Making a difference doesn't always require permission

Wagner’s Auto Group gave away free root beer floats during the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Celebration last October, just one example of doing small things that make a big difference.

Courtesy photo

Over the past week, there has been a lot of negativity in McCook, specifically around the water situation. Ideally, we want to have clean, readily available water all the time. Additionally, no one wants to pay more than their fair share to have access to water in their homes and businesses.

But as I told my son this week who was in the midst of a stressful situation, life is dealing with the highs and lows and learning how to handle each situation as it arises. Life is reacting to the good and the bad on a daily basis, knowing that our lives ebb and flow constantly.

And right now, people are not dealing with the bad in a constructive or helpful manner.

Sure, there is nothing that most of us can do to solve the water situation. We cannot walk into the water treatment plant, flip a switch and suddenly have perfect water flowing.

For starters, many people probably don’t even know where the plant is located. When the city has offered tours of its facilities, the majority of the people on the bus are staff members and city council members. Very few citizens take the time to learn more about their community on a regular basis. Not until something goes wrong do we pay attention and that usually just involves venting online, in the paper or on the radio rather than going to the source such as attending a city council meeting or a county commissioners session.

And as citizens, we have to take on the responsibility for things that take place in our community because we let this happen.

In the past, we have elected officials who celebrate the lowest tax rates and then wonder why we don’t have the funds to make necessary repairs. We have voted for people who don’t want to invest in our future to create a community where people will want to live and visit, which in turn creates a larger tax base to make more investments.

And perhaps most importantly, we struggle to fill the political seats we have. Yes, it takes a lot time to serve in political office and there is a lot to learn in public service. But if you have a problem with how things are working or how things are being done, then it is time to step up and run for office and make a difference from the inside rather than just lamenting from the outside. For everyone’s information, the incumbent (current office holders) registration deadline is Feb. 15 while the last day for new filers is March 1.

That being said, political office is not the only way to make a difference in your community. We need elected officials and government staff to keep things running, but there is actually just as much that can be done on a daily basis just as a citizen in our community.

An article on the website, Small Biz Survival, listed more than 100 things a person can do in or for their community that don’t require anyone’s permission. In fact, 99 percent of the things you could do to improve your community don’t require authorization from anyone and is perfect for small towns.

A few examples:

Take pictures of things you like in your hometown and share them.

I regularly see posts about McCook, usually taken by outsiders, who are celebrating what many of us take for granted, such as our historical sites and our abundant outdoor activities. Think about what would happen if we regularly shared what we love about our communities rather than lamenting everything that is wrong.

Walk into a local store. Take 5 friends. Spend $10 each.

Consider the impact your $50 will have on a hometown store and its owner versus spending $50 online where it won’t even get noticed.

Plant an extra row in your garden to share.

Every summer, extra produce shows up at the front desk of the YMCA for people to take home. Imagine an entire table dedicated to the plentiful bounty that we can produce in our gardens.

Hold a repair cafe: bring together people who can fix things (including sewing) and let anyone bring anything that needs fixed.

We bemoan that we live in a single-use society. Here is a chance to fix-up and reuse what we already have, as well as for those who have the expertise to share with those who lack many - perhaps most - of these skills.

These are just a few ideas. Perhaps my favorite idea is starting a positive Facebook page for your community. Yes, McCook has a “compliments” page but on that same site, the positives are drowned out by the concerns and complaints. According to research, the ideal praise-to-criticism ratio is 5:1. Meaning, it takes five positive comments to balance out one negative comment.

It can be tough to stay positive all the time, especially when dealing with the economy, finances and politics. But there are many opportunities to make a difference in our community, from serving in political office to volunteering on an organization’s board to hosting a dinner for newcomers. Ultimately, they all add up to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.