Heritage Days weekend shaping up to be a great one

Get ready to celebrate! McCook's biggest annual festival, Heritage Days, is about to unfold! Always popular, the September shindig should be even more spectacular this year with the forecast calling for sunny skies with temperatures in the upper 70s.

It doesn't get much better than that. Especially when you throw in a parade, which is growing by the minute, and a Food and Craft Fair which is very near to filling Norris Park to capacity for Saturday and Sunday festivities.

"We have over 70 parade entries, and the faxes keep coming in from others who want to take part," said Kim Sis, the administrative assistant at the McCook Chamber of Commerce. Added to that, the Food and Craft Fair is bursting at the seams. "We're at the limit for food booths because we don't have any additional electrical connections," Sis said. And, the craft spaces are very close to capacity, with the secretary saying the Chamber will only be able to squeeze in a few more booths.

Setting the stage for this weekend's celebration will be the increasingly popular Heritage Days Mixer, which will take place Wednesday evening at the McCook National Bank. During the Wednesday get-together, which will begin at 5:30 p.m., the Heritage Days royalty will be unveiled and the Honor Family and Parade and Grand Marshal will be announced.

Adding to the fun, Doug Schlegel will be auctioning off the privilege of dunking this year's celebrity "splashees." The dunkees better get ready to take the plunge, because the bidders are a determined bunch.

With a turnout which can reach to 250 people, the bank staff is gearing up for a large crowd. "We're all bringing treats, and we will have catered food as well," said Don Grassia.

After a day to catch their breath, Heritage Day celebrants will renew their observance with the Norris Foundation's Prayer Day Breakfast, which will take place at 7 a.m. Friday at the Heritage Senior Center. The event will feature Jean Morrison Galloway, the daughter of the late Gov. and Mrs. Frank B. Morrison. Mrs. Galloway will speak about the obligation of public service.

Others on the Prayer Breakfast program are J.T. Harris Jr., who will serve as master of ceremonies; Bobby Gaulke, a student at McCook Community College, who will give the invocation; and the Key of Gee, a barbershop quartet, which will provide musical entertainment.

Tickets may be purchased in advance at the McCook Chamber of Commerce, Top Office Products, the McCook Daily Gazette, or from Flora Lundberg, president of the Norris Foundation.

This year's Heritage Days theme is "Sounds of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." Let's raise our voices in resounding fashion. Let's celebrate our heritage.