couple pallets ready for our supplies,” Pam said, “but even the cat food wouldn’t fit on them.”
They soon found themselves unloading not only their donations but also relief supplies from other trailers arriving on the scene.
Two ranchers arrived while the Driftwood Feeders were still at the delivery site. As they picked up a pair of muck boots, a jacket and buckets filled with vet supplies, they personally thanked the kids for their donation.
“People were just so thankful, shaking the kids’ hands and saying thank-you, over and over,” Pam said.
Ultimately, the 4-H kids just wanted to help because these people affected by the flooding were like them, Pam said. They have pets like them. They have livestock like them. They understood that it could have just as easily been them and their families fighting the flood waters.
Having been spared, McCook and Southwest Nebraska just wanted to do whatever they could do to help and that is what ranks McCook among the “Nicest Places in America.”
Continue to vote daily for McCook along with Sehnert’s Bakery in the Reader’s Digest contest at www.rd.com/nicestplaces/the-nicest-place-in-nebraska-sehnerts-bakery-in-mccook/
With stories continuing through July 21, send ideas about what makes McCook nice to rondagraff@gmail.com .