News Archives - Salida Chamber of Commerce

A Transparent Approach to Salida’s Financial Future

Please read this article from the City of Salida Finance Director regarding information about ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of our community.

Check out Winter Specials at Absolute Bikes!
Service specials, Bike sales, and Demo Program!

Adopt A Grandparent for the Holidays! $20.00 per adoption for our 12th year of gifting for Columbine Manor residents. Contact Barbara Pearson-Sawyer or drop off at First Colorado Land Office 7385 W. Hwy 50 Salida.

A new year will be here soon and now is a great time to pull your Strategic Action Plan together!

Take action and book your complimentary one-hour strategic coaching session that will jump start your 2025 plan. The effort will leave you feeling even more focused and ready to address any concerns you may have about the future.

Holiday Specials!! 20% off Community Acupuncture and Anupa I.V. Infusions and IM Shots! Visit anupawellness.com for more details!

(Valid through the end of December 2024)

Applications are open for the first cohort of the Emerging Early Childhood Educators Program. If you have ever been interested in becoming an Early Childhood Professional and serving the children of Chaffee County please contact Sarah Romack at (719) 221-5114 or email her at sromack@ccecc.org. This program includes 18 credits of free ECE courses at CMC, coaching, career navigation and experience in an early childhood center.

Ark Valley Voice has been selected by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) for an important NewsMatch. If we can raise $18,000 in donations between today and December 31, 2024, that amount will be matched by foundations working with the INN to support nonprofit news organizations who serve local markets.

Ark-Valley Humane Society received a $30,000 grant for animal medical care and expenses from the Ray Foundation.

“We are immensely grateful for this substantial grant funding from the Ray Foundation. Thanks to this generous support, hundreds of cats and dogs will receive life-saving veterinary care this year,” said Executive Director, Nikki Ritter. “Importantly, it will allow us to continue our efforts to fight pet overpopulation through our spay and neuter efforts, and will help to ensure that every animal in our care receives quality medical care, including vaccinations, microchipping, diagnostics, and medications. We are excited for all of the animals that will benefit from this support.”

Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center (HRRMC) will host a public artist reception on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Salida SteamPlant Event Center.

The reception will feature four local and regional artists who exhibited their work in the hospital’s rotating art exhibit in 2024. Photographer Robert Dimmitt of Buena Vista; printmaker Ramona Lapsley of Manitou Springs; botanical illustrator Wendy Wibbens of Buena Vista; and mixed media artist Conrad Nelson of Buena Vista, will bring examples of their work to the reception for public viewing.

The reception will be catered by Kalamata Pit Catering. There will be a cash bar, and non-alcoholic drinks will be available free of charge.

The hospital displays the work of regional artists as part of its mission to create a healing environment. 25 percent of the proceeds from art sales is donated to the HRRMC Foundation.

Come check out the Holiday Trunk Show at Ascent Eye Care on Dec. 13 from 8am-4pm featuring Woodys & Erkers 1879! Their Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting is at 1pm and they are offering discounts, small bites, beverages, and giveaways!
Location: 7162 CR 154 Unit B in Salida

Salida’s new bike skills park to open Friday, December 6. The public is invited to grand opening and first ride event at 1pm!

Blue Coyote Ranch in Salida is giving away passes to Mt Princeton Hot Springs with all Fall bookings!

Book two nights in any unit and receive a free day pass to Mt Princeton. Use code CHAMBER2 at checkout.

Book three nights in any unit and receive TWO free day passes to Mt Princeton. Use code CHAMBER3 at checkout. For any stay October 1 – December 20, 2024.

Go to https://www.bluecoyoteranch.com/ to book!

Steve from Vino Salida will be actively looking for new owners to purchase Vino Salida before his lease runs out at the end of May. Please reach out to Steve at Steve@VinoSalida.com if you or someone you know may be interested!

Sign up for the following courses with Buena Vista Mountain Adventures: AIARE Rescue (discounted for Chaffee County Residents) on Saturday, Dec. 21, Women’s Introduction to Backcountry Skiing & Riding on Saturday, January 25, 2025; AIARE 1 – Snowshoe on Friday, February 07-09, 2025; and Women’s Intermediate Backcountry Skiing & Splitboarding on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

The Colorado Department of Transportation’s Bustang Outrider bus service connects rural Colorado to cities throughout the state. Outrider services eight routes across the state, including the Alamosa—Pueblo route.

Central Mountain SBDC, is thrilled to invite you to our upcoming series of live virtual and In-Person Workshops designed to empower you and supercharge your business growth.

The Chaffee Housing Authority invites you to participate in an important survey regarding affordable housing issues and a potential ballot measure this November. Click Read more to see how to participate in the survey.

Kayla Malone, Chaffee County’s Noxious Weed Department Director, has been named the 2024 Colorado Weed Manager of the Year in recognition of her “excellence in education and management of noxious weed species.” Kayla joined the County as assistant weed program supervisor in spring 2016 and was soon promoted to the Weed Department manager in December 2016, where she has led treatment of invasive plant species across Chaffee and Lake Counties for the past 8 years.

Updated on Nov. 22, Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) is excited to announce the completion of its Access to Healthcare Survey which was conducted in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Chaffee County. The survey, which was open from May 15th through July 31st, 2024, is meant to capture the strengths and opportunities for improvement of our local healthcare system while also giving valuable feedback to healthcare stakeholders so that they can make informed and strategic decisions about future programming and systems. CCPH received 1273 full responses to the survey and collected copious amounts of qualitative data. One key highlight is that all healthcare sectors were rated over 4.0 on a 5.0 scale. Another important point to note is that while there are significant perceived needs that exist related to the healthcare landscape in Chaffee County, overall, 76% of respondents said they are satisfied with their physical health while 80% state the same about their mental health.

The Chaffee Housing Authority, in cooperation with the City of Salida, is asking short term rental owners and vacation home owners within the City of Salida and the surrounding area to transition their short-term rentals, rarely-used vacation homes, unoccupied accessory dwelling units, or other under-used houses to a long-term rental for local workforce. If you or someone you know has a housing unit that is generally empty or generally hosts out-of-town visitors, the Chaffee Housing Authority would happily match your home with members of the local workforce who are unable to find rental homes in this unprecedented rental market. More information can be found by visiting the Chaffee Housing Authority’s website at www.chaffeehousingauthority.org and select the Open Doors Program for more information and to apply to participate in the program.

Ring in the New Year with the Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce Biggest and Best New Year’s Eve Celebration, Happening December 31st at the Salida SteamPlant!

Join us for a night of unforgettable fun, featuring three nationally touring comedians: Mike Stanley, Aaron Graham, and Sam Ellefson. Enjoy a DJ and dancing, a delicious dinner and dessert buffet, a cash bar, party favors, a champagne toast, and a thrilling balloon drop. To make your evening seamless and stress-free, we’ll also provide a shuttle service. Plus, experience a live stream of Salida’s inaugural Heart Drop downtown, brought to you by the City of Salida.

There will be two comedy showtimes: one at 6:00 PM and another at 9:00 PM.

Don’t miss out on this incredible celebration—come ring in the New Year with us in style!

The team at Peak View Mortgage understands that getting a mortgage is not something people do every day. Typically, it is something you do a few times in your life. Therefore, you need someone that you can trust to guide you in the right direction. Peak View Mortgage is able to provide you with vast mortgage lending knowledge and will present the best loan possible. Check out what some of their clients have to say regarding their phenomenal service.

Peak View Mortgage has also changed locations! Stop by their new office at 101 N F Street, Suite 200, Salida, CO 81201.

Does your business struggle to recycle due to a lack of access to hauling? The Colorado Circular Transportation Network is a new program designed by the Circular Economy Development Center and Front Range Transload to pick up select materials, such as plastics, film, cardboard, paper, aluminum and down-filled products, for free from rural and mountainous areas that experience barriers to recycling. The collected materials will be aggregated and sent to end markets in the region where they will be processed and remanufactured into new products. To learn more, join us for a webinar on December 10th at 1pm MST. Register here. You can also visit the CEDC website and contact staff at ctn@circularcolorado.org.

Colorado Farm to Table recently received a grant on November 22nd from the John Duncan Foundation for $10,000 to use in CFT’s operations! This past year Colorado Farm to Table has harvested 98,000 lbs of produce for food banks in Chaffee County and Colorado. Right now Colorado Farm to Table is working on field transition and equipment repair. The team at CFT would like to say thank you to all of their donors and volunteers!

The Colorado Green Business Network (CGBN) is a voluntary program that encourages, supports, and rewards organizations that make the move toward the goal of true, operational sustainability.

Their goal is to support organizations throughout the state at any level of implementation in increasing the efficiency and sustainability of their operation through assessing opportunities for growth, recognizing success, and providing connections to like-minded businesses throughout the state.

Enroll on Nov. 1 for Health Insurance starting on Jan 1. Click Read more to see the details.

Explore culture, access and our connections to the outdoors through engaging storytelling, workshops, performance and more. Breakfast and lunch included. Childcare will be provided on site. Transportation to and from the event is available upon request. This is a bilingual event with Spanish and English interpretation provided. **This is a free event, but please register**

Saturday, February 22nd from 9 AM – 5 PM

Location: 901 Hwy 24, Leadville, CO 80461 CMC Climax Building

Hosting for the holidays? Let Settings Event Rental make it easy for you! We’ve got all the essentials to create a memorable table setting—dishware, silverware, glassware, linens, and chairs. Just give everything a quick rinse and bring it back. We’ll handle the rest! Set to impress this holiday season.

John Rhoads, owner of D&J Rare Gems in Salida, is giving away a minimum of four “Chaffee County Diamonds” through a recently launched treasure hunt. The “diamonds” he’s giving away in this quest are quartz crystals. He is hiding certificates for a minimum of four gems. Each of the “diamonds” are roughly 11 carats, cut by Rhoads in a “brilliant diamond pattern. The certificate has no cash value. The certificates are in jars and once a jar is found, the finder must contact Rhoads to collect their prize. Clues can be found on his website, DJRareGems.com.

D&J Rare Gems has done a few drawings for a free gem at the Mountain Mail. They will have 1 more drawing for a free gem on December 17. Click Read more to see the details and find out how to enter the drawing!

Chaffee Chips recently wrapped up its fifth year hosting wildfire mitigation events by removing the final slash piles from Granite Parkway northwest of Poncha Springs. Nearly 500 slash piles were removed during four events that took place across the county this year, from Game Trail to Chalk Creek to areas near Poncha Springs.

Since the program’s inception, 860 landowners have spent 9,850 hours creating 2,770 slash piles. Thank you to each resident who did the hard work of felling trees, trimming branches and piling slash neatly near their curbs.

Couple’s Coach Heather Barron is offering a Fall Special on her Relationship Refresh package. This includes $50 off of 90-min relationship coaching session with Heather. Reach out to Heather at (719) 221-9347 to book your session today!

Getting your fall flu vaccine is a crucial step in protecting your health and the health of those around you. In addition to reducing your chances of getting the flu, the vaccine also helps lessen the severity of symptoms if you do get sick. By getting vaccinated, you are not only safeguarding yourself but also contributing to the overall community immunity. It is a simple, proactive measure that can make a significant difference in keeping everyone healthy during the fall and winter months.

The best time to receive a flu vaccine is typically in the early fall, before the flu season begins. It is recommended to get vaccinated before the end of October, as it takes about two weeks for the vaccine to provide full protection. It’s important to consult with your healthcare provider to determine the best timing for getting your flu vaccine based on your individual circumstances and any pre-existing health conditions.

Click to see News, Press Releases, and updates from the Forest Service.

Free basic medical, dental, and harm-reduction services. Salida United Methodist Church on Mondays from 12-4pm and Buena Vista Community Center on Tuesdays from 1-4pm. No appointment necessary.

Come Visit With Santa! Dec. 14 at 2-4pm and Dec. 21 at 11am-1pm. Click to see locations and details!

Share the holiday spirit by helping those who may not receive a gift for Christmas. Visit one of the participating locations to take a tag, purchase a gift, wrap it, and return it by December 11. Click Read more for locations and details! Thank you!

Adults & Children Ages 5+…Give us a try!

Your first 2 classes are FREE! Visit highcountryjiujitsu.com or call 571-334-8719

Visit Juniper to get a pre made, curated gift box and stocking stuffers for the holidays!
Choose from different assortments for all of your family and friends. 219 F Street or visit their website!

Click to see the monthly specials at Arlie Dale’s Jug Liquors!

KHEN Community Radio Thanks Outgoing Executive Director Mark Schoenecker and Welcomes New Leadership with Lisa Ledwith

Kim’s Gym aims to be a healthy, supportive community for all ages. Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or have years of experience.

Enjoy a variety of group fitness classes and workout in a fun, friendly, group environment. Classes include HIIT, Senior Circuit, Mat Pilates, Yoga and Strength. Check out our full schedule HERE!

Kim’s Gym is offering a new class that is an inspirational, motivational, and empowering workout for women and young girls of all ages.
This calisthenics based workout will build self-esteem, self-worth and self-love through mindful exercise and motivational speech. It is a workout that encourages personal growth, bravery and confidence. Light weights and body weight are used for resistance.

Click Read More to learn about class information for Laura’s Dog Training classes!

There is a great need for licensed childcare in Chaffee County, especially for infants and toddlers. Please help us mend this childcare crisis and become a licensed home childcare provider!

Monarch Mountain is open and celebrating their 85th anniversary with $39 lift tickets from December 9th-12th, honoring its legacy since opening in 1939.

Monarch Mountain is open for the 85th season!!!!

Check out this article about Monarch Mountain and other local businesses from Travel and Leisure: Monarch Mountain Is the Perfect Family-Friendly Ski Resort in Colorado

Start the New Year with Salida Parks and Recreation’s Annual 5K on January 1!
Whether you’re walking or running, this festive and family-friendly event is the perfect way to embrace a healthy start to the year. Put on your best costume and hit the scenic trail for a fun-filled 5K adventure!

Great news! We have an additional private treatment room so that our clients can rehabilitate in a safe environment with one on one care from my staff!

We have a great NEWSLETTER and it is free….. Just go to Website: www. arkansasvalleyPT.com to sign up today!

10 Day full sessions for only $500 AND demo gear available at no extra cost. Click to see more info!

The Salida Gunshop will be hosting a multitude of upcoming events throughout November-December!

The Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center is excited to invite local businesses to participate in its new Community Partner Pass Program. This program offers businesses the opportunity to purchase discounted day passes, which they can resell for profit or use as part of customer promotions or employee perks.

View the Library’s Monthly Programs!

FREE CAR SEATS!

“Dad’s” Car Seat Program continues at the Salida Pregnancy Resource Center. We still have car seats to gift to Dads for infants up to one year of age in the Salida, Buena Vista, and surrounding areas. To register for the program, contact the Salida Pregnancy Resource Center at 719-539-7436 or visit the Center at 215 East Third Street. The Center is open Monday 10-3p, Wednesday 12-5p, Thursday 12-5p, Friday 11-4p, closed on Tuesday and Federal Holidays. To read the full press release, click here!

Salida School District has been recognized as a sustainable business. The district demonstrates its commitment to environmental stewardship through single-stream recycling, utilizing solar panels that generate 25-30% of the school’s energy, also resulting in approximately $5,000 in monthly energy savings, and prioritizing locally sourced food whenever possible. Additionally, they incorporate sustainability practices into student education. Click here to read the full article by The Mountain Mail.

DAILY
SEPTEMBER 1 – DECEMBER 31
Outlaws, Whores & History Tour – 11 a.m.
History on Tap – 3 p.m.
Ghost & Murder Walking Tour – 7 p.m.
Haunted Pub Crawl – 7:30 p.m.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW WITH US! We are SERVPRO in Salida, and we’re seeking an able-bodied individual for the position of Restoration Technician. If you have basic computer skills and if you have some hands-on experience in any of the following: emergency clean-up services, construction, building maintenance, janitorial, carpet cleaning, painting, landscaping, or another property service and are willing to learn, this could be your ideal opportunity.

If you are a business owner looking to retire in the next few years, you’ll be happy to know that there are more options now than ever. Most folks try to sell their business to a manager, someone in town, or even someone looking to move into town. When those buyers just aren’t there or can’t afford it, selling the business can feel impossible. A great option to consider is selling it to multiple employees at once. One employee might find ownership expensive and a big burden, but 3 or more employees getting together can open up new doors. The state of Colorado has funding to help rural businesses explore and implement this option, through a statewide nonprofit: the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center. There are already hundreds of businesses in the state that continue to be successful after selling to employees. Give Marion a call or send her an email, the Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center will be happy to chat with you at no cost. They also hold monthly webinars and have online resources if you would like to know a little more first.

The updated draft (version dated Oct 12th, replacing the Sept 30th draft version) of the Chaffee County Land Use Code has been published for public review, along with the proposed zoning map, as of October 12, 2024. Visit https://www.togetherchaffeecounty.org/input to access both documents.

Chili Heads Glass & Vape

HRRMC

The Mountain Mail

Anytime Fitness

Heart of the Rockies Radio

Dragonfly Gifts

First Colorado Land Office

50West Productions

Salida Mountain Sports

Mt Princeton Hot Springs

Coffee by Topo

Woodland Motel

Full Circle Real Estate Group

Monarch Mountain

JVAM

Home & Design

Columbine Manor

Collegiate Peaks Bank

Peaks Integrity Wealth Management, LLC

Barbara Pearson Sawyer

C.P.'s Portables & Mountain High Septic

High Country Bank

Kate Woolman State Farm

Salida Ace Hardware

McDonald's