'Some Beach, Some Where ... McCook' theme of banquet

"Some Beach, Some Where ... McCook" will be the theme as McCook Area Chamber of Commerce members don flip-flops and Bermuda shorts for the 85th annual awards banquet, Feb. 6.

Sand castles and beach balls will decorate the Red Willow County Community Building for the event, but those in business casual attire will also be welcome.

The event will feature surf 'n turf served by Catering Plus, entertainment by Tre Søstre, and auction items, including a 32" flat screen LG TV. Highlight of the evening will be the announcement of four award winners -- Ag Builder, Community Service, Community Builder, and Chamber Volunteer of the Year.

On the heels of hosting the annual banquet, chamber staff and volunteers will quickly turn their focus to the 20th annual Home and Leisure Show, which takes place Feb. 19 to 21.

Chamber Director Pam Harsh reported that she was thrilled to find out that the Army Reserve Building on Airport Road will be available to house the show all under one roof. Originally, the chamber was informed that the building would not be available, and was making plans to proceed with the show at the City Auditorium and the National Guard Armory. "Having everything under one roof at the Army Reserve Building will make the show much more convenient for attendees, as well as the vendors," said Harsh.

The show includes something for everyone, from home improvement vendors to crafts and home-based business displays. "Vendors really enjoy coming to our show because we try to make it special by providing a hospitality hour for them on Friday night, as well as our hospitality cart with coffee and tea throughout the three-day show," said Harsh.

It's great for the public too, with $500 in gift certificate drawings that can be used with the participating vendors.

A new addition to this year's show will be a business stamp card. By visiting all of the selected vendor booths and having the supplied card stamped, attendees can be entered into a drawing for a gas card.

Booth space is still available for the show and potential vendors are encouraged to call the Chamber to become part of this February event which has become a tradition in McCook.

Other business discussed at the chamber's monthly board meeting included the possible formation of a Young Professionals Group to provide networking opportunities for the 25-35 year old age group. After visiting with Chamber members in this age category and listening to their concerns about how to integrate into the community, the chamber determined that there was a need to help facilitate a group. Still in the early planning stages, Harsh emphasized that the group structure would be determined by those interested, and she encourages anyone interested to contact her at the Chamber office.

Another exciting new program being offered in cooperation with the Chamber and the Red Willow County Visitor's Committee is the Red Carpet Service Program. This is a program put together by the University of Nebraska, and includes eight short online courses that provide information about Southwest Nebraska. Each module takes about 15 minutes to complete online and encourages pride in the community.

One purpose is to help visitors to the area receive positive and upbeat information when they ask locals questions about what there is to do and see in the area.

"We're amazed with the number of people who decide to relocate to the area simply because of one positive encounter they received during a visit," said Harsh. "If we can increase the number of positive encounters visitors receive, everyone will benefit." The program is being offered at no charge and more information is available at the Chamber office.