Family grateful

Dear McCook,

My family has roots that can be traced back to the earliest days of the settlement of Southwest Nebraska and platting of McCook in 1882. In fact Joseph Harr signed his first insurance agent appointment in 1882 when his health failed and he could no longer farm near St. Ann's Church in Hayes County. We have always maintained that this area is one of the best- kept secrets in Nebraska. We still believe that it is and that is the people of the area are what make it such an exceptional area in which to live and raise a family.

For four generations and part of the fifth generation, Southwest Nebraska was a place of growth and prosperity for the Harr family. We hope that we have left it a better place for having lived there.

I know that my business, civic and church involvements helped me grow and mature as a person and did the same for all of our children.

I want to thank all of my loyal customers, colleagues and friends for their support, advice and friendship over the years. They will always shape my fond memories of McCook.

Donna and I had no plans to leave the area before my current job opportunity presented itself. We planned to retire there and warm ourselves for a month or so each winter in Texas or Arizona. We did, however, want to be closer to our grown children and their families and I was passionate about serving the insurance industry on a broader basis.

My new position with the Independent Insurance Agents of Nebraska has allowed us to do both things. We are closer to our children in Nebraska and I am able to consult with agents across the state helping them succeed by leveraging the resources of our professional association on a state and national level.

Thank you McCook and Southwest Nebraska for all that you have done for my family. You are a great place to do business, educate children and enjoy the fruits of community involvement. Your spirit of self-reliance and determination have served you well and will continue to serve your community, state and country for many future generations to come. Thank you for letting me and mine enjoy our participation in your community.

Sincerely,

Phil Harr

Lincoln, Nebraska