Gridiron Giveback and More

Stories featured in this episode include helping young athletes get a chance to play beyond high school, the fully restored "Looking Glass" aircraft, the stained-glass windows of Strategic Air Command Memorial Chapel, and Kool-Aid, oh yeah!

Air Date: 03/16/2023

The Gridiron Giveback When talented athletes graduate from high school, opportunities to play ball at the next level are slim. In Omaha, an unlikely duo is serving underprivileged players by providing advice and training outside of school-organized sports. Their aim is to mentally and physically prepare these players, hoping to set them up for success beyond high school.

Restoring the Looking Glass After six years and more than 32,000 volunteer hours, the Boeing EC-135 “Looking Glass” has been restored to its former glory. At the height of the Cold War, this aircraft was part of Strategic Air Command’s “Operation Looking Glass,” which mirrored the nuclear command control at Offutt Air Force Base. Now, this historic aircraft is on display at the Strategic Air and Space Museum in Ashland.


Time Capsule in Glass The Cold War ended in 1992, but the remnants of this historic period can still be seen in the stained-glass windows of Strategic Air Command Memorial Chapel at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue. The windows are filled with symbolism that reflect the earliest days of the Cold War – the iconic red phone, jets and bombers that guarded the skies and the people below them, and they also honor the SAC airmen who served and died in the line of duty.

Kool-Aid, Oh Yeah! From Hastings to the world, discover the truly sweet origin story of Nebraska’s official soft drink, Kool-Aid. Hastings entrepreneur Edwin Perkins invented the colorful drink in 1927 and then engineered an innovative marketing campaign that brought the beverage to the entire country, eventually becoming an international pop culture sensation with clothing, toys and action figures sporting the iconic Kool-Aid brand.