Nebraska is a unique state full of the good life. It takes special people with the right upbringing to fully appreciate all the great things we enjoy here.
The greatest thing about Nebraska of course is the special people that tend to have a passion to be nice.
It’s so obvious that Nebraskans are nice that the Nebraska Tourism Commission chose a tourism brand, “Visit Nebraska. Visit Nice”. That tagline accurately describes the majority of people in our state. Being nice is a humbling thing to be known for and live up to as it respectfully differentiates us from others.
Visitors from other states are often surprised when Nebraskans treat them so well. A great example was last week after Nebraska lost our first football game of the season to BYU.
As Deb and I watched the game outside our condo with our neighbors, three BYU football fans walked by and stopped to rest on a bench. They watched the end of the football game on our TV and were surprised when we offered them water on that hot day. They said others had been nice to them too and asked why Nebraskans are so nice. They had never experienced that friendliness and respect before in other states. We told them that’s just the way it is in Nebraska.
It was an exciting football game from start to finish. It was played with respect for the opponent and the referees. After BYU won the game with a Hail Mary pass, we congratulated the BYU fans and said, “good game.” They were shocked by our good sportsmanship. My response was, “football is more than winning.” Thanks, Tom Osborne, for driving that theory home!
Nice Nebraskans are everywhere in our state. A few weeks ago, Deb and I stayed at beautiful Lake McConaughy, north of Ogallala. Everyone we talked to in the area was exceptionally nice, especially Spencer.
We met Spencer at the Sands Edge Bar and Restaurant on the Northeast edge of Lake McConaughy. Spencer is a true cowboy, who trains horses for a living and rides them to herd the cattle on his ranch. Spencer was more than willing to answer a multitude of my questions about training horses.
Although training horses is a “job,” it seemed to be more of a hobby for Spencer because his passion for horse training was obvious. He said horse training starts with getting the best animals that have the right attitude and are willing to be trained. That “horse sense” seems kind of like developing great team players in successful companies!
Spencer participated a few times in the rodeo but gave it up because it was hard on the animals, and it was not a passion. His obvious passion was treating horses respectfully and getting the most out of them. He knew the horses he trained liked him if they followed as he walked away. People like Spencer make Nebraska truly special.
Nebraskans tend to help each other when in need. Even though most Nebraskans have plenty, there are many less fortunate who struggle to make ends meet. In Nebraska, we naturally reach out to help others in need when possible. The John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical’s team is reaching out this year and will be giving away 30 heating system maintenance services for free to those in need!
We are donating to this public service because the John Henry's Plumbing, Heating, Air, and Electrical’s team has a passion to make sure everyone in our community is safe. Through the years we have found many that do not have the funds to service their heating systems properly. During the cold Nebraska winters, they are in imminent danger of the 50 levels of carbon monoxide poisoning and often do not know it.
If their heating systems are not functioning efficiently it takes funds away from their tight budgets. Some are forced to turn the T-stats to a low setting and suffer in their cold homes.
The challenge will be in finding the right 30 individuals that need our free heating service. We are asking for the input of names from churches, organizations, City organizations, and individuals that can help by submitting their names and reasons why they need our support. Please fill out the application below and send it to us……thank you!
Some from other places may laugh at Nebraska and say nothing is exciting in our “fly-over state”. We can knowingly smile because we understand they probably would not fit in here anyway!
