New emphasis for summer retail event; new members, leadership in place

McCOOK, Neb. -- “We haven’t canceled anything yet,” said Chamber President Dawson Brunswick about the 2020 annual Crazy Days event. He went on to explain that it is doubtful that all of the distancing restrictions will be lifted by July 9 to 11, when the event is scheduled.

He said that the chamber board of directors would like to focus more on promoting retail sales for McCook merchants and drawing shoppers from the 70-mile radius surrounding McCook.

“Crazy Days started out as a summer retail promotion event,” Brunswick said. In 2020, he said the focus will be on the retail portion of the event, “We just want to figure out what we can do that keeps everyone safe and distant, yet still helping our local businesses as much as we can.”

Brunswick also reported that the chamber’s ShopMcCook.org web site, where people could buy gift cards to be used at participating local businesses, generated almost $2,300 in local gift card sales.

New members for the chamber include Gary’s Super Foods and Godfathers Pizza, Graham Real Estate, and Fresh Ideas, the new food service provider for Mid Plains Community College.

The makeup of the chamber board will officially change in July, when Trevor Taylor of VK Electronics will begin his term as chair. Past chair Annette Wagner of Wagner Auto Group will retire from the board, and new member Jaci Weissert of Pinnacle Bank will begin her term. The board received three nominations for chair elect: Jade Lesko of Citta’ Deli, Bryan Loker of High Plains Radio, and Lori Beebe of Community Hospital. The board will vote on a chair-elect at their June meeting, and that person will become chair in July of 2021.

The chamber board is also investigating the possibility of setting up a Chamber Foundation, which would be a 501(c)(3) organization that could help as a funding source for community projects, business training, and other community betterment plans. According to Brunswick, not only would the foundation provide an opportunity for donors to make tax deductible contributions to specific chamber projects, but having a separate 501(c)(3) entity allows the chamber to accept grants from other organizations that require that funding go to nonprofits.

The McCook Chamber is organized as a 501(c)(6), which is the tax code for non-profit business associations, but contributions made to a 501(c)(6) are not tax deductible. The board is exploring the pros and cons of adding a foundation and looking at by-law options.