Red Kettle record?

Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

Great Western Bank employees announce the total of donations dropped into Salvation Army Red Kettles at Christmas time in McCook. Traci Taylor, the Salvation Army bell-ringer coordinator for the Red Willow County Ministerial Association, reports that the $21,328 raised by the bell ringers may be a record for the McCook effort. "I appreciate the generosity of all our donors to the Salvation Army. I don't know if we've ever collected this much before," Traci said. "Wow, almost an 18 percent increase over last year's total," which was $17,697. Great Western Bank of McCook, represented by, from the left, Trista Curl, Helen Reiners and Karmon Coleman, rang bells as a company. The McCook Senior High Interact Club won the pizza party challenge for high school clubs, its members tallying 15 hours of ringing bells. Red Kettle funds raised in McCook are used in McCook and throughout Red Willow County and Southwest Nebraska to fund local causes, including a back-to-school backpack and school supply program, heating and cooling assistance, mileage assistance to out-of-town doctor appointments and help with shelter and food needs.