Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce 'Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce Monthly Newsletter'

April 2012 Newsletter

Posted: 4/2/2012 2:34:44 PM

Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce

  Member Newsletter April 2012

Business After Hours

Sponsored By

Branding Iron & Rustic Woods

April 19, 2012   5:00-7:00   710 Hwy 24

www.rusticwoodscolorado.com

Rustic Woods carries a variety of gift items, rustic home and garden decor, picture frames, table top, linens and more. It has moved to a new location. It is now located in the same building as the Branding Iron. The Branding Iron restaurant opened in March and is now serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  

 

Chamber Traffic

Visits to the Website in March – 16,818

Visitors to the Chamber in March - 246

Visitor Packs requested in March - 94

 

New Members

Faith Lutheran Church

1617 W. Main

Pastor: Dan Muecke

            Faith Lutheran Church located at 1617 W. Main Street is a new member to the Chamber.  Services are held on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. September through May and 9 a.m. June through August.  Special groups include Bible Studies, Missionary League, Craft group, Handbell Choir, and Youth and Adult confirmation classes.  The Gingerbread House Bazaar is held the second Saturday in November.  For more information contact Pastor Dan Muecker at 719-395-2039 or e-mail the church at faithlutheranbv@bresnan.net.

 

Friends of Brown’s Canyon

P.O. Box 1329

www.brownscanyon.org

            Browns Canyon of the Arkansas River is an incredible area which provides outstanding fish and wildlife habitat, sweeping views of the Arkansas Valley as well as four-season recreation opportunities for people to explore the outdoors and experience the area’s scenery and solitude.

            Elevations at Browns Canyon range from 10,000 to 7,300 feet, making this a unique mid-elevation area of public land.  As the elevation increases, the pinon juniper trees that dominate the arid lands along the river give way to Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine and large stands of aspen.

            The sheer ruggedness, proximity to water and lower elevation provides critical habitat for wildlife including Peregrine falcons, golden eagles, great horned owls, bobcats and big game species.

            Browns Canyon of the Arkansas River is one of the most popular destinations in the nation for whitewater enthusiast.  Permanently protecting the federal lands in Browns Canyon is important to the economic health of local businesses, river outfitters and the surrounding communities.

 

Gen’s Cleaning Service

(719) 395-8848

Owner: Geneva Ortega

            Gen’s Cleaning Service is a new member of the chamber. Gen specializes in commercial, residential and new construction cleaning.

            Planning some spring cleaning? Give her a call.

 

RockyMountainTrail.com,Inc.

105 Isabel Court      395-4397

www.rockymountaintrail.com

Owners: Jonathan Long, Robert Long, Connie Long

Backpacks, Jackets, Hiking, North Face, Patagonia, Jansport Backpack, Marmot Jackets

            RockyMountainTrail.com offers a huge array of outdoor gear from backpacks, jackets, tents, sleeping bags to camping accessories, stoves and more. We carry top name brands like The North Face, Jansport, Columbia, Patagonia, Marmot, Mountain Hardwear, Dakine, Kelty and many more. So if you’re into Backpacking, Hiking, Mountaineering or Camping start your adventure at RockyMountainTrail.com.

 

Marketing Committee Update

            Thanks to a grant from the Town of Buena Vista, social marketing  professionals have been hired to bring the Chamber of Commerce up to date with its own website and social networking efforts. In addition, classes will be offered to the membership to help them take advantage of  the current social networking marketing opportunities. Watch for dates and topics in the weekly announcements.

            In addition committees have been set up for packages, fundraising and special events. All these efforts are to help increase tourism year round. If you would like to get involved with any of these committees, call the chamber at 395-6612.

           

Member News

1.Friends of BrownsCanyon applauds U.S. Senator Mark Udall's announcement to engage the public in a dialogue about the future of Browns Canyon of the Arkansas River. Friends of Browns Canyon supports Senator Udall's proposal to recognize the entire Browns Canyon area as a national monument while also preserving the backcountry portions of the area as Wilderness.              Due to its low- elevation and banana belt weather, people from around the country come to Browns Canyon year-round to take advantage of the

outstanding scenery, unparalleled boating, fishing, hiking, and other recreational opportunities adjacent to Browns Canyon.

            Friends of Browns Canyon believe protecting the federal lands in Browns Canyon as a national monument is important to the economic health of all local businesses in Chaffee County.  A large and growing body of literature demonstrates that protecting public lands as a national monument assists western communities working to promote a more robust economic future. Because we feel so strongly about the economic benefits of a National Monument in Chaffee county we have invited economist Ben Alexander from Headwaters Economics to visit the area on April 9th and 10th to discuss the economic benefits of  National Monuments. A public meeting will be scheduled for Buena Vista and Salida.  The details will be announced shortly.

            For more information on the Browns Canyon National Monument proposal please visit our website at brownscanyon.org or email Nikol Noll at friendsofbrowns@gmail.com

2. Buena Vista Town Hall Forum, April 17th from 6:30-8pm. Build A Generation and the Sheriff’s Office will be holding a forum for parents, students and all interested community members on Tuesday, April 17^th from 6:30-8pm at the Buena Vista High School cafeteria. The focus will be on providing education and building awareness around underage substance use. Dinner will also be provided so please show up and speak up!  

3. Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 28^th, 10am-2pm. Build A Generation and Law Enforcement will be offering a drop-off location at the Buena Vista Library on Saturday, April 28^th from 10am-2pm as part of the national prescription drug take-back event. This is an opportunity for community members to turn in their unused, un-needed, and expired prescription medications. Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue, leading to accidental poisoning, overdose, and misuse or abuse. Tablets, capsules, and all other solid dosage forms will be collected.  Intravenous solutions, injectables, and syringes will not be accepted. This service is free and anonymous. Educational resources will also be available during the drop-off.

4. April 14 - Spring Fling for Boys & Girls Clubs - 6:30-9 PM - Salida Club at 430 E. 5th St. -Come enjoy tasty appetizers, a wide variety of wines and beers and tour the Salida Club.  Door prizes and live music.  Meet the good people who have made this organization possible!  Admission is complimentary, but generous donations to Boys & Girls Clubs of Chaffee County are greatly needed and encouraged.  RSVP not required, but welcome.  Donations can also be made online at www.bgcchaffee.org.

 

New Lions Club in Buena Vista

The Lions Clubs of Colorado will be holding an informational meeting at the community center in Buena Vista on April 10, 7:00 pm regarding a new club in Buena Vista.  Anyone interested in hearing about Lionism or becoming a prospective member of such a club is encouraged to attend.  For inquiries, call Gary Broetzman at (970) 984-3360.   

Over The River Update

            The Fremont County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously this morning to approve the Temporary Use Permit for Christo and Jeanne-Claude's Over The River. This is a significant step in the permitting process, and Christo is very pleased to have successfully reached this important milestone.
            "The Fremont County permit is essential to realizing this temporary work of art that Jeanne-Claude and I first envisioned nearly 20 years ago," said Christo. "I am very pleased that the Commissioners have voted to approve this public work of art for Fremont County, and I want to thank them for their hard work and efforts in evaluating our application. I am glad to be moving forward with our plans to complete Over The River."
            The Board of Commissioners and County staff solicited extensive public comment when reviewing Christo's permit application. They also considered the Bureau of Land Management's extensive analysis of the project, as well as the nearly 200 mitigation measures addressing community and environmental concerns, as described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Christo is very pleased that, after carefully evaluating all aspects of the project, the Commissioners reached the same conclusion as other regulatory agencies in supporting the realization of Over The River. Over The River will have significant benefits for Fremont County and all of Colorado, both culturally and economically. This once-in-a-lifetime experience will not only boost tourism and provide worldwide exposure for the area, but it is also expected to generate $583,000 in additional sales tax revenues within Fremont and Chaffee Counties alone.
            As part of Fremont County's Temporary Use Permit, Christo has agreed to more than 30 specific conditions. For example, Christo has committed to fund a wide variety of costs that the County may incur as a result of Over The River, including reimbursements for staff time and funds to mitigate project-related road impacts. Through the sale of his original works of art, Christo and Jeanne-Claude always funded their projects without any public subsidies, grants, commercial advertising or taxpayer support.
            Christo's next step is to submit an application to Chaffee County for a Temporary Special Events Permit, which is expected to happen within the next few weeks. Assuming the remaining permits are successfully secured, Over The River installation will begin in early 2013 with exhibition planned for

 

FINANCIAL FOCUS

Are You Prepared for Long-term Care Costs?

             Like everyone else, you hope to remain physically and financially independent your entire life. And you may well achieve this goal. Nonetheless, the future is not ours to see, so you’ll want to prepare yourself for as many contingencies as possible — one of which is the high cost of long-term care.

            As you may know, long-term care primarily refers to nursing home expenses, but it also includes services provided in your own home. In either case, though, it could be expensive.

            The national average rate for a private room in a nursing home was more than $87,000 per year in 2011, according to the 2011 MetLife Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs. The same survey found that the average private-pay hourly rates for home health aides and homemaker companion services were $21 and $19, respectively.

            With luck, of course, you won’t need to worry about these types of expenses. But consider this: People who reach age 65 have a 40% chance of entering a nursing home, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And about 10% of those who enter a nursing home will stay there five or more years.

            Clearly, if you take no steps to prepare yourself for the potentially devastating costs of an extended nursing home stay, you could be jeopardizing the assets you’ve worked so hard to accumulate. Even worse, if you run through your money, you might end up creating a financial and emotional burden for your grown children.

            Unfortunately, many people assume that a federal or state government program will help them pay for their long-term care expenses. However, Medicare pays only a small portion of nursing home costs, and to be eligible for Medicaid, you would likely have to divest yourself of most of your financial assets. Consequently, you’ll probably need to find another way to pay for long-term care.

            Fortunately, there are investment or protection vehicles designed specifically to help you meet long-term care expenses. Your financial advisor can help you pick the option that’s most appropriate for your individual situation. 

            Having the ability to pay for long-term care is obviously important. But other issues may also enter the picture. For example, if you need to enter a nursing home, you may be suffering from a physical or mental disability that might prevent you from handling your own affairs. This impairment could prove disastrous to your finances — which is why you can’t afford to take that type of chance. Instead, consult with your legal advisor to determine if you can benefit from a durable power of attorney — a document that lets you delegate your financial decisions to a relative, close friend or anyone else you might choose.

             None of us like to think about spending time in a nursing home or needing round-the-clock care in our own homes. However, life is unpredictable. But even if you can’t avoid the need for long-term care, you can take steps to help reduce the financial strain it can cause you and your family.

            This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Upcoming Events

4/1-WALDEN CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY - CONCERT - 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM -  SteamPlant

4/1-FEAST OF FOOLS-6:00 PM-SteamPlant

4/1-4/30-WILD FLOWERS - ANTERPRESTATION BY TWO GREEN-EYED BLONDS - Paquette Gallery

4/7-ANNUAL KAYAKS ON SNOW BOATERCROSS - Monarch Ski Area

4/7-HALDEN WOFFORD & THE HI*BEAMS - 8:00 PM - SteamPlant Ballroom

4/12-SALIDA ART WORKS CREATIVE MIXER - Paquette Gallery

4/13, 15-"REJOICE" - THE NOTABLES & YOU'VE GOT MALE - Salida

4/13-COLLEGIATE PEAKS FORUM - DR. KIRK JOHNSONS - DIGGING SNOWMASTODON; DISCOVERING AN ICE AGE WORLD IN THE COLORADO ROCKIES-7:00 PM - - Leadville

4/14-SPRING FLING FOR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS- 6:30 to 9:00 pm - Salida Club - 430 E. 5th 4/15-6TH ANNUAL PARKING LOT COOK-OFF 4/15-AND TAILGATE PARTY – Monarch

4/18-CHAMBER BOARD MEETING

4/19-BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

4/19-20 “SOUND OF MUSIC”

4/20-A CELEBRATION OF RANCHING 7 to 9pm - SteamPlant Theater, Salida

4/22-"ONE DAY ON EARTH" MOVIE AND EARTH DAY CELEBRATION - SteamPlant

4/27 HAULING ASS a film on Pack Burro Racing 7pm - SteamPlant Theater, Salida

4/28-TRACE BUNDY CD RELEASE SHOW - Orpheum Theatre - 409 1/2 E. Main

4/28-COLLEGIATE PEAKS TRAIL RUN