Spread across two lots, with numerous windows overlooking the lake at the Bluewater development near Valley, this 6,500-square-foot house is a showstopper.
Tim and Joan Pieper will be enjoying their first Christmas at the house they purchased 2½ years ago for $5.
It was about to be demolished when they bought the Dutch colonial and had it carted about a mile to a 3-acre section of a farm they own near Mitchell, Nebraska.
"We moved it and restored it to save it," Joan said.
With Brad Shaul of Shaul Construction as the main contractor, the house was gutted to the studs and then plumbing, electrical, HVAC, windows and new floors were added.
"Everything is new but the entry, the staircase and the pocket doors from the living room and dining room," Joan said. "We put in a new basement."
Landscaping will be done this spring.
Rob Bullock of Furniture Medic by Cowboy Wood Doctors in Cheyenne, Wyoming, did a phenomenal job restoring the doors and some of the woodwork, Joan said.
She and Tim visited antique stores in places like Crofton and Newman Grove to replace missing hardware for the doors. Joan cooked them in a crockpot and scrubbed them up the next day.
It wasn't a cheap project, but it was fun, Joan says.
"It's not like HGTV when they do it for $100,000," Joan said. "Once you are into it, you can't stop."
They're not sure what they'll do with the house. They live across the border in Torrington, Wyoming.
They've watched a few Nebraska football and volleyball games there with friends, and three of their four children and their families will be there for Christmas.
Joan said it's surreal that the renovation is finished.
"I love it," she said. "It really turned out wonderful."
Puppies, first responders featured on calendar
A stray mama and her puppies enjoyed a family reunion at a recent Santa Paws photo event at Town and Country Animal Rescue in Papillion.
"The scene was a beautiful combination of puppy chaos, smells, nose kisses and just heart-warming love," volunteer Nancy Noda said.
Mama Posie was a stray who surprisingly gave birth a few days after she was rescued. Her puppies were taken to Town and Country, where they received round-the-clock care by volunteers.
Posie, who was fostered, experienced further complications when she was diagnosed with epilepsy.
The puppies, now six months old, were all adopted. Posie, too, now has a home with her foster family.
The Christmas reunion was caught in photos by Beth Sanborn, a volunteer at the rescue The puppies as well as other adoption stories are featured in a 2025 calendar, which is a fundraiser for the Town and Country mission.
Papillion fire and police department staff as well as Sarpy County Sheriff's Department deputies are holding the animals in the photos. The theme is saving lives
"We had some great ones," Noda said. "It was so much fun."
Go to townandcountryanimalrescue.org to order a $20 calendar. They're also available at the rescue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Wednesday.
"This is such a great outcome for puppies, mama dog and the adopting families," Noda said.
Holland Foundation makes $2.1M gift
The Holland Foundation is honoring the legacy of its founders, Richard "Dick" and Mary Holland, with a $2.1 million gift commitment to support University of Nebraska priorities that were of great personal importance to the couple.
The Holland Foundation's gift will create a presidential chair in cardiovascular sciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and support the Healing Arts program at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine. At the University of Nebraska at Omaha, a new chair in industrial organizational psychology will be established and named for Dick Holland's brother, John Lewis Holland.
"Through these investments at UNMC, Nebraska Medicine and UNO, we seek to honor the legacy of our founders, Dick and Mary Holland, by furthering causes that were near and dear to the couple," said Deb Love, president of the Holland Foundation. "The arts and healthy outcomes were always important to Dick and Mary, and they were extremely proud of the research conducted by Dick's brother, John Lewis Holland."
The Holland Foundation was established by the late Dick and Mary Holland. The Hollands were longtime supporters and contributors to the Omaha community, particularly in the areas of medical research, the arts and youth. They were also generous University of Nebraska supporters.
The Holland Foundation's gift commitment was made through the University of Nebraska Foundation as part of Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University's Future. The campaign is a historic effort to encourage at least 150,000 benefactors to give $3 billion to support the University of Nebraska.
Google donates $200K to non-profits
As part of its annual Data Center Community Impact Program, Google has announced more than $200,000 in new funding to 10 area nonprofit organizations to support STEAM learning, technology education and access to period products, among other initiatives.
The Data Center Community Impact Program supports eligible organizations and initiatives directly impacting the immediate community surrounding Google data centers. The dollars are awarded to nonprofits working on initiatives focused on STEM education, bridging the digital divide, sustainability, and strengthening the startup and small business ecosystem in Nebraska.
Matt Sexton, public affairs manager at Google, said Google is invested in Nebraska for the long term, and that includes supporting important, local nonprofit organizations.
Collectively, the projects supported by this year's funding will enable these local organizations to serve hundreds of thousands of community members through educational programming. This year's recipients and projects include:
Access Period, to support access to period products for any student in Sarpy County who need them by providing more than 2,500 period product kits that include a supply of tampons, pads and educational materials.Bellevue Public Schools, to develop collaborative learning spaces at its renovated Frank Kumor Career Center, which expands access to career and STEM programs and allows students to earn dual enrollment credits and certifications.Durham Museum, to support a student outreach initiative that will engage students and educators through virtual field trips, on-site field trips and the inclusive museum initiative, which serves three Omaha-area elementary schools that serve low-income communities.Heart Heroes, to support supplies needed for the Totes of Hope program, which provides comfort, education and community connection along with a variety of items tailored to meet the diverse needs of congenital heart disease families.Hope Center for Kids. to provide support to the Hope Learning Academy STEM programming, which emphasizes college access and career readiness for young people in North Omaha.Hot Meals USA, to support wireless connectivity for disaster response trailers that will help the organization continue to provide hot meals for disaster victims, volunteers and first responders.Papillion Community Foundation, to provide needed film equipment to Papillion La Vista Media Academy students, who are working on their documentary projects focused on mental health issues and watershed preservation. Papillion La Vista Community Schools Foundation, to support the PLCS Health Systems Academy Technology, a career prep program for high school students that offers classes on patient care and biomedical education.Springfield Platteview Public Schools, to support technology enhancement including new tablets, software and related equipment for student use.United Way of the Midlands, to support the development of a new community training space, which will offer programming to reduce social and economic disparities, including digital equity. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of December 2024