FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LINCOLN, Neb. (July 29, 2016)— The Nebraska Tourism Commission is excited to announce that the Nebraska Tourism Serves selection committee has chosen the final two service sites for 2016. The Nebraska Tourism Serves program (formerly Nebraska Tourism Cares) is the truest form of Nebraska Nice. Industry members volunteer and recruit volunteers statewide to participate in these service projects, creating an amazing opportunity to bring people together and celebrate the restoration of beloved tourist destinations in Nebraska.
 
The first project this fall will be along the 240-mile Shannon Trail in Northeast Nebraska. The trail is spread out among 16 historic communities, including Bloomfield, where most of the work will be done. Those lending a hand will assist in replacing two of the 13 life-size wooden chainsaw statues of Private Shannon that mark the trail. In the application, Laurie Larsen with Shannon Trail Promoters, said, “All sites have shrubs and/or flowers or grass (wild) that need to be cleaned up or trimmed.” This service project is set to take place the weekend of Sept. 23. 
 
The second fall project will be at The Nebraska State Historical Society's Pavelka Farmstead in Bladen, Nebraska, near Red Cloud- the home of Willa Cather. This property provided the setting for Cather's most famous work, My Antonia. Those assisting with the cleanup will do a number of maintenance tasks that would improve the visitor’s experiences, including painting to cover recent vandalism, repairing the cellar steps, landscaping and cleanup of the home’s interior. “The Pavelka Farmstead is one of Nebraska's irreplaceable literary destinations,” explained Ashley Olson, executive director of The Willa Cather Foundation. “Once home to the prototype for one of our nation's celebrated literary characters, the farmstead also has the potential to provide an exceptional demonstration of Nebraska's Czech immigrant culture. The Willa Cather Foundation is pleased to work with Tourism Serves to make this site more inviting to guests as we prepare to celebrate the 100th publication anniversary of My Ántonia in 2018.” The service project is set to take place the weekend of Nov. 4.
 
This is the first year of the Nebraska Tourism Serves program, with the goal to organize four service projects each year. The first project was held in May, where volunteers helped restore the historic Fort Robidoux near Gering, by removing the chinking (material between wooden frames) and replacing it with a longer-lasting, historically sound material. Another project took place in June, where eager individuals cleared old railroad ties and did various other tasks along the Cowboy Trail near Chadron, preparing the trail for completion in the future. In total, the first two Nebraska Tourism Serves opportunities contributed over 260 man hours to these projects, making a significant impact on the tourism potential in two Western Nebraska communities. 
 
Interested in volunteering?
We'd love to have you join our efforts to maintain tourism destinations across the state.  A volunteer sign up form for Shannon Trails in Northeast Nebraska and also Pavelka Farmstead are below. Email your completed form to [email protected] or mail it to Nebraska Tourism Commission, c/o Lisa Karnatz, PO Box 98907, Lincoln, NE, 68509.  Questions, please call 402-471-3767.