Mixer kicks off Heritage Days

Thursday, September 27, 2007
Marv and Dixie Lorentz, Honor Family

Heritage Days 2007 kicked off Wednesday night at the McCook National Bank mixer, with the announcement of the Honor Family and Honor Royalty.

A crowd of about 300 turned out for the event, as Marv and Dixie Lorentz were revealed as the Heritage Honor Family, Samantha Jo Post as Heritage Days Queen and Whitney Bracht as Heritage Days Princess.

Grand marshals of this year's festivities are former McCookites Jeff Kinney and Dr. Gene Budig.

Samantha Jo Post, from left, is this year's Heritage Days Queen and Whitney Bracht is Princess.

The Lorentzes were completely surprised by the recognition, Dixie said this morning.

"It never crossed my mind we would be considered," said Dixie, who with her husband, was honored for their long-time tradition of volunteering in the community.

The Lorentzes involvement in the area began more than 40 years ago with Marv's Standard Service, a gas station Marv operated for many years. Dixie worked at McCook National Bank and together they kept in touch with the needs of the area.

They haven't slowed down since retiring. The Lorentzes were noted for their involvement with the Red Cross, Bloodmobile, Eagles Club, the Elks and the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce.

They also spearheaded McCook's involvement with the South Platte United Chambers of Commerce and are active in the Freedom 50 and Freedom 50Plus senior club at MNB.

Heritage Days Queen Samantha Jo Post is the daughter of Steve and Brigetta Post and Princess Whitney Bracht is the daughter of Kenneth and Kim Bracht.

Along with the Lorentzes and the grand marshals, they will be in the Heritage Days Parade Saturday morning and participating in other Heritage Days activities throughout the weekend.

Jeff Kinney and Dr. Gene Budig are both graduates of McCook Senior High who will return to their hometown this weekend as grand marshals.

Kinney is a 1968 McCook High School graduate who was "All American" his senior year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He scored four of 29 career touchdowns in the "Game of the Century" between Oklahoma and Nebraska in 1971.

He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs as their number one pick in 1972 and played from 1972-76. He then played for the Buffalo Bills in 1976. He's now an investment officer with Wachovia Securities.

Budig graduated from McCook in 1957 and from 1994-2000, served as president of baseball's American League. During that time he oversaw $2.2 billion in major league ballparks improvements. From 2000 to 2003, he was Advisor to the Commissioner of Baseball and before that, chancellor of three major universities.

Also present at the mixer were "Heritage Challenge Celebrities," who were sold as "hired hands" to various businesses. These included Cal Siegfried, Mike O'Dell, Rick Metcalf, Rex Nelson, Jason Hauxwell, Pam Harsh and Susan Broomfield Harris.

The sale garnered $580 for the Chamber.

Emceeing the mixer was Brenda McGuire, chair of Heritage Days.

Heritage Days goes into full swing this weekend throughout McCook, including class reunions, entertainment at Norris Park and the Fox Theater and a number of other activities. Festivities start off tonight with "Art in the Park" at Norris Park and continue Friday morning with the Prayer Breakfast.

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