Dannebrog has been taking on new and exciting projects as they are recovering from the 2019 floods. The village has been working for two years to make their new playground a reality, and after some waiting, now community members are finally working together to install it.
Community members said the 2019 flood was a very traumatic event.
“There were a number of times that we thought that businesses were going to close, and that we were going to lose our population," said Dannebrog resident, Kelly Burgess.
“We have the memory of the flood and it isn’t always a great memory, but Dannebrog is a very determined community. We are just coming out the other side," said community advocate, Lori Larsen.
Now, the community is moving forward with new projects.
“We wanted to upgrade the playground," Larsen said.
The pandemic delayed this project; they ordered everything for the playground in June of 2021, and received everything in February of 2022. Now, with a heart full of emotions, they are ready to start the work. Phase one of the project is the new playground installation.
Some community members did surveys through the Nebraska Extension that helped the village get a grant. Thanks to the Midwest Early Recovery Fund and the Peter Kiewit Foundation, the village received $10,000. The village helped with around $14,000 from Keno funds, and there were additional donations from community members.
"There's no way we would had been able to do this without help," Larsen said.
Phase two of the project will be a disc golf course in the same park, Larsen said that the community will raise more funds to make it happen. They received a grant from the Howard County Historical Society for $500.
“For phase three, we have an ice-skating rink that goes on here in the winter so we would like to some some type of warming shelter with a big fire ring," Larsen said.
The park renovation wasn’t the only project happening, as now Dannebrog is on the map for EV chargers.
“NPPD and Howard Greeley Rural Public Power District have been instrumental with great incentives to make that happen, so we happy to have these charges in place," Burgess said.
The village will have a one Level 3 DC fast charger station, and one Level 2 station behind of "Kerry's Grocery". There is a mural in the area where the charges will be, painted by community member, Dawn Webb. The design represents the evolution of transportation, going from horses to electric vehicles.
“We have invited a number of EV owners out to our Grundlovefest," Burgess said. "Our intent is to have them [EV chargers] turned on by then, and we are quite excited."
As this village keeps recovering from the floods, its members will keep taking on projects like these ones.
“It’s a very heart warming moment," Burgess said. "I’m very proud to be from Dannebrog. We are Nebraska and Dannebrog determined."