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ACROSS NEBRASKA…
Mobile food pantries providing free food are offered in the area every two weeks by the Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska in cooperation with the Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha.
Friday’s pantry will be held at Ravenna. Drivers should remain in their vehicles while masked volunteers load groceries.
Food pickups, by appointment only, begin at 9:30am. Call Kyla Martin at 308-440-0153 to set up a time. The pantries rotate to serve Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Hall, Kearney and Phelps counties.
Future dates include:
– May 15, Pleasanton School, Pleasanton
– June 12, Phelps County Fairgrounds, Holdrege
– June 26, Community Action Partnership Food Bank, Kearney
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The Nebraska State Patrol is helping out truck drivers by handing out face masks across Nebraska. The NSP estimates they handed out 45,000 yesterday and hope to reach 100,000 today. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security provided the masks to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
Locations include:
– Goehner Truck Parking Area, Interstate 80 (8am – 6pm)
– Melia Hills Rest Area, Interstate 80 (8am – 6pm)
– Waverly EB scale, Interstate 80 (7am – Noon)
– Waverly WB scale, Interstate 80 (Noon – 8pm)
– North Platte EB scale, Interstate 80 (8am – 6pm)
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You can keep yourself safe in these times by showing your Husker spirit, AND help Nebraska Food Banks. Husker Face Masks are on sale right now at the shop at NRG sister property huskermax.com. The masks are handmade, available in four styles, and will ship in early May. GO HERE: http://www.shophuskermax.com/houndsmax-huskers-mask-ships-in-may.aspx
We invite you to join us by wearing red on Fridays to show support to all healthcare professionals, essential workers, and all first responders. The idea of wearing red on Friday’s began with Nebraska Medicine and we want to help spread the word and show support. On social media, use the hashtag “Wear Red Be Proud NE” (#WeRedBeProudNE) and post messages of support to the community. Also, use the hashtag “One For The Heroes” (#OneForTheHeroes).
GRAND ISLAND…
Bosselman Enterprises in cooperation with the Nebraska Ethanol Board and the University of Nebraska Innovation Campus will distribute free ethanol-based hand sanitizer to Kearney area businesses. Sanitizer will be available at Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce Office, 1007 2nd Avenue Wednesday, April 29th from 9:30 – Noon. Thursday, April 30th from 9:30 – 10:30 (or until supplies run out). Hit up Bosselman and Pump and Pantry’s Social media for updates.
Peace Lutheran in Grand Island is offering Vacation Bible School virtually this summer. Find out more at their Facebook page.
Great Western Bank in Grand Island is proud to partner with Super Saver to bring your family back to the table so you can enjoy a family spaghetti night. Stop by the Webb Road location (enter on Webb exit on Faidley) on Friday, May 1st starting at 10am until the meals are gone.
Takeout Bingo! The Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation, and Grand Island Tourism invite you to dine, play Bingo, and support your community! Now until Friday anytime you visit a Grand Island restaurant for takeout and curbside pickup, take a picture of your food purchase, post it to your social media, and mark off one spot on your Takeout Bingo card. Finished bingo cards will be entered for FREE prizes. Two winners will be randomly selected for a $50 gift card and four runners-up will be randomly selected for a $25 gift card to the Grand Island restaurant of their choice. Completed Bingo cards need to be submitted by 10am Friday. Go here for more.
KEARNEY…
University of Nebraska at Kearney students disrupted by the COVID19 pandemic are offered immediate access to grants of $250 to $2,000 cash totaling $1.9 million. Students with questions about the program and their eligibility can email finaid1@unk.edu or call 308-865-8520. Funds may be available through other sources being offered to support students facing emergency needs. Ongoing updates to the university’s response to COVID-19 are on the website https://www.unk.edu/coronavirus/. More questions about the relief fund are answered at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/heerfstudentfaqs.pdf
Starting this Friday boys interested in playing Kearney Legion Baseball this summer need to register on-line using the website @BaseballKearney. Follow the directions for filling out the sign up sheet and the Form 2 sheet. Anyone with questions should contact Coach Archer. According to Legion Baseball officials an abbreviated season may still take place this summer.
Hot Meals USA continues to feed those in need, including first responders, amid the coronavirus crisis in Kearney. The organization formed to respond in the wake of disasters has produced about 40,000 meals in the weeks since setting up in the MONA parking lot. If you’re in need and can’t stop by yourself contact the Kearney Jubilee Center to have a meal delivered Monday through Saturday between 11 and 1:30 pm.
Bison Bullion in Kearney is helping raise money for families at this time. Through the sale of 1000 10 oz bars, Bison Bullion’s goal is to raise $20,000. $10,000 from its customer’s generous donations and $10,000 matched from Bison Bullion. The money being raised is for a special program in Kearney in conjunction with The Alley Rose called “Drive up and Feed Kearney.” The event will take place each Wednesday as long as the funding for the program lasts. The first Drive up event will take place Wednesday evening May 6th. Go here for more.
Our partner Kearney Cinema 8 is offering HUGE bags of their delicious theater popcorn for $25! The bag comes with two FREE movie passes. Bags are available at the HyVee in Kearney.
HASTINGS…
The Hastings Parks & Rec Department has had to change their spring and summer program schedule due to the pandemic, but have come up with a few social distancing activities. One of them includes a Rock Scavenger Hunt. Since March, the Parks & Rec Department has hidden “Dwayne the Limestone Rock” at a Hastings business, and posted clues on their Facebook page as to where it can be found. People who find the rock can send a photo of themselves with the rock via direct message to the Parks & Rec Department on Facebook. Those who are successful in the hunt will be eligible for a gift card. The Parks & Rec Department is also encouraging people to try out a state-wide scavenger hunt called Great Park Pursuit. Locations can be found on their website. The newly scheduled dates for some of the department’s programs are all pending what happens with the Directed Health Measure.
Active Hastings Week is April 26th – May 2nd. The week showcases FREE outdoor activities with social distancing in place to get families moving and win prizes! Go here for more including the activities.
GIVE Where you Live Hastings IS going on NOW through May 7th! Head to the website givehastings.org to donate to 91 Adams County non profits!
It’s a night of prayer and worship for front line workers! Friday, May 1st at the far North parking lot of Mary Lanning Hospital in Hastings from 8:30-9pm. Participants are asked to please stay in vehicles.
HOLDREGE…
Janssen Auto group of Holdrege along with Gutterz Fun Center of Holdrege are pleased to announce their Cruise Up Car Concert featuring Luke Mills and the Highway Drifters this Friday, May 1st from 7 to 10pm. Gutterz Fun Center is a neighboring business to Janssen Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Holdrege and will be delivering food and drinks for those that would like to enjoy food during the concert. This concert is free to the public at 601 West 4th Avenue in Holdrege. Parking on the lot will be limited. Concert goers will only be permitted to enjoy the concert from their vehicles and will not be allowed to get out of their vehicles to congregate.