Heritage Days help bring people together

Dear Editor,

Another Heritage Days in the books, and we felt it was one of the best we've had a long time!! Planning begins in February, and each and every year for the past several years the big question has come up, "Should the name of Heritage Days return to German Heritage Days"?

We do live in a world that being "fair" or "politically correct" is something that we all have to be aware of. In our defense, at least since I have been involved with the Chamber, we wanted to help everyone celebrate their own heritage. From some of the research that I have done, and by visiting with many of our community members, this question has been lingering since the 1970s! Since 2012, when I was given the executive director position, we have tried to include every ethnicity of our community to get involved. We have had themes such as "Happiness Is...", "Celebrate Your Heritage", "Grow With Us" and then this year's "Let the Good Times Roll"!

Is there any reason why the theme couldn't be "German Heritage Days"? No there really isn't! However we want to try to encourage everyone to get involved and make our community event of Heritage Days successful by celebrating ALL the ethnicity that McCook has to offer. Maybe it's just a name? A theme? Or maybe a suggestion to help people get involved by having a float in the parade? Please don't mistake the title of the event for the purpose of the event. Of course we want to remember where "we" McCook has come from, but is it only by German descents? Maybe I am totally wrong, but isn't this an event to bring our community together, as well as bring friends and family back to our community?

As far as Heritage Days being for the businesses, that is farthest from the truth. Of course the Chamber of Commerce mission states that we want to see our members succeed in their businesses, but our ultimate goal; our purpose, is to make our community a better place to live, work and play! We love our community and the pride that we all show in living here. If you have other ideas or suggestions, get involved, we would love to have any help in this event! The McCook Chamber Heritage Days committee, currently made up of Judy Anderson, Tiffany Gapp, Jamie Mockry, Maggie Repass, Sara Rippen, and the Chamber staff; Dee Spicer and Tacie Fawver, would welcome more help! We are so appreciative of the support and encouragement that this community offers us, the McCook Chamber of Commerce, as we plan this annual event every year! We invite any chamber member (which also includes ALL employees of those businesses or individual members) to get involved! Again we express our appreciation in allowing us to continue to plan this enjoyable, memorable event for the community to enjoy!

Tacie Fawver

Executive Director

McCook Area Chamber of Commerce