Written By: Ashton Baxa
Leadership Kearney class of #33 started the morning with a sponsored breakfast by Highstreet Insurance at The World Theatre. A panel of three individuals (Corey Urbankek, Denise Christensen, and Brette Ensz) helped kick off the morning by educating our group on different statistics of how art, culture, and recreation impact the area. The Kearney Culture & Arts organization consists of roughly 25 organizations. Of the 25 organizations, four were represented (Crane River Theater, Merryman Performing Arts, Kearney Community Theatre, and The World Theatre) and those four organizations had over 76,000 in attendance in 2024. After the panel discussion concluded there was a tour provided by Executive Director Mark Treadway.
The next stop was Mona which is nearing competition on its remodel, restoration, and expansion of the museum. Class #33 got the inside scoop from Curator, Karissa Johnson as the museum is set to open to the public in early May. Mona is eagerly waiting to share the space with the public. There will be different classes and workshops available for all ages to participate.
After touring Mona class #33 headed to the Kearney Area Children’s Museum where Cassie Larreau provided a tour and a wealth of knowledge about the facility. The Children's Museum showcases exhibits such as a post office, pizzeria, police & fire, mechanic shop, and agricultural. Each exhibit offers hands-on and educational opportunities for youth and adults. The Children’s Museum has an incredible hands-on board that volunteered over 900 hours in the past year. Cassie shared that in 2024 the Children’s Museum had over 44,000 visitors from 36 states. There are currently over 1,200 families that are members of the museum.
The next stop was the Kearney Family YMCA where a tour was provided by Courtney Burbach and lunch was sponsored by FNBO and Culligan. Courtney shared with the group that the YMCA had just completed a capital campaign where the goal was 12.1 million dollars, and the YMCA achieved just over 13 million. The YMCA currently has over 7,600 members. The fitness center was expanded to a new space and was furnished with brand-new equipment. The expansion added an area for a creative arts room and department. Starting at the beginning of March 2025 the YMCA will offer 24/7 fitness opportunities for those over 18 years of age. Coming in June 2025 there will be the introduction of a splash pad that will be open to the community!
After lunch, the group headed to the Trails & Rails Museum where a tour was provided by Dr. Lina Homberger Cordia. The Museum has two employees year-round and they collect any items related to Buffalo County. There is a massive amount of history at the Museum also known as the Buffalo County Historical Society. The group was able to learn about some of the archives that are currently being housed at the museum, which included beautiful historical curtains as early as the 1920s.
Following the Museum the group traveled to the Kearney Welcome Center. The Welcome Center is a partnership building that also houses offices for Visit Kearney, the Kearney Area Chamber, and the Buffalo County Economic Development. In addition to the office space, there will be community rooms for new and existing businesses to utilize for meetings or collaborations.
The group concluded the day with a short walk over to the SportsPlex where Scott Hayden provided the class with a tour of the facility. This state-of-the-art indoor athletics facility, anticipated to open in spring 2025, will bring a whole new level of sports and entertainment to Central Nebraska.
