A New Zealander walking into a model train shop in Deshler, Nebraska may sound like the setup for a joke, but there’s no punchline. That’s just a normal day in Thayer County.
Deshler FAC member Kristi Zucker, whose family owns Spring Creek Model Trains, said the internationally known shop often draws travelers to Thayer County. Perhaps they also swing by the world’s largest covered porch swing in Hebron or head to Chester for Chesterfest. The possibilities grow every year in a place as vibrant as Thayer County.
Residents would like to see their town attract visitors, workers, and new residents. To make that happen, they’re engaging youth, embracing innovation, and encouraging regional cooperation.
Rivalries exist in Greater Nebraska, but more communities are realizing that collaboration is the way forward.
“We need to do this,” Zucker said. “This is about more than a single town in Thayer County.”
A Creative Spark for Countywide Unity
Inspiration struck local leaders at the 2019 NCF Annual Celebration in York. As members of affiliated funds in Hebron and Deshler shared a table during a breakout session about “The Dream Switch,” they realized they could team up to bring the production back home. This moment was the genesis of a new culture of collaboration.
“’The Dream Switch’ was one of the first projects that brought Thayer County together to work on something collaboratively, something new that wasn’t necessary or held in tradition, such as the county fair,” said Paige Hansen, a former Hometown Intern, now a member of her local fund advisory committee in Deshler. “It created relationships and connections that have lasted to this day.”
The event brought a big crowd to the Thayer County Fair Grounds in Deshler. The significant turnout, along with the enthusiasm of attendees and volunteers, encouraged leaders to consider future collaborations. Soon after local affiliated funds and other organizations collaborated on the first Big Give Thayer County. The inaugural donation drive raised more than $90,000 for organizations throughout the county. Thayer County affiliated funds have also worked in tandem to host more Hometown Interns than any other community in the NCF network.
“I think the fact that the communities chose to invest in this show in particular to express their desire for young people to come home affected me more than the actual show, and the show was great,” Hansen said. “The message is so important to portray what many young people may be feeling, and this show allows them to consider with excitement that coming home can be an amazing opportunity for growth and chance for real success and happiness.”
Youth Voices and Creative Visions
Hansen, now the community coordinator for the Thayer County Economic Development Alliance, was one of the event’s key organizers during her time as an intern. She and Chester intern Dakota Cherney interviewed many community members in the months leading up to the performance. Recordings of those conversations were included in “The Dream Switch” program, connecting the music’s narrative to life in Thayer County. Additionally, elementary students imagined and built cardboard villages reflecting the future they hope to create in Thayer County. Students in Deshler created a stunning mural, while in Hebron, then-principal and FAC member Kurk Weidel facilitated a youth-focused conversation following the performance.
The changemaking power of Thayer County’s affiliated funds is only limited by imagination. Altogether, they hold $6 million in endowed assets. That potential for growth and the connectedness of living in Greater Nebraska are two reasons why Hansen decided to return home after college – a move she announced at that “Dream Switch” performance years ago.
“Working together as a county is the best way to help each community thrive on its own,” she said. “When one community wins, everyone wins, because each town offers something unique to visitors or people looking for a place to call home.”
