Gifting with Gift Certificates!

The McCook Area Chamber of Commerce wants to remind everyone to keep Chamber Gift Certificates in mind for your Christmas gift giving. The Certificates are redeemable at nearly 30 retail businesses for their face value and come in increments of $5, $10 and $25. What better way to “gift” your family and friends than to give them so many locations to choose from when doing their gift certificate shopping! There is no charge for this service. Stop by the Chamber office anytime during office hours from 8:00 to 5:00 on Monday through Friday.

“Light Up the Holidays!”

It’s Christmas! We’ve turned the calendar, and now our thoughts, to all the season means to our families and our community. Even as we enjoy and share the true meaning of the season, we also look forward to making memories and taking in the activities around us. As always, the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce promotes the businesses who support our community throughout the year as we continue our message encouraging everyone to shop locally. The message carries even more importance in challenging years such as the one in which we now find ourselves.

The Retail Marketing Committee strives to make it fun to shop right here at home! We will kick off the festivities on Saturday, December 6, at 11:00 a.m., when Santa Claus arrives at McCook Regional Airport for his first visit of the season. The jolly fellow will visit with the children and then find a quiet place to rest up from his long flight from the North Pole. Later in the day from 2:00-4:00 p.m., Santa will be at his McCook headquarters making notes of your children’s wishes for his elves. The Chamber will be hosting Santa at their office (107 Norris Avenue) on December 6, 13 and 20 from 2:00-4:00 p.m.

Make it a day in McCook on December 6 as the KFNF Christmas Lights Parade will brighten the eyes of young and old alike! The theme for this year's parade is "Light Up the Holidays!". This whimsical event brings a chuckle to your heart as you enjoy the antics of the parade participants making their way down Norris Avenue from Norris Park to A Street. The parade will begin at 6:00 p.m. immediately following the ceremonial first lighting of the Norris Avenue Islands. If you are interested in entering the parade, please contact the Chamber office at 345-3200. During the parade, several service organizations including, but not limited to, Rotary International and the Order of the Eastern Star will be at the corner of Norris and C Street serving hot chocolate and cider.

Chamber Christmas Retail Promotion Encourages Local Shopping

The objective....“Shop Local”!....And have fun!

The method....Beginning on “Black Friday”, November 28, save your shopping receipts from participating merchants and redeem them at the Chamber office (107 Norris) anytime through the week or on Saturdays during Santa’s visits. The merchants want to make certain that everyone has plenty of Santa Cash, so if you bring food items for the Pantry we will double your Santa Cash for every qualified receipt! Also, on Saturday, December 6, we are offering double Santa Cash on qualified receipts when you donate a cell phone to help the McCook High School FBLA organization with their fundraising effort. Several stores will be staying open following the parade so we will also offer double Santa Cash on any qualified receipt dated December 6 that is redeemed the following week. Watch for other special Santa Cash opportunities throughout the shopping season. (There is a maximum of $2,000 in Santa Cash per qualified receipt.) Also, get Santa Cash from giveaways sponsored by High Plains Radio, Hometown Family Radio and the McCook Daily Gazette! In addition, free tickets will be distributed to spectators throughout the KFNF Christmas Lights parade, for a chance to grab Santa Cash from the money machine. The machine will be located at the intersection of Norris and C Street immediately following the parade. Ten lucky winners will have the opportunity to enter the money machine to grab up to $1,000.00 in Santa Cash!

Build your “Santa Cash Stash” from November 28 - December 31 and then attend the Santa Auction on Saturday, January 3, 2:00 p.m. at the McCook Area Chamber office located at 107 Norris Avenue.

The reward.....bidding with Santa Cash for valuable items donated from participating merchants!

Each of the participating merchants are donating items for the auction valued at no less than $100.00! In addition, we have been able to add several wonderful opportunities for your spending pleasure. And it will be pleasure, as you can only buy the auction items with Santa Cash! Included in the auction will be a LazyBoy Recliner from Samway Furniture & Floor Covering, a YMCA Family Membership, Heritage Hills Golf (two 18-hole outings for four w/cart), a Six Month Membership to Curves, two Great Lakes Airlines tickets to Kansas City or Denver (no blackout dates!) and two, behind-home-plate tickets to the July 4 Colorado Rockies baseball game including an outstanding fireworks show following the game. Several businesses have also partnered to offer a 42" LG Plasma TV and Home Theater. Those sponsors include AmFirst Bank, Community Hospital, Edward Jones - Ron Friehe & Sharleen Riemenschneider, First Central Bank, Great Plains Communications, McCook Daily Gazette, McCook National Bank, VK Electronics, and Wagner Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, Cadillac.

Have fun while you are shopping at home this year! Collect your receipts from participating merchants, redeem them for Santa Cash and then come to the auction and enjoy some truly carefree spending! Participating merchants include: Accents Etc., AD Computers, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Community Hospital Gift Shop, Curves, D & S Hardware, Eakes Office Plus, Farrell’s Pharmacy & Hallmark, Gary’s Country Peddler/Garrison’s, Heritage Hills Golf, Hershberger Music Co., McCook Daily Gazette, Modern Cleaners, Peterson Jewelers, Rita’s Framing Creations, Samway Floor Covering & Furniture, The Sports Shoppe, Top Office Products and VK Electronics.

Chamber Board Supports Highway 83 Expressway

At their regular monthly board meeting, the McCook Chamber Board of Directors unanimously voted to adopt a resolution in support of the proposed Highway 83 Expressway. Local support was sought to impress upon the District 7 Department of Roads officials the need for the such a project and the importance of its subsequent impact upon the economy of, not only our area, but also Nebraska. At this time, Linda Taylor, the Chamber’s representative on the Nebraska On the Move Committee, is specifically seeking funds for a comprehensive Corridor Location Study to assess the costs and returns to the State and to Southwest Nebraska for the development of the Highway 83 Expressway. Several area organizations and entities have endorsed this effort and adopted resolutions to that effect. For more information, please feel free to contact the Chamber office, Linda Taylor or the MEDC.

Chamber Calendar is Full!

November 28 - Christmas Retail Promotion Begins - Save your receipts!
December 1-6 - Membership Renewals Mailed
December 3 - Wells Fargo Bank Christmas Mixer from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
December 6 - Santa flies into McCook Airport @ 11:00 a.m.
December 6 - Santa at McCook Chamber office 2:00-4:00 p.m.
December 6 - KFNF Christmas Lights Parade on Norris Avenue @ 6:00 p.m.
December 13 - Santa at McCook Chamber office 2:00-4:00 p.m.
December 20 - Santa at McCook Chamber office 2:00-4:00 p.m.
January 3 - Santa’s Auction, 2:00 p.m @ McCook Chamber office
January 7 - Chamber Coffee Connection @ McMillen Hall on MCC Campus 7:30-9:00 a.m.
January TBD - First Quarter 2009 Honor Business Award Presentation
February 7 - 84th Annual Chamber Banquet @ Red Willow County Community Building
February 20, 21, 22 - 19th Annual Home & Leisure Show @ Army Reserve Building

Get Connected....

at the Chamber Coffee Connection, January 7, on the MCC Campus, McMillen Hall from 7:30-9:00 a.m. Join Chamber President, Janet Weber, for this quarterly event and take advantage of a very enjoyable networking opportunity! The focus is on the members present and offers them the chance to share what is new in their business world. This event is a come and go activity so make it work for your schedule....stay for the entire time or just a portion.

Leadership Institute Legal and Law Enforcement Day

Members of the 2008-2009 Leadership Institute Class met on Wednesday, November 19, for Legal and Law Enforcement Day which was organized by class members, Velda Ferguson and Stephen Smock. McCook National Bank provided their meeting room, as well as, a continental breakfast and lunch later in the day. Tours included the McCook Public Safety Center and the Work Ethic Camp. The class also heard from a number of the officials at the Red Willow County Courthouse including both the County and District Court Magistrates, the County Assessor, Treasurer and Clerk. The area probation officer, Red Willow County Sheriff and the Nebraska State Patrol also spoke to the class. During the lunch break, class members gave presentations on their class project ideas. Leadership Institute participants were reminded that they need to attend an official board meeting in our community before February 1.

19th Annual Home & Leisure Show

Linda Frank, Home Show Coordinator, is excited about the addition of leisure products to the 19th Annual Home Show offering. The show, scheduled for February 20, 21, 22, will include new vendors as well as veterans. Yet another new addition to the show will be scheduled informational and educational programming. These programs will be announced as they are developed. The Army Reserve building location offers additional space which has been set aside for home-based businesses or crafters at a reduced price. If your business would like to take advantage of the opportunity to market to several thousand people in one weekend, give us a call at the Chamber or contact Linda Frank at 308-340-7714.