Dixie Nelson believes the more we help each other, the better off we’ll all be.
Her altruistic nature has influenced much of what she’s done in her life, as well as how she treats those around her. She spends her days sorting through recyclables to help the environment, and she served her hometown for eight years as director of the Chamber of Commerce in Alliance, Nebraska.
Dixie learned of the Center for Rural Affairs about 15 years ago. Since then, she has been so moved by the Center’s work that her giving spirit called her to start making monthly donations to the organization.
“I can’t give very much, but I see the stories in the Center’s newsletter and they are always so uplifting,” Dixie said. “Sometimes people just need that little nudge, whether financial or through coaching, and the Center does that.”
Erin Schoenberg, development manager with the Center, has enjoyed getting to know Dixie and sharing stories with her and other supporters.
“That Dixie has chosen to be a monthly supporter of the Center means so much to us,” said Erin. “She and others who choose to give on a recurring basis provide one of our most reliable and flexible sources of funding—and a monthly boost of moral support that is just as powerful.”
Alliance has been Dixie’s home her entire life. She loves rural America and is committed to preserving the convenience and kindness of small-town living.
“At one time, I thought I’d want to live in an urban area,” Dixie said. “I got to travel a lot, but the older I’ve gotten, the more I feel like I'm right where I need to be. You can live a good life here. We can go grocery shopping and do all our errands in a few hours. If you live in a bigger urban area, you’d have to plan a whole afternoon just to get the groceries.”
She’s proud of her community and what it has become over the years. The town of about 8,000 people boasts 104 acres of parks, theaters, museums, the Carnegie Arts Center, and many other amenities that make it stand out for a town of that size. Alliance is also home to Carhenge, an automobile replica of Stonehenge that draws thousands of visitors each year.
“Every time I chat with Dixie, she's out in her community making a positive difference,” Erin said. “She is the definition of ‘good people.’ When we talk, I always learn something new and I always put the phone down re-energized.”
Dixie is passionate about the Center’s work and programs. From helping women entrepreneurs to growing and buying local foods and using local products at restaurants, Dixie follows the Center’s work closely.
“Supporting this work helps the local citizenry,” Dixie said. “When the Center gives a shot in the arm to help someone succeed, everything goes out in a ripple effect. The people running these businesses and producing these crops, that’s their love. When you love something, you’re going to do it the best you can.”
For the past three years, Dixie has been putting her passion to practical use by working at Keep Alliance Beautiful, the local recycling center with a mission of encouraging others to reduce, reuse, and recycle every day to improve their community and environment.
“I call myself a recycling technician, but others would probably call it sorting through other people’s throwaways,” Dixie said. “We try to recruit people to be volunteers; the more people we have as volunteers, the more knowledge there is about what we’re doing.”
She feels the same way about the Center’s work, and wants to continue giving to projects that benefit rural America.
“I want to get more people to give, and I want to give more when I can,” she said. “It's all about connections, too. The more you stay aware of things, the more you can help someone else. The Center helps people with that little nudge to get closer to achieving their lifelong dream, and it all ties together. It’s amazing.”
To make a one-time or recurring gift to support the Center’s work, visit cfra.org/give.
