Falls City EDGE Annual Banquet

    Falls City EDGE held its annual banquet last week at the Elks Club to celebrate 2016 and the folks who helped make it a successful year.
    The EDGE Investor and Community Relations committee each year honors an investor by presenting the prestigious EDGE Investor of the Year Award. The 8th annual award went to co-winners, Butch and Dobey Haws, and the City of Falls City.
    “Butch and Dobey Haws have worked together to create a cultural experience that has been enjoyed by hundreds of visitors from near and far,” EDGE Director Beckie Cromer said. “Mitch Glaeser accurately proclaimed that ‘Butch and Dobey are the rock stars of 2016’ because of all the tireless efforts they have given to the Falls City community. Their hard work and dedication brought the Falter Museum to the downtown district and, in 2016, was chosen as a tourist destination for the Passport Program by the Nebraska Tourism Council. Additionally, they hosted some great events this year including the Stone Street Art Walk and the 103rd birthday celebration of the late great, George ‘Pee Wee’ Erwin.
    “The John Phillip Falter Museum website is adorned with these three words: Honor. Preserve. Inspire. Butch and Dobey have done just that and we thank them for their investment of time, resources and sweat equity because they are a big part of what makes Falls City a great place to live, work and play,” Cromer said.  
    Also earning an Investor of the Year Award was The City of Falls City, which will invest some $15 million in infrastructure, including major upgrades at the power plant.
    “The City of Falls City is a big contributor, in time and resources, to all the efforts of EDGE,” Cromer said. “In 2016, they also made significant investments in infrastructure that will help keep us competitive in our economic development efforts by approving upgrades to our power plant with added generation and installing collector wells that will provide a safe and reliable water source. These important improvements cost nearly $15 million dollars and they are the building blocks necessary that will help Falls City continue down a successful path of growth and development.
    “We also want to acknowledge all of the time that city officials give in service to EDGE by serving on our Board, being active members of our committees and key components of important projects all year long,” Cromer said. “City officials have logged many hours and hundreds of miles in their efforts to keep Falls City the passionate, proven and prosperous community we all enjoy.”
    It’s investors like Butch and Dobey and the dedicated City representatives and employees who have made EDGE the organization it is, Cromer said.
    “Our dedicated Investors are the main reason EDGE has been so successful and we thank you for truly believing in the mission. You have invested your hard earned dollars and because of that we have been able to accomplish many things in Falls City and Richardson County.”