All photos by Kerri Rempp/DNN
Two organizations and one individual are the winners of Discover Northwest Nebraska’s first-ever regional tourism industry awards recognizing outstanding volunteers, frontline employees and businesses.
Discover Northwest Nebraska Director Kerri Rempp says the awards are intended to “showcase the people and places who are going above and beyond to make visitors feel welcome and inspire them to return” with this year’s winners exemplifying the friendliness and dedication Northwest Nebraska is known for.
Rempp says that’s certainly true of the Prairie Agate Rock Shop in Crawford and owners Gary and Valerie Homrighausen, the Business/Attraction of the Year winners.
Rempp says presenting the award for Tourism Volunteers of the Year to the Sioux County Fair and Rodeo Board recognized not just the current volunteers, but also generations of individuals before them.
She says their dedicated service has kept the Sioux County Fair and Rodeo entertaining and thrilling residents of the region for well over 100 years while continuing to keep it fresh with new types of activities being added all the time.
The Frontline Employee of the Year Award went to Laure Sinn of the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center. Rempp says it’s hard to describe the level of effervescence Sinn brings to everything she does.
Rempp says there were outstanding nominations in all three categories who all deserved recognition for their efforts.
The other finalists were the Bean Broker Coffee House and Pub, the Dawes County Historical Museum Board and volunteers, Dave Hockenbary of Fur Trade Days, Courtney Kouba of the Sandoz Center, Kennady Stack of Bean Broker, Pam Wing of Country Kitchen and Brooklyn Anderson of Just Love Coffee.
The awards were presented at Discover Northwest Nebraska’s Treasure Chest of the Northwest industry workshop last week.
The Treasure Chest, co-hosted by Chadrad Communications and the Heartland Center’s Committee for Rural Prosperity in Northwest Nebraska, drew over 70 professionals in the regional tourism industry.
Rempp says it provided networking opportunities, a brochure exchange and presentations on hospitality, mutual promotion and collaboration, and diversified marketing strategies.
She calls it “a great way for our industry professionals to learn about each other and prepare for the upcoming tourism season.”
As for next year’s awards, Rempp says residents and visitors alike can nominate businesses, employees and volunteers for next year’s awards until March 1, 2024, online at Discovery Northwest Nebraska’s website discovernwnebraska.com/industry-awards.