Chamber primed to recruit 200th member

Chamber Chairperson Lori Beeby, Chair-Elect Jade Lesko, and Past Chair Trevor Taylor presided over the chamber’s annual meeting Wednesday at the Keystone Business Center.

Shary Skiles/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. – Any local business that is not currently a member of the McCook Chamber of Commerce may want to consider joining soon. If they do, they may get the distinction of becoming the chamber’s 200th member and helping the chamber achieve a long-standing goal of breaking the 200-member threshold. Membership stands at 199, an increase of 10 compared to last year’s numbers.

The McCook Chamber of Commerce conducted its annual meeting Wednesday at the Keystone Business Center lobby where Chamber Chairperson Lori Beeby reviewed financial, goals, executive search, and accomplishments of the chamber.

Beebe gave kudos to the chamber board of directors who have worked closely as a team to continue running the chamber since the resignation of their president at the end of January. Beebe also recognized Milva McGhee and Kyle Kinne, who both work for the chamber and have been helping cover duties during the transition. Beebe said the chamber is conducting interviews and hoping to decide on a candidate in the next few weeks.

The chamber will be sponsoring an ’80s band, Paramount, for a “Bash on the Bricks on Friday, June 24, in conjunction with Crazy Days.

Courtesy photo

Enhancing events is one of the goals the chamber board has set, and the chamber has plans for improving Crazy Days and Heritage Days for the upcoming year. Dates for both events have moved in 2022; Crazy Days will be June 23, 24 and 25 and Heritage Days will be October 5-9.

While Crazy Days will continue to include shopping opportunities and a focus on sales and craziness on Thursday and Friday.

Friday night will also include a “Bash on the Bricks” which will take the place of the chamber’s annual banquet.

President-Elect Jade Lesko said the chamber will be sponsoring a band, Paramount, along with a beer garden and street food, in downtown McCook utilizing the Keystone Business Center and Norris Alley venues.

Paramount plays high energy sing-with-us ’80s anthems from Journey, REO Speedwagon, Def Leppard, Poison, Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, and more. Traveling with amazing sound and light production, they deliver an experience deserving of the 1980s.

Past Chair Trevor Taylor said crazy days will also include an “Everything is Free” promotion, where shoppers have the chance to have all purchases from chamber members reimbursed if rainfall meets or exceeds a certain level in a designated time period.

“It could be as little as a cup of coffee, a doughnut, dinner, groceries, appliances, bedding, clothes, grills, lawn and garden, furniture, a vehicle a tractor, a floater, even a combine. So, as I say, let’s combine our sales and pray for a little rain this crazy days season,” Taylor said.

Wagner Auto Group will be sponsoring their annual car show the next day, June 25.

Moving Heritage Days to October will allow organizers to capitalize on a Husker bye-week. According to Taylor, the change will also accommodate an emphasis on a German theme. “Not because we’re all of German descent, but it’s because that’s what McCook has celebrated for over 50 years. And you don’t have to be German to appreciate it.” He said planners hope to bring in some German traditions, food, and possibly a beer garden.

On Saturday, October 8, Community Hospital will be sponsoring their Concert for Care series, so having Heritage Days coincide with that event should help both bring in a record number of people to McCook.