Name: Katie Raffelson
Hometown: Sidney
Affiliated Fund: Sidney and Greater Area Fund
School: University of Nebraska – Lincoln
What does it feel like to be back in your hometown this summer?
Being back in my hometown this summer makes me feel safe and at peace. I know that I have support in this town whenever I need it.
What are some of your hometown’s greatest assets?
Sidney’s greatest assets are all of our small businesses and the people willing to pursue their dreams and follow through with their ideas to improve the community.
What about the NCF Internship experience stands out to you so far? Why?
The support and the wide variety of ideas stand out to me. I think it is very inspiring that people from all over Nebraska can come together and collaborate on ideas to improve each community.
Everyone has gifts and talents to share. What do you hope to share with your hometown this summer?
I hope to share my communication skills by helping push people to better our community and to return to Sidney.
What should older adults know about your generation of Nebraskans?
I think that older adults should know that our generation is also trying to do the best for Nebraska.
How does belonging play a role in your attachment to your hometown?
I think the sense of belonging plays a big role. My whole family lives here, so that plays a big role in my attachment to the town.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future of your community?
I hope that my community can build on all of the great things it already has, and I dream of more people wanting to return to Sidney after college or living away for part of their lives.
What are you looking for in a place to call home?
What I look for in a place to call home is the community, career opportunities, church community, a good school, a variety of activities, and somewhere I could raise a family.
If you were designing a future for yourself in Greater Nebraska, what would that look like?
What I would want my future to look like in Greater Nebraska is to have land to farm and build on, a sustainable career in teaching, and a community that is supportive and welcoming.
What’s a piece of advice you have for older generations of Nebraskans?
Make room for our generation to build and improve Nebraska without the need for us to recreate the past exactly as it was. Our generation has a lot of the same values you do; we just might have different ways in showing and expressing those things. I think that to build Nebraska, every generation has to come together as one.
