Salida Chamber Calendar

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      

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.

Every Friday from 9-1 we will be Crafting at A Church! We have some ideas for crafts on hand or if you have a project you need to finish bring it out. We have some supplies for our suggested craft, but for some ideas you might have to bring something.... we suggest reusing what you have..... We can still make the mushroom garland but will be making holiday garland and other paper crafts. If you want to make the mushroom garland bring 6 hollowed out cuties (little oranges) cut in 1/2 and dried. ~Bring old cards or fun paper to make gift tags. ~Bring random yarn for yarn baskets. We also invite yo to sew, cross stitch, felt, etc. Charles will be here to teach basic skills about leatherwork. Lunch is provided by Pizza Rio!

Little Shredders- Roller Skating, Skateboarding and Scooters For Age 7 and Under at Ramps and Alleys Every Friday from 10am-noon, from August 16th-April 25th at Ramps and Alleys, 645 E. Rainbow Blvd. $10 per session.

Join GARNA at Monarch Mountain for a free Ski with a Naturalist Tour. Guest Naturalist: Will Barrett from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) 11am at the trail map by the cat yurt. The tour is family friendly and takes place on green runs. Tour is free, but a valid lift ticket is required.

Come out and enjoy free live music with DJ Williams Band at Tres Litros Beer Co.!

Come out and enjoy free live music with Sun Jr's Jeremiah Gemini at Tres Litros Beer Co.!