Cultural events help make our country great

The McCook Daily Gazette is proud to have helped bring the U.S. Air Force Heartland of America Band to McCook on Thursday night. We also appreciate the more than 1,000 people who filled Memorial Auditorium and took part in the outpouring of patriotism associated with the performance of this talented, professional group of military musicians.

Events like this add much to our way of life here on the Golden Plains. As we enter the fall and winter entertainment season, now is a good time to recognize the numerous groups which contribute so much, and work so hard, to present top-notch entertainment to local residents.

Among them are the McCook Arts Council and Community Theatre Association, Rotary International, the Buffalo Commons group and others.

The Decatur County seat can be proud of the many events brought to the fine Gateway convention center in Oberlin, and many, many other community groups provide a means for performers to share their talents with friends and neighbors. Those friends and neighbors also have a chance for a night out enjoying home-grown and visiting performance talent.

And, we should not forget the school and church productions which make parents so proud, and give adults the opportunity to continue using the talents they honed in younger years. With our country under terrorist attack, and our own troops in danger in Afghanistan, some may think community theater productions or musical performances are a trivial waste of energy.

Just the opposite is true, however. It is when things seem the darkest that such productions can provide the inspiration we need to solve our problems.

Music, art, drama, comedy -- they're all part of what makes our country great.