Valley County couple's abundance flows into community

At 2,057 feet above sea level, Happy Jack Peak just south of Scotia, Nebraska offers an unparalleled view of the North Loup River Valley. To the east, past Highway 11, the land abutting the meandering river erupts in a blanket of green grasses, crops, and trees. To the west, rolling hills stretch as far as the eye can see.

Looking northwest from the summit of that wildflower-carpeted white chalk bluff, hikers can see Valley County, where the abundance of the landscape complements the mindset of its inhabitants. The community bursts at the seams with creativity and positivity. For them, it's not a matter of whether they can do something, but how they can get it done.

Residents like Jeana and Tanner Hackel, the married owners of Hackel Construction, try to embody that optimistic spirit in their personal, professional, and community work.

"You work with what's in front of you to do something that's challenging," Jeana said. "You do it with all your heart and do it well."

Jeana and Tanner also credit SynoVation Valley Leadership Academy (SVLA), an Ord-based leadership development program, for challenging their thinking and offering a new way to live and lead that prioritizes connectedness, community, and innovation. This thoughtfulness touches everything they do, from their mindfulness to their careful business planning. Both now serve on the SVLA board.

Valley County Community Foundation Fund, the local NCF affiliated fund, has also been instrumental in the Hackels' collaborative approach. Through years of organizing, fundraising, and connecting, VCCFF members have supported a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem; nurtured the local arts community; and invested in leadership and leadership succession.

People like Bob Stowell, honorary NCF board member, make it a priority to invite them to get involved in the community at all levels. Whenever there's an event, they invite others to get involved. If they can't at that time, there's always another opportunity coming up.

These multiple growth opportunities led the Hackels out of a mindset of scarcity, Jeana said. Before her classes at SVLA, for example, she felt impeded by a frugality that prevented her from letting her generosity bloom.

"There's so much abundance," she said. "I don't need to hold on to anything. I just get to see it flow around."

The Hackels are letting some of their assets flow back into the community through a planned gift to the Valley County Community Foundation Fund. Inspired by Nebraska Community Foundation's Five to Thrive campaign, the couple allotted 5% of their estate to the Fund's unrestricted endowment. Within this decade, $408 million will transfer between generations in Valley County. Just 5% of that amounts to $20 million — a substantial amount of money and another plentiful resource to devote to community improvement.

Jeana and Tanner's gift puts them in the company of a long list of Valley County benefactors who believed that future residents would have the skills, passion, and drive to continue the community's progress. Those gifts allowed local leaders to nurture assets residents value, such as parks, the local health system, robust small businesses, arts, and more.

"We all enjoy these amenities," Tanner said. "It takes an intentional effort to make sure they're all supported and thriving. I want to be a part of that as well."

Nebraska Community Foundation staff have helped couples like Jeana and Tanner understand how they can designate planned gifts for causes they care about without sacrificing the future well-being of their children. One demonstration that made that fact obvious for Jeana was when NCF Director of Gift Planning Todd Mekelburg brought a bushel of corn to a meeting and removed exactly eight cups — roughly 5%. He asked attendees whether they observed a noticeable difference in the remaining corn, a visual metaphor for their estates, after removing that 5%. For Jeana, it was a moment of clarity.

"It's such a doable amount," she said. "I realized I'm not leaving my family on the street."

Their estate plans, which provide for both the people and the place they love, showcase the Hackels' dedication to their community. Their giving has not and will not end there, however, as their support for Valley County manifests in many ways.

"Our goal is to be able to be much more generous and exceed even our own expectations before this 5% kicks in," Tanner said.

If you would like to explore how Five to Thrive could impact your community, visit our website at fivetothrivene.org or contact Todd Mekelburg at 402.323.7343 or [email protected].

For information on how you can give back to your hometown, contact Nebraska Community Foundation's Office of Planned Giving, 402.323.7330 or [email protected].