www.monte-vista.org - Chamber News

From Allie’s Desk.....

The Chamber of Commerce has been very busy for the past couple of weeks. We had our first annual 2007 Potato Festival on October 13th. The festival turned out to be a great success with the Potato Cook-Off that offered BIG cash prizes for the winners. The festival featured live music throughout the day. The SLV Big Band, Gunbarrel Junction, and the Uke and Duke show were a few of the musicians who performed. Kids activities were great fun . They included a mash potato-eating contest, Gator Farm, and juggling classes with Sebastian the Juggler. The
Chamber appreciates all the support received from the community in hosting this event.

The Chamber of
Commerce’s office moved to the
Information Center. The phone number is the same, but we have a new address at 947 1st Avenue. The new office is in a great location and the building is much better equipped to serve the informational needs of our tourists. In
addition to carrying a far greater selection of area and travel brochures, the facility itself is warm, friendly and professional. We, I, hope you will stop by and say hello.

Allison Pepper,
Chamber Manager

Multi- Organizational Effort
Hosts Holiday Festival 2008

   This year’s annual Holiday Festival is slated to be the merriest yet as the Chamber joins forces with Main Street, Parks & Rec, The Art Thing and many others (the full--and growing-list of sponsors
events and schedules can be seen in our insert and on our website).
    In addition to the traditional Parade of Lights, visitation with Santa at the North Pole (known hearabouts as the Elks’ Club) and the Merchant’s Open House, this year will mark the Second Anniversary of the Festival of Trees-an auction of decorated trees wreaths and desserst to benefit Main Street ,the Memorial Tree lighting and the
inaugural run of the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad’s North Pole Express and the Holiday Festival Art Tour with shuttle service provided between both the eight stops of the tour and all of the holiday
festivities by the Alamosa Bus Co.!
      The MV Parks & Rec and Head Start are teaming up to host Santa’s Workshop at Ski Hi Park. Parents can drop their children off with Santa’s elves to make presents for their friends and family!
     On Sunday, Rocky Mountain Theater will present “A Christmas Carol” and the North Pole Express will run again. All in all, there is something to engage everyone this year! For detailed schedule
information, ticket outlets and costs, see the insert in this edition or visit: http://www.monte-vista.org/paradeoflightsandholidayfestival

November & December Calender of Events

November 2: Business Promo Meeting at Don Thomas Bakery,                                    12-1 PM
November 3: Conquistadors Bowling Tournament
November 6: Election Day
November 15: MVCOC Board Meeting
November 9 & 10: Monte Marketplace at Ski Hi Fairgrounds
November 16: KRZA Benefit Auction at Back in Thyme, Alamosa
December 1: Monte Vista Holiday Festival and Art Tour, 2-8PM
December 7: Business Promo Meeting at Don Thomas Bakery,                              12-1PM
December 7 & 8: Monte Marketplace at Ski Hi Fairgrounds
December 13: MVCOC Board Retreat
January 2008: MAC arrives

1st Annual Potato Festival Cook-off Contest Winners

1st Place, Main Dish Category; $500 - Mike Bork
2nd Place, Main Dish Category ; $200 - Rose Brittain
1st Place, Side Dish Category; $400 - George Rowe
2nd Place, Side Dish Category; $200 - Joan Doudna
1st Place, Dessert Category; $400 - Kellyn Ross
2nd Place, Dessert Category, $200 - Evelyn Sprouse-Rowe
*** Winning recipes will be published in SLV Potato Festival Cookbook and will soon be available at the MV Chamber of Commerce office.

Thank You, Thank you, Thank you!!

The Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the following businesses and people who helped make the 1st Annual SLV Potato Festival a huge success: The Mansion B&B, Absolute Shine Auto Body & Paint, Dr. Brian Roberts, San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Sunflower Bank, Wall, Smith & Bateman, SLV Regional Medical Center, Roger's Family Mortuary, Dairy Queen, Walter Fullwood, CPA, Monte Vista Tractor, Deacon's Insurance, Mathias Concrete, State Farm - Mary Jo Merkley Agency, SLV HMO, Agro Engineering, K-Nip, Century 21 Valley Realty, MV Amoco, William's Family Chiropractic, Canon Potato Co., Hi-Land Potato Co., Farm Fresh Direct, LLC, Ford Farms, Inc., Grower-Shipper Potato Co., McCormick & Milne, Colorado Potato Administration Committee, Worley - McCullough, United Fresh Potato Growers, John Varner, Rick Stoeber (Waste Management), Gene Rodriquez, Coors, Carlucci's, Robert Hagedorn, Monte Vista Police , Fire, Ambulance and Parks & Rec. Departments, KENY - TV, Alta Designs, CO Gators, Tripping Upstairs, SLV Big Band, The Guadalupenitos - Folklorico Dancers, Sebastian the Professional Fool, Mike Bork & Fred Hardgrove (The Uke & Duke Show), Gunbarrel Junction, Light Shine Music, Sharon McCoy, MV Co-Op, Alco, Anna Libby, Peggy Jo Pepper, Jane Rhett, Davin Rude, Denny Wallace, Allie Pepper, Phinel & Debbie Garcia, Ben Rue, Laura Murphy, Amber Garcia,Crystal Mascarenas,Scott Powell,Debbie Garcia, Anthony Lobato, Terryl Jensen, Chris Salazar, Debbie Milne, Fabian Trejo, Herb Martinez, Charlotte Crites, Sandy Jones, April Quick, Debbie Palmgren, Jason Smith (Chef & Judge from Inn of the Rio Grande Club), Bob Bryning, Ned Libby, George Rowe, Evelyn Sprouse-Rowe, Joan Doudna, Rose Brittain, Kellyn Ross, and all our vendors who braved the wind.

Welcome To Our New Members

Johnny B Goods Cafe 358 Adams St., 852-2344

Juniper Village 2277 East Dr., 852-5138

Family Matters Thrift Store & Books 721 1St Ave

Advertise on the Chamber Website

When you plan your advertising budget for 2008, plan to advertise on the chamber’s
website! Visitors to www.monte-vista.org are looking for more than general info on our fair town. According to our tracking software, they are looking for solid leads on things like real estate, insurance, lodging and events especialy our festivals! Most of our hits are from the big searche ngines like Google
and Yahoo!, over 85% or our traffic is from out of town and over half of that is from
outside of Colorado!
What does that mean to your business? It means that people who visit are
doing their homework first; it means that you, as a chamber member, have the
first opportunity to make a big first impression by advertising on the chamber’s
website. In their recent assessment of our community, CCRA, the Colorado
Community Revitalization Association, pointed out that Monte Vista has a
burgeoning traveler’s/business economy that is being overlooked. They went
on to recommend that area businesses make a concerted effort to market to this
business traveler and web advertising is your businesses “foot in the door”.
For more info and rates on advertising on the chamber’s website, see the insert
section on ad rates and traffic info-and then call the office at 719-852-2731 to sign
up!

Chamber News