By Dennis Morgan
Co-Publisher
ELGIN — A successful businessman who just completed his first 100 days in office as Nebraska’s governor, Jim Pillen and First Lady Suzanne Pillen came here Monday morning with a positive message about the state’s future.
During the visit which lasted more than one hour, he first spoke to finance students at Pope John XXIII Central Catholic, then spent the latter half of his trip speaking to students from PJCC and Elgin Public Schools as well as a good turnout of local residents eager to see and hear the Pillens.
The governor told the finance class, taught by instructors Amy Klein and Chris Grundmayer that success can be found by those who dream then work hard to achieve it.
Much of his inspiration, the governor said, came from former NU Coach Tom Osborne. “He’s (Osborne) 86 years old, still working his tail off every year to make things better, make our communities better,” he said. “The thing that we learned was we need to do our best every day to make ourselves a little bit better, our family better and our community better.”
At both the school and St. Boniface Auditorium, Pillen told how prior to 1974, most stores were closed on Sundays. That day, he said, was time where families gathered. Then, things began to change where people went shopping and less time was spent with family members.
“How many of you think you can buy happiness? That’s what we’ve been mesmerized as consumers in this country since 1974 that we think instead of developing relationships with family, neighbors and friends, we can go buy something and be happy … If you start thinking you’re going to buy things that are going to make you happy, healthier, it’s just not possible,” he said.
He then spoke of his father whom he described as a ‘fiscal conservative’ who told his three sons that every nickel matters. “We’ve got to treat them (nickels) like manhole covers.”
Before leaving for the gymnasium, the governor imparted one last piece of advice.
“Do your best every day, then have big dreams because, if you do your best and you have dreams, you can do anything in your life, anything you decide to do. Absolutely, positively.”
Upon arriving at the auditorium, the podium was set up to address attendees seated in the east bleachers. There was nary an empty seat to be found, and the governor didn’t disappoint those in attendance.
He described Nebraskans as “hardworking, humble people that just do the right thing every single day … We live in a really, really special place.”
Pillen said during his time as governor (he has no aspirations for higher office), he said our kids’ future is why he’s here.
“That’s why I’m your governor,” he said. “because of our kids and the next generation of Nebraskans … The future of Nebraska is extraordinary.”
To do that, he said it’s really important for all to stand up and defend, protecting our families.
“We need to keep you here. We need to defend and protect you. We need to train you and we need to keep you here,” emphasizing the important of secondary education including trade schools for jobs like electricians, plumbers, welders and mechanics.
He shared his own story about how, ever since being eight years old, he wanted to be a veterinarian. As he grew he added playing football. Then, while at UNL, he had a professor tell him he couldn’t be both. Instead of giving up on his dreams, he worked harder. That hard work led to being a starter on defense for the Huskers and, not long after his playing career was over, he became a veterinarian. He said it happened because he had dreams.
His message was aimed at students, saying everyone has two or three people who are instrumental in shaping their lives. One may be a parent, another may be a teacher and the third person may be a coach. He encouraged all to take a yellow sheet of paper and write those people a note, saying ‘thank you’ for everything they have done for them.
He then took a moment to praise the effort of the TeamMates program here in Elgin currently offered at EPS. Having been a mentor to three young men prior to becoming governor, Pillen said Elgin’s TeamMates program could be a model to all others in the state should the day come to pass where every student who wants a mentor gets one. The governor then spent much of his remaining time answering questions from mostly students. At the end of the program, Fehringer presented the governor and first lady with inscribed red aprons. Also, Cale Kinney presented the first lady with a bouquet of flowers. Then, before leaving, Pillen posed for a picture with mentors and mentees alike.
The Pillens’ trip to Elgin was arranged by James Fehringer, whom the governor said has been a friend for 40 years.
