Challenges come at all of us each and every day, whether you are in the agriculture business, the banking business, the newspaper business, the grocery business, insurance and so many more. For the past couple of months as the president of the Sutton Community Home Foundation, and for that matter the Sutton Community Home Board, and administration, the future of the home has been placed in limbo, to a certain degree.
It’s taken me a few months to bounce back from the information that when we first started the Foundation’s capital campaign that WHEN we raised, or had pledges that surpassed an estimated $2.3 million, action/renovations would start taking place.
Apparently, that isn’t the way it’s going to go...we need to raise the “full monty,” which is $6 million, and as hard of a pill this is to swallow for me, while running a business, while trying to get my damaged building open again, this is yet another “curveball” we are facing in the almost-12 years I’ve been on the Foundation board.
It is now time that we “nurture a sense of belonging,” as I read in a recent email from the Nebraska Community Foundation, more specifically, the CEO of the Nebraska Community Foundation, Jeff Yost. That email read, in part shared: “When was the first time you felt like you belonged? If you were lucky like me, it happened in your youth. My hometown of Red Cloud provided a sense of safety and security that undoubtedly set me up for success later in life. Every kid (and adult) needs and deserves that.”
It went on to share, “Creating a sense of belonging is some of the most important work we do as community builders—it’s the hardest, too. No matter where you are on the political spectrum, the national landscape feels more divisive than ever. Nebraska Community Foundation is post-partisan. We operate far beyond two-, four- and six-year terms. NCF is the place where we set our differences aside and get to work because of our shared unwavering commitment to the core value that Greater Nebraska is worthy of our efforts and our investment.”
Yost added, “Belonging is rooted in having your unique gifts received and appreciated by those in your community. In a small town, it’s a matter of necessity. The work is endless, and we need everyone’s help.”
Yost finalized by saying, “The work our volunteers are doing is generational. We build endowments today because no matter what the future holds, they will be there for whatever community needs arise. In 2025 and beyond, we will work to make Greater Nebraska a more welcoming place for all who call it home. The future of our state depends on it.”
We’re at that point with our nursing home. As I see it, we jump on board and make this $6 million ask happen, we donate and sustain a strong effort to make it happen, or we face not having a care facility in our community, for that matter in our county, that is led by fantastic staff members and administration.
Since we started trying to make this happen and get it off the ground, I’ve heard so many say, “I’ll donate to the cause when I see construction start. To me, that isn’t “belonging,” that’s an easy way to say, “I’m not going to waste my time or my money to better our community.” Sorry, that’s just the way I feel.
I was punched in the gut a few months ago with the news that we now need to raise cash in hand, right at, or just over $6 million bucks to bring this to a reality. Honestly, and I don’t use foul language in the Bull, but I was pissed, because we have “marketed this fundraising effort” since last May when we kicked off round two of a capital campaign that once we reached just over $2 million, activity would start, that “dirt would move.” Well, that’s not the case anymore. IF this is to become a reality, obviously we have a lot of work to do!
So, to kick this off, as you will see with a “save the date” advertisement this week, the Foundation is hosting an 18-hole golf tournament on Saturday, July 19.
It’s not cheap to get into, for a reason. My personal goal is that we fill this tournament with up to 28 teams, 4-person teams that is. It’s $500 bucks per team ($125 per person) to enter. We’re working hard to push “over the hump” and we’d love (meaning the home and foundation board members, and staff) if you’d play, or if you can’t play, sponsor a team to help us “reignite” the efforts to make the reality of our renovation and construction project happen.
Nurture a sense of belonging, community pride, and help us get over this hurdle and make the reality of a newly renovated nursing home.
The Foundation, home staff, and home board isn’t going away, not by any means, but we certainly can’t fund this effort without the help of YOU, who are reading this week’s Bull.
It’s not often that I “plead” with our readers, and it’s certainly not like I ask for much. I might preach my opinion a great deal, but nothing is ever too little, and never too much. It’s time to breathe new life into what needs to happen, not what we “hope will happen,” but what NEEDS to happen.
You can call the Fox Hollow Golf Course or any foundation board member to enter the tournament, or to have time to talk with us about what NEEDS to happen. The golf tournament is just a small way to spark new interest, gain ground, and build for the future.
It’s heavy this week, I won’t apologize for that, because this is what I believe in, it’s what needs to happen, and without you jumping on board it’s on that proverbial “teeter totter” to have it happen without you all.
To all of you that have donated and pledge, thank you so much for doing so, because you are the ones that have created a sense of belonging. Hou HAVE given us your support, and we can’t even come close to thanking you enough, but it’s going to take more work, more financial effort, and I personally am open to your feedback, you’re ideas and your input to make this happen.
Respectfully submitted this week.
THE BULL Tory Duncan [email protected]
