After farming for decades in the southern Panhandle, Howard and Peggy Atkins retired in Scottsbluff, but never forgot their connection to Kimball County. The couple had a strong desire to give back to their community, but they wanted others to follow their lead. They turned to Nebraska Community Foundation and established the Howard and Peggy Atkins Donor-Advised Fund and soon began working with NCF’s Kimball Area Foundation Fund on improvements to the movie theater and library. Their latest collaboration is the construction of a mile-long walking trail loop through virgin prairie which lies just south of the high school. Until now, Kimball (pop. 2,496) did not have a hiking trail. “I was a nurse before I was a farmer and I’m interested in health issues,” Peggy Atkins said. Howard agreed, “If we get the word out maybe other people will realize they can donate to the community and have something to be proud of.”
