The Callaway Chamber is busy preparing for a couple of upcoming events that will bring hundreds of people to the community of Callaway - and they need your help.

BRAN (Bike Ride Across Nebraska) will be coming in with 350+ bikers on Tuesday, June 7, and the Chamber is still looking for more volunteers to greet and meet them as they come into Callaway. Chamber President Ken Pitkin said about 14 people are still needed on top of the eight who have already volunteered to cover the day. Pitkin said they also need volunteers to help at the Chamber potluck that night - they currently have six volunteers, but need a few more.

Additionally, volunteers are still needed who are willing to host a biker for the night, providing bed/shower facilities for the bikers who want to sleep inside. If you are willing to help with this, please email or text Jacob Mason at jacobmason457@gmail.com or at 308-880-0928 with the number of bedrooms and the number of beds in each room that you have available. Bikers usually pay between $25 - $40 to the hosts.

The second upcoming event that community members are asked to help with is Tour de Nebraska - which will bring another 400 bikers through Callaway on Thursday, June 23 from 7:30 a.m. - noon.

“We need people who are willing to hang around downtown and visit and mix and mingle and greet bikers - basically just be hosts for the community,” said Pitkin. More lawn chairs are also needed for placement downtown during those few hours. The local museums will be open that day, as will the four local eating establishments. However, Tour de Nebraska would like an organization/group to provide brunch-type food in addition, as there are lots of people to feed over those four hours. Anyone willing to help with the brunch is asked to contact Pitkin as soon as possible. This could be a good money-making opportunity for a group.

The bikers will travel on to Oconto and then back to Broken Bow that evening. The Chamber is also looking for a group/organization/individual to have a few snacks at remote stops along the way - one on top of Democrat Hill and possibly one half way to Oconto. Again, this is a chance to make some money.