A wave of good news...

Famed college basketball coach John Wooden once said “good things take time, as they should.” There’s a wave of good news hitting Grand Island—each a story of local love out of vision and determination. Allow me to highlight some of them.

Do you remember when the Boy Scouts announced bankruptcy? That news shocked many of us at first, then our minds went to our beloved Camp Augustine and what this could mean for the land it rested on and the many memories in the hearts of so many.

Fast forward to 2023. The land has now been purchased by the City, which secures it for recreation purposes. Plus, there is a bigger vision stirring that could enhance the area for generations to come. There will be a public community celebration at Camp Augustine on October 29 from 1:30-2:30pm. There will be smores!!

Do you also remember the pursuit to expand our veterans cemetery on Capital Avenue? It was a funding roller coaster at times, but a recent federal grant has sealed its reality. The Nebraska Veterans Cemetery will be built next to the existing Soldiers and Sailors Cemetery and will be a beautiful and solemn place. A public groundbreaking will take place on November 10 at 11am.

Now shift your thinking to the Grand Island Children’s Museum. In the summer of 2018, a small group came together around an exciting big idea to have a place where children of all ages can learn through play, creativity, and imagination. Five years later, that big idea is getting closer to reality with the recent announcement of a grant awarded by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Local fundraising efforts should ramp up soon.

And, speaking big ideas, the 2nd annual Big Idea Grand Island will be held on November 6 at 6:30pm at Kinkaiders. The last competition was a HUGE success, so this next one will be even more exciting. The entire Kinkaiders facility has been reserved, so there is room for a crowd. Come out and support our budding entrepreneurs.

This is a small compilation of recent good stuff—take a moment and think about other good stuff that has happened in the last several months, such as Pirnie Inclusive Playground, Amur Plaza and Conestoga Marketplace. If we look ahead to the coming months, there is plenty of promise on the horizon as well. These are topics for another article, but it would appear waves of good news are on a roll.