January 2012 Newsletter

Chamber Honors Salida’s Finest

 

On January 14th, 2012 The Salida Chamber of Commerce will host our annual, ‘A Class Act’ Community Awards evening at the Salida SteamPlant. Two hundred twenty five guests will enjoy a very special evening to honor the very finest of Salida. The Salida Community Awards Ceremony will feature this year’s recipients for The Man and Woman of the Year, The Cornerstone and From the Heart Awards. In addition, Business of the Year and the Vaquero’s “Wanted Alive, Not Dead Award will be presented.

 

Light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will start the evening off beginning at 5:30pm. At 6:30pm our guests will retire to the theatre for the awards presentations. Immediately following, we will honor and celebrate with the recipients and enjoy a catered buffet. In addition, this year we are hosting an “after party” at the Boathouse Cantina with music by Dogman. Don’t miss the Celebration of the Year.

 

From the Board of Directors, Staff and Volunteers of the Salida Chamber, we wish each and every one of you the very best and most prosperous New Year.

 

Happy New Year

A Class Act

Thoughts on Resolutions

He who breaks a resolution is a weakling;
He who makes one is a fool.
~F.M. Knowles

Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.
~Oscar Wilde

New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.
~Mark Twain

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.
~Oprah Winfrey

An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.
~Bill Vaughan

A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.
~Author Unknown

Never tell your resolution beforehand, or it's twice as onerous a duty.
~John Selden

It wouldn't be New Year's if I didn't have regrets.
~William Thomas

May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions.
~Joey Adams

I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me.
~Anaïs Nin

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to.
~Bill Vaughn

Creative District Designation Grant

There will be an initial brainstorming meeting about the Creative District Designation Grant on January 3, 2012, 12 PM – 1 PM at the CCEDC offices, located in the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District Building at 339 Highway 50.

In 2011, Governor Hickenlooper signed legislation passed by the General Assembly that encourages the formation of Creative Districts in communities, neighborhoods, or contiguous geographic areas, for the purposes of:

• attracting creative entrepreneurs and artists to a community, infusing new energy and innovation which in turn will enhance the economic and civic capital of the community;
• creating hubs of economic activity, thereby enhancing the area as an appealing place to live, visit and conduct business, as well as create new economic activity;
• attracting visitors;
• revitalizing and beautifying communities;
• providing a focal point for celebrating and strengthening a community’s unique identity; and
• showcasing cultural and artistic organizations, events, and amenities.

Make plans to attend this informative and potentially valuable meeting. For more details, contact the Chamber at 539-2068.

Business After Hours

Business After Hours for January- Wednesday - 11th

Join us for BAH at the Victoria Tavern - on the corner of F & Sackett

Network, Socialize and have a bite to eat ~

5-7 pm., $7 food & drinks

Hope to see you there!

Salida Chamber Health Plan: Affordable coverage for local businesses

The Salida Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce an affordable health benefit option to its Chamber members and their employees whose businesses are located in Chaffee, Saguache or Fremont Counties.  Your Chamber membership is the key in providing your employees with access to affordable health care at a cost your employees and your business can afford.

Through collaboration with Colorado Choice Health Plans, a non-profit carrier, the Salida Chamber of Commerce brings you a product to meet your health care needs and provide local business owners and their employees’ access to choices in quality health coverage at an affordable price.  Clearly demonstrating the Chamber’s commitment to it’s members.

Salida Chamber Health Plan Highlights - Benefit features include:

• Exclusive rates with customized plan options
• 4 different plan designs to mix and match
• Separate dependent coverage option
• Different levels of deductibles available
• More lenient participation and contribution level requirements
• Access to a broad network of providers throughout Chaffee County and across the Front Range

Who Can Enroll In The Salida Chamber Health Plan

The Chamber Health Plan is available to Salida Chamber members that have a business located in Chaffee, Fremont or Saguache Counties.  Though geared to small businesses to offer solutions to the problem of escalating health care costs without having to sacrifice employee benefits, any size employer located in these counties that is a member of the Chamber can choose to enroll in the Chamber Health Plan.

How Do I Find Out More
To find out more about the Salida Chamber Health Plan, call us at the Chamber at 539-2068.

Business of the Month

After a recent move to larger accommodations across the hall, Salida Shoeman is celebrating selection as December Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month.

Co-owner Karin Naccarato said, “It’s an honor to be business of the month. We’ve been members since we took over (the business) in 2000. We appreciate what the chamber and board members do and how they support the business community.”

Naccarato said she and her husband, Vince Marchase, bought the business from Don and Jean Esser.

The business moved to 134 F St. in April 2010, and last month moved across the hall for a larger space.

Naccarato said, “We are loving, loving” the new location, “everything is under one roof.”

Bonnie Poser has been an employee at the shoe store since Naccarato and Marchase bought it.

“(Poser) keeps us in line,” Naccarato said with a laugh, adding, “We truly couldn’t do it without her.”

New Chamber Member

Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce welcomed Caleb Hathaway and Monarch Dog Sled Rides to organization membership.

Monarch Dog Sled Rides provides 3-5-mile, 90-minute sled tours through the San Isabel National Forest near Monarch Mountain.

Hathaway and his staff have more than seven years of guiding experience and “some of the friendliest, happiest dogs in the world.”

Employees will teach customers about the sport, the dogs and the races in Canada and Alaska – such as the Iditarod – in which some of their dogs and guides have participated.

People who want to drive a sled dog team can learn from one of the Monarch Dog Sled Rides guides who will take them on the easier trails to get them started in the sport.

The company is equipped to accommodate all ages and people with handicaps.

Hathaway and his employees can teach people to ski-jour with their dogs at home including fundamentals and getting started with proper gear, techniques and tips.

He said, “We can arrange to have our experienced dogs help your dog get the idea.”

Each tour is personalized according to the group and there are plenty of opportunities to take photos.

Reservations may be made by calling 539-3339, or at www.monarchdogsledrides.com.

Monarch Dog Sled Rides recently joined Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce. Attending the welcoming are from left front, Dave Chelf, Lisa Rankin, Martha Dyer, Caleb Hathaway, Jesse Flory, Maureen Schultz and Donna Coupland. Back: Karin Naccarato, Charley Alexander, Brooke Johnson, Judee Nuechter, Raedell Trueblood, Art Gentile, Ken Leisher and Dave Potts.

Upper Arkansas Area Development Corporation

Leading Edge Entrepreneurs Course

Website Marketing

Middleton Photography

Credit Bureau of the Rockies

Tamara Herl - Inner Wisdom Coaching

Jugalicious

27th Annual Chocolate Lover's Fantasy

Angel of Shavano Recycling

Rachael A. Walke CPA., P.C.

Our Sponsors light up Tenderfoot Mountain throughout the entire year!

First Colorado Land Office   RE/MAX Mountain River   Woodland Motel   SBA   The Salida Fire Department

December 1- December 27, 2011 SalidaChamber.org website statistics

Total Unique Visitors - 4,502
Total Pageviews -12, 209
Average Pages viewed per Visit - 2.71
Average Time per Visit - 2.09 minutes

Top Traffic Sources
Google.com - 2,903

Direct (bookmarks, typed address) - 478
Bing.com - 174
Salida.com - 111

Yahoo.com - 136

Visitors from:
Colorado - 1,989
Texas - 438

California - 212

Ohio - 98

Kansas - 122
New Mexico - 101

Thank you to our renewing members!

Past Chamber Newsletters

• December 2011 Salida Chamber Newsletter
• November 2011 Salida Chamber Newsletter
• October 2011 Salida Chamber Newsletter
• September 2011 Salida Chamber Newsletter
• August 2011 Salida Chamber Newsletter
• July 2011 Salida Chamber Newsletter
• June 2011 Salida Chamber of Commerce Newsletter
• May 2011 Salida Chamber of Commerce Newsletter

Browse our complete chamber membership

Join the Salida Chamber of Commerce