OGALLALA -- Community leaders from several communities toured parts of Keith County this week as part of the e3 collaboration.

The two-day meeting is a combination of a host community showing how it has progressed and discussions of how other communities can encourage their economies to move forward. Tours were conducted of Paxton and of downtown Ogallala, in addition to tour past the soap box race track and to Lake McConaughy.

The 24 hours of business also included sessions where community representatives discussed how to support business owners and entrepreneurs. 

"These meetings are always such a good time. They just really inspire us on what good practices are for communities across Nebraska," said Sarah Sinnett, a member of the Sidney and Cheyenne County e3 program.

She said it is a program that allows the local e3 group to see what is working not just regionally but across the state. She said it is our job to build our communities.

Sinnett said Keith County has procedures in place Cheyenne County could adapt.

"There are a lot of things Keith County does really, really well. They have a really beautiful downtown (Paxton and Ogallala)," she said.

She said business owners are very energized about their communities.

Liz Borgmann also attended the conference. She said much of the weekend was an example of working together.

"I feel that collaborating, not just networking, but actually collaborating with communities across the state can benefit everybody involved, to grow our communities," Borgmann said.

E3 entrepreneurial navigator Alisha Juelfs, has been with the Sidney/Cheyenne County team just a few weeks. 

"It is important to understand that we have so many resources that we don't even know about. On a local level, and on a statewide level, there have been resources there that no one knew about," Juelfs said. 

She said the point of the e3 group is to make sure businesses feel supported and that they get the resources they need at the right time.

Juelfs' office is at the Western Nebraska Community College Sidney campus I & E Center. She can be reached at [email protected]