Salida Chamber Calendar

The Monarch Mavericks are hosting a FREE Square Dancing and Pizza Party on Saturday, January 11th from 2-4pm at the Legion Hut 235 W. 10th. Singles and first-timers welcome!

Come out and enjoy free live music with Cousin Curtiss at Tres Litros Beer Co.!

Click here for tickets: mightysquirrelproductions.com

Come out and enjoy free live music with Danjo Harris at Tres Litros Beer Co.!

League of Women Voters to Explore Initiatives for Recycling, Renewing, and Repurposing in Chaffee County Recycling, Renewing, Repurposing. What are the possibilities and obstacles? How are local innovators addressing these issues? These and other questions will be discussed at the League of Women Voters Chaffee County (LWVCC) Monday, January 13, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Salida United Methodist Church, 228 E 4th Street. A panel of local experts will share how we can create a more sustainable future for our community through innovative methods of creating a new life for waste materials. John Armstrong founded B1 Energy and Recycling to make our community greener and cleaner. John sees the obstacles of recycling in rural Colorado as an opportunity to create an infrastructure model that works. In 2022-2023, John participated in the Colorado’s Founder Competition/Idea Factory to refine his idea into a flexible and scalable solution: a mobile recycling facility. Dubbed the “Roadie,” John says that B1 Energy’s recycling platform on wheels “can now show up in a community, start recycling immediately, and educate people on the importance of recycling.,” Julie Mach is the founder and owner of Elements Mountain Compost based in Salida. She started the business in 2014 and has expanded her knowledge in waste management as a Certified Composter Operations Manager with the US Composting Council and as a board member for Recycle Colorado. Previously she worked for over a decade in environmental conservation and outdoor recreation management. When not working, you can find Julie playing in the mountains on skis or bikes. Grant Hamel’s journey has taken him from studying biochemistry to tackling the complexities of manufacturing design and systems engineering. At VeroTouch, Grant’s dedicated team focuses on developing renewable systems that transform how materials and labor are utilized at every stage of the building process. Driven by a deep sense of community, Grant is passionate about addressing housing challenges through collaboration and innovative solutions. He believes in building a future where affordable, sustainable housing is accessible to all. Outside of work, Grant champions healthy living, seeing it as the foundation for personal and professional success. Beth Helmke brings varied leadership experience from her professional background in the nonprofit sector, education, nature-based youth programming, and communications. She has a Bachelors in Molecular Biology and Masters in Nonprofit Management and currently work as Chaffee County Government’s Deputy Director. Beth is passionate about stewardship and sustainability and building a more inclusive and diverse outdoor recreation culture and community. Her love for trail running, summit seeking, and all manner of backcountry adventuring also ties in well with her involvement with Chaffee County Search and Rescue. The LWVCC monthly meeting, and social will precede the presentation at 11:15 a.m. Contact: Marjie Gray 719.395.8948 Marjiegray2fish@gmail.com https://www.lwvchaffeecounty.org      

Join Elements Mountain Compost on January 15th, from 10am-4pm at the Salida Scout Hut for a FREE Construction & Demolition Waste Diversion Workshop! Agenda: What is C & D Waste- Framing the Problem Materials to End Markets- Recycling Techniques, Local Diversion Opportunities Diversion Methodology- Deconstruction Techniques, Design Considerations, Hauling Challenges Local Policy- Permits, Deposits, Incentives & Data Collection Guest Speakers: Anna Perks of Perks Deconstruction & Emily Freeman of the City of Boulder

Join Elements Mountain Compost on January 15th, 6pm at the Salida Distillery for Green Drinks! The topic will be Construction and Demolition Waste Reduction. Did you know that construction and demolition waste account for 38% of landfill volume? Learn from Deconstruction Expert Anna Perks about how to salvage materials and reduce waste from remodels, new construction and more!

Did you know that by the end of 2025, it is a requirement that all employers must be in compliance with the new requirement that employers must offer a retirement program to their employees? The requirement is for businesses that have been in business for at least two years with 5+ employees. There is no requirement for a match, and it is also optional for the employee to participate.  You are invited to a CRWC Virtual Lunch & Learn with representatives from Colorado SecureSavings to learn more! Register here to attend! Event Details: Thursday, January 16th, 2025 12pm - 12:30pm Via Zoom Registration URL: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqceGuqDgvHNSkME1f2c3cxEbbnsCjdeYM#/registration Organization website: https://crwc.colorado.gov/

Chaffee County Public Health Launches Behavioral Health Coalition Chaffee County, Colorado After years of dedicated preparation and collaboration, Chaffee County Public Health (CCPH) is thrilled to announce the official launch of the Chaffee County Behavioral Health Coalition (BH Coalition). This initiative marks a significant step forward in addressing the county's behavioral health challenges and gaps while fostering coordination, collaboration, and community-driven solutions. The first BH Coalition meeting will take place on Thursday, January 16, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM at Salida First Presbyterian Church. A complimentary lunch will be provided, and all community members invested in improving behavioral health services are encouraged to attend. The Coalition’s vision is simple: "Everyone in Chaffee County has access to the mental health and substance use treatment they need, from prevention through recovery." Its mission is to cultivate a comprehensive and inclusive network that promotes the continuum of behavioral health services, supports, and resources. “This Coalition has been years in the making,” said Andrea Carlstrom, CCPH Director. “We’ve heard from so many of you about the need for better behavioral health resources and coordination. Now, we have the opportunity to come together and build a resilient network of care that benefits everyone in our community.” Agenda items for Coalition meetings will include: ● Networking and introductions to foster connections within the behavioral health space. ● Areviewof the Coalition’s vision, mission, and expectations. ● Discussions on current behavioral health priorities informed by the Community Health Assessment and Access to Healthcare Survey. ● Interactive feedback exercises to guide future Coalition efforts. ● Opportunities for education and resource sharing. Looking ahead, the BH Coalition will host regular meetings alternating between Salida and Buena Vista, with tentative dates scheduled for March 20, May 15, July 17, September 18, and November 20. “We invite healthcare providers, community leaders, individuals with lived experience, and anyone passionate about making a difference to join us,” Carlstrom added. For more information, please contact Andrea at the provided contact information. To RSVP for the first meeting, e-mail Kelly Landau at klandau@chaffeecounty.org.

Come out for January Tres Trivia at Tres Litros Beer Co.!