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Please note, this episode was recorded over the summer. Since then some of the projects mentioned may have already been updated.
Hello everyone! We are coming to you from the Whispering Pines Bed and Breakfast in Nebraska City where we are joined by Jim Kuhn, president of Nebraska City's Veterans Memorial Building Board, who is also a Navy veteran. And so first we want to say thank you for your service!
Yes, thank you.
Thank you. Yes.
You are very welcome.
And we welcome you to the podcast, Jim.
Thank you. Glad to be here.
You have a fantastic Veterans Memorial Building. And not just a park installation, like a lot of places have, but a building in downtown Nebraska City. In 2005, there was talk of tearing it down. So is that when you got involved in this project?
2005 is when the building went vacant for several years.
Okay.
And right after that, then they started talking about tearing down. They didn't want to spend any more money on it for single pane, radiator heat, just all those things. The building was built in 1929, so you can imagine issues.
Yes.
Yeah, and I got involved in about 2011. They were really talking about tearing it down. There was a tree growing through the roof on the east side; and someone made the comment, well, let's just put Christmas lights on and call it good. Being a Navy veteran, I didn't care for that. Let's just put it that way.
Yes.
Oh, yeah.
So I offered myself and my son who was also an Army veteran, that we would fix that on our own time. Our own time our materials. And that's when I first got started. And then shortly after that, I met Mr. Ted Beilman. He was the one that kind of got everything started. He got us on the National Historic Registry. You know, all those things that we need to do, he made us a 501C3 for tax purposes. And he and I just kind of worked it together for a while. He and I negotiated the Pella window project, which is a huge deal. It's 122 windows.
Oh my goodness!
And we negotiated the price and got the grant for 'em.
Oh, amazing!
And before we could finish that project, unfortunately, he passed away. So then we picked up the ball. There's 10 of us on our board, and I was the president and now vice president. Janet Palmtag is now our president. There's ten members of us all together. And it's a great, diverse group of people...accounting people, real estate brokers, all that type thing. So that's what keeps us going. And we were determined that this building is not going to torn down. So that's where we're at today. I've been working in there for like four or five years now. All we have left is a kitchen. We have a kitchen that's going to get started here in the next 30-60 days. And we have our stage, where we want all the latest and greatest in the stage, of course. And so that's going to start here, also.
You talked about the Pella window project. What other kinds of collaboration did you see with this project?
A lot of collaboration. That's the nice part about this. That's what's kept me here, I think, because all of our work that we do is donated labor. Like I say, I'm retired for like third or fourth time just never worked for me. But so a lot of collaboration especially with city and volunteers in Nebraska City. That's the best part about being a small town like Nebraska City. I moved here in 1980. One of the best things I ever did. You'll never get out of here now. But, so, the winter project was a huge project. Since then, we've put in two heating and cooling. There's fourtenn furnaces in that building now. Put in a new elevator. There was never an elevator in that building, and it's three stories.
Oh!
Wow.
The gym floor was an old basketball-type floor and it was really going south in hurry. We have a brand floor now...all individual pieces. (We) painted the whole building, all three floors. (We) had to do a lot of ADA stuff. You know back in the day, the 36 inch rail on the top was okay at the balcony. But now it's got to be 42.
Yeah.
So you got to design that that
Yeah. So a lot of fundraising money into the project. And I'm sure continues to. So how did you guys go about doing that?
we have craft team that does our grant writing. And then we also have different events during the year, throughout the year to say, hey, come and donate. We have cleaning days, just to show you how well Nebraska City is accepting this. We say hey, we're gonna have a work day, Saturday...20 people show up!
Aww.
And they're washing windows and all that kind of stuff. And also then they always leave donations. We've had a lot of groups, a lot of individuals, made some huge donations for us, plus other grants from I don't know if I'm supposed to mention it?
Yeah, you can!
Yes.
But the Wirth Foundation of Nebraska City has been a big proponent of ours. They've given us a lot of money like the window project was all them. The Kimball Foundation...Burlington Northern Railroad, just gave us $10,000...said we like what you're doing.
Yeah.
Aww.
So...
That's that Nebraska love right there.
That is that Nebraska love, and when they see that you have the fire in your belly and you have the commitment, people are going to help you with that. And that's just midwest living.
That is. That is.
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So the building previously had a lot of different hats. It did a lot of different things. Tell us a little bit about that.
Previously, I mean a lot of things, the schools were involved with the building. They would have their tests, they would take all the grade schools...there used to be more than just two or three. They would have all their tests in there. So everybody would be in the same room. They played basketball and they had state Wrestling Championships and political events in there...weddings, a lot of dances. Saturday night, bands would play and people would dance and what really brings tears to my eyes is when a couple comes in and are older. And they say Jim, well, we came here at our prom dance. And we got engaged here. And now we've been married 50 years.
Aww.
So does that make you feel good?
Yeah, that's yeah, and the building is still there for them to be able to come back and relive those memories.
So very good I know memories is a big pain to me. Because every time we have an event, I put out a table with some paper on it, say memory table. Tell me what you remember. They remember the coin shows. I remember the antique shows, I remember all this stuff. So that helps us because we're trying to bring a lot of that back. And we're gonna bring a lot of that. We have already started that process. So it's pretty cool.
That's wonderful. So you said you had some events that you do for fundraising?
We have an annual gala. That's a big fundraiser for us. We have other events on the military holidays, because it's Veterans Memorial Building. We have several-hundred veteran biographies on plaques, they're approximately two foot by four foot. It shows pictures of all the veterans where they were what they did, what they looked like when they graduated high school, which is really scary on my part.
(chuckling)
And my son was in the army, so you no he was Army craft. Yeah, mine was an aircraft carrier. So I mean, you know, he was army, so there's a lot of that respectful, bantering.
I was wondering what you were gonna call that.
Yeah. (Laughing)
But we've already heard some fantastic stories and about the memory table. I love that. But what's one of your favorite stories about the building?
One of my favorite, I guess is when people come in and they want to take a tour and just watching their eyes light up, because they said, we remembered know that what we did in a lot of the places is some of the woodwork that we had to tear some windows out or doors out to make for new restrooms and that type thing, but we saved that and we put that would maybe around a door or a frame or something. We save all the wood from the gym floor and we made tables. We made big tables out of that. And people come in they say this was...and I always tell the story. You know, well see that little dent right there? That's, you know, a guy was trying to dance right there...
(Laughing)
I make up these stories, and they laugh...
Yes.
Yeah.
...and, they could've been true...
I'm seeing that, yes!
Yeah, we can't wait to see it.
Yeah, So we're gonna stop by today.
As a veteran memorial, you talked about the the pictures and those type of things. What kind of impact have you seen on the veterans, or have just been able to have that where you were being so honored with the service that you have you seen that impact to your veteran community here in Nebraska City?
We gave our American Legion and VFW at their own office in the upper level. And then we created a conference room that will house their meeting, so they can stay rent free. They have a conference room. They have their own copy area. So that's helping them, because now they have a permanent place to meet every month. But then along with that, we created what the Otoe County veteran's service officer said, we're going to do a buddy check. A buddy check is, are, any veteran coming in the building on any given day, and we say the third Tuesday, come in at nine to 11. I make coffee, bring cookies or donuts. They come in and just can sit with them, talk about their service, some of the things they experienced, and it's so touching.
Yeah. And they need that time.
They do.
They do, as none of us understand what you guys have had to go through. We're so appreciative of every path. Your community is doing a great job, but overall in the state of Nebraska, how do you think we can serve more veterans in our state?
It's communication, you know? I think you have to, you know, talk to verterans, you know. Get a group of them going, it's like, when we started this project, there was just one or two of us, but then you start talking to the community, keep seeing that fire in the belly. They see that that's going to happen, and think I want to be part of that. And once you get them on board, and then of course, we got the Doug Frielis of the world, the (?) of the world. They're always gonna be there to help. The city's been a real help, too. They say, hey, come down, and you know, just come down and stand around and watch if you want, but you know, be supportive.
Yeah.
Jim, why do you think that families should visit? Young people should visit this building?
Young people don't understand what all veterans had to go through. Why they went through. They don't understand what volunteerism is like, well, the service,and what the draft was like. We have a lot of pictures of military stuff. And every Veterans Day, the cool thing about it is the middle school here puts on a free breakfast for all veterans in our basement of our building. They show up from everywhere, you know, and the kids serve. They make the meals, they do all that, and it's a wonderful, wonderful thing. Veterans Day morning, November 11, come downstairs, you'll see some sights. You really will.
Amazing.
Thank you for this. And I mean, I love small towns. I'm here I do a lot of stuff for Nebraska City. And, and I will continue to do that, because it's the feeling you get that you did something and the Memorial Building is one of my biggest projects. I enjoy giving back. I hope more people do that. Not only for veterans, but for small towns.
That's right. You want them to thrive. That's absolutely what we want. We have the great, greatest state in the union and we need it. Our small towns are a big part of that.
And we live in Nebraska City and it's so great that they named the state after us!
(Laughing)
We're proud of that!
You guys got it all.
We've got it going on!
That's right! That's right.
Jim, (you kind of) you kind of covered this earlier, but what do you love about...this is our final question, by the way. So you then you're off the hook. What do you love about living in small town, Nebraska?
I love living in small town Nebraska because of the work ethic. And the people and they're so friendly. I mean, you go downtown and your car breaks down, five people will stop and help push you off to the side of the road or give you a ride. I mean, that's what small town is all about. I wouldn't...I've never been to New York City. I have no desire to go. But I'm in Nebraska City. So I got the better of all the worlds.
(Laughing) We know.
Very good.
Thank you so much. We really appreciate having you on.
Well, thanks for talking to me.
Yes, absolutely.
Didn't hurt a bit
Oh good! Good deal.
There, see? We'll keep that on there. So people know...painless interview....
It is.
Mostly.
Oh, and one more thing. The mayor of our fair city, who is a really good friend of mine. He was Army. Army Colonel retired. I was Navy, so we go back and forth a lot. Respectfully. So just one last thing I'd like to say is... go Navy beat army!
All right. I'll keep it. I'll kepp it.
All right, thank you so much.
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