Chamber Matters. A Newsletter for our Members. What does your organization do? Why did you join the Fruita Chamber of Commerce?

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1 The Chamber Matters, Page 1 July 2015 Mark Your Calendars Chamber Office CLOSED Friday, July 3 Board Meeting Wednesday, July 8 Colorado Canyon Boardroom 7:00 am to 8:30 am Ambassador Meeting Friday, July 10 Chamber Office 9:00 am Grand Valley Young Professionals Tuesday, July 14 The Hot Tomato 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Business After Hours Thursday, July 16 DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Junction 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Marketing Meeting Friday, July 17 Judy s Family Restaurant Fruita Farmers Market Saturdays, July 4, 11, 18 & 25 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Inside This Issue Directors Corner Renewing / New Members From Our Members Business After Hours Chamber Matters A Newsletter for our Members What does your organization do? Spotlight s on: Museum of Western Colorado The Museum of Western Colorado, which includes Dinosaur Journey in Fruita along with Museum of the West and Cross Orchards, is dedicated to helping the community preserve its heritage and tell its story. Dinosaur Journey specifically features the latest exhibits and information about dinosaurs of western Colorado, eastern Utah and surrounding areas, realistic robotic dinosaurs, and a working paleontology laboratory. Tell us something you have learned through your work that would be beneficial to others. It is amazing how far the study of paleontology has advanced and how our understanding of dinosaurs has changed. Some of the discoveries that have brought a fresh new vision of the ancient world have occurred right here in the Grand Valley. For example, Dinosaur Journey s excavation of a six foot and seven inch Apatosaurus femur has totally altered the theory of how large these creatures, which many have called Brontosaurs in the past, could get. Previously, the belief was that they grew no longer than 70 feet long, yet this recent discovery found in Rabbit Valley was from a 90 foot animal. Why did you join the Fruita Chamber of Commerce? As a museum, community is of extreme importance to the Museum of Western Colorado. Fruita s support is key to the success and growth of Dinosaur Journey.

2 The Chamber Matters, Page 2 Spotlight s on Museum of Western Colorado (Cont d): What makes you or your business unique? Two years ago, the Museum s Dinosaur Expeditions program was rated one of the top ten family vacations in the country by Readers Digest and this year, TravelChannel.com rated Dinosaur Journey among the top six dinosaur exhibits/museums in the nation. Tell us something others should know about you or your business. Over 43,000 people visited Dinosaur Journey last year. An economic impact study authored by Colorado Mesa University found that visitors to Museum of Western Colorado injects $1.2 million into the Grand Valley economy, the largest share of that being spent in Fruita thanks to the popularity of Dinosaur Journey. Museum of Western Colorado 462 Ute Avenue, Grand Junction, CO (970) /

3 The Chamber Matters, Page 3 Board of Directors Dustin Wells Grand Valley Bank dustin@grandvalleybank.com Linda Kochevar Linda J. Kochevar, CPA (Ext. 30) linda@kochevarcpa.com Jana Gerow Development Construction Services dcsincjana@gmail.com Denise Hight Colorado National Monument Asso dhight@coloradonma.org Mike Reeder Visual Eyes Eyecare, PC info@visualeyeseyecare.com Stacy Mascarenas City Council Liaison smascare@bresnan.net Doug Sorter Strive dsorter@strivecolorado.org Donna Stratton strtstein@gmail.com Anissa Wright Chamber Staff Frank Ladd, Executive Director Janet Brazfield, Marketing & Events Coordinator Chloé Jens, Administrative Assistant 432 E. Aspen Avenue Fruita, CO (970) Director s Corner Happy Birthday to our great nation, The United States of America! While you are firing up the grill either in your backyard or in the forest while camping this 4th of July weekend, please keep in mind, even with how divided this nation seems sometimes, what a great country we do live in! I m very proud of our great heritage and the freedoms we have attained through much sacrifice. In what other country in the world are the citizens as free as we are to protest in the streets, question our government, be highly educated, start your own business, and work for yourself without fear of reprisal? With that, let s look at what we have accomplished at the halfway point in 2015: We have new staff, Chloé Jens and Janet Brazfield; we said farewell to long-time Chamber employees, Tami Biart and Robbie Urquhart, wished them well and thanked them for their dedicated service; welcomed new Board members, Doug Sorter, Donna Stratton, and Anissa Wright while saying goodbye and thanks to Ben Wegener, Tom Oliver, and Elizabeth Blaha. We ve completely updated our phones, computers, and operating systems (goodbye Office 2003!) to serve you faster and better; held a day-long Board/Staff Strategic planning session to form the strategies and objectives to move forward for not only 2015 but for years to come. We ve held monthly Business Toolbox, Business after Hours, Ambassador, and GVYP meetings; recharged the Women in Business group; and continued with our weekly Business Builders groups on Mondays and Thursdays. We ve given the community and our members a Member Directory, Community Profile, and Fruita Map. With help from your energized Marketing Committee, we ve completely overhauled our main Chamber website and the Fall Festival site. We ve held successful events like: the Annual Banquet, Business Expo, and, new for 2015, a Member Appreciation BBQ at the Chamber. We also partnered with the City for a fantastic Ride the Rockies event that saw over 2,000 cyclists storm Civic Center Park for a few hours on a Sunday in June, and put together a flash bike mob for the Bike to Work Day. In addition to partnering with the City on events, we are also meeting and communicating with new City Manager Mike Bennett and staff on tourism and economic development matters. Last, and certainly not least, Farmers Market and Fall Festival planning and implementation, two ongoing and rather large events, will consume most of the 2nd half of the year. In addition, for the second half of 2015, members can look forward to a revamped membership dues structure for We will also be putting together a Shop Small Campaign for the holiday shopping season as well a new Chamber Bucks program. Look for a Wealth Management Seminar in August as well. A big Thank You to all those who helped make the first half of 2015 a great success! Best Regards, Frank Ladd Executive Director Have a safe and fun 4th of July!

4 The Chamber Matters, Page 4 The Fruita Chamber has three Business Builder groups designed for chamber members to develop relationships that enhance their networking and marketing opportunities. Please see below for details on each group. For more information, please contact the group Chairperson as noted below or Janet Brazfield: janet@fruitachamber.org. Monday Noon Business Builders Four Winds Coffee & Tea 1235 Bookcliff Ave., Grand Junction Fruita Business Toolbox Second 7:30 am Business Incubator Fruita 325 E. Aspen Avenue, Fruita Thursday Noon Business Builders Suds Brothers Brewery 127 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita Kevin Braa Grand Mesa Medical Supply, LLC kevin@grandmesamedical.com Kathie Fingerson Healers of the Valley kathie@healersofthevalley.com Tamara Ruckdeschel The Social Resource, LLC admin@thesocialresource.net Business Toolbox 2015 Schedule Date Speaker Topic July 14 Alpine Bank Business Loan Requirements August 11 Carlene Goldthwaite Communicating Through Generations September 15 Media Panel Holiday Marketing - What Works? October 13 Mark Luff Business Law - What You Should Know? November 10 Colorado Canyons Hospital Why Businesses Give Back to Communities December 15 Dalby, Wendland & Co. Accounting - Preparing for 2016 Investing in Business Relationships to Help Grow Your Business

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6 The Chamber Matters, Page 6 May s Renewing Members 5 Star Event Rental & Design, LLC CPC Solutions Development Construction Services, Inc. Enstrom Candies Frank Henry Equipment USA, LLC Fruita Chiropractic & Massage Heiden Homes Realty Holiday Inn & Suites GJ Airport HOPE of the Grand Valley Jerry s Pest Control, Inc. MBC Grand Broadcasting Mesa County Workforce Center Pro Rooter Rose Hue Gallery The Iron Maiden, LLC Two Rivers Winery Western Slope Communications, LLC Thank you for your renewed memberships!!! Tune In Every Tuesday between 7:00 am and 8:00 am To KMZK The Rock for the Focus on the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Show. Sponsored by: Winner for the July fourth week radio spot is: Frank Henry Equipment USA, LLC (970) CONGRATULATIONS!!! May s New Members CBH Enterprises, Inc Fatjar Cannery Brewhaus Thank you and welcome to the Chamber!!! Please visit for more information about our members. FRUITA FARMERS MARKET Be sure to come out every Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 20 September 19, 2015 and support your local Farmers Market. MEMBERS: We will have two member spots available each Saturday. We are offering these on a first come, first serve basis each week. If you are interested in setting up a booth, please contact Chloé at chloe@fruitachamber.org or call (970) ANY member is welcome!

7 The Chamber Matters, Page 7 June Ribbon Cutting FATJAR CANNERY BREWHAUS (970) fatjarcanneryandbrewhaus We hope everyone has a FUN and SAFE July 4th weekend!!!

8 The Chamber Matters, Page 8 From Our Members From Our Members (Cont d) Gelu Italian Ice opens the Ice Box GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. Gelu Italian Ice, the bright-colored, push-cart dessert vendor found at most local farmers markets, fairs and festivals, announces its biggest expansion yet. The local business opened its giant Ice Box - a standalone location - May 29 at Sutherland s parking lot by Mesa Mall. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. When we re at festivals, our customers are always asking where our store is, so here it is, Karin Gookin, Gelu Italian co-owner said. The Ice Box will be parked all summer and early fall outside of Sutherland s. Or as long as it stays hot outside, she added. Gelu still has its fleet of Italian ice mobile carts and is a regular at Grand Valley Food Truck Fridays. Upcoming events include all the local farmers market (Fruita, GJ, Palisade and Orchard Mesa), weekly Fruita Rimrock Rodeo, Country Jam, Loudwire Music Fest, Mesa County Fair, Palisade Peach Fest, Colorado Winefest and many more. This year we are excited to expand geographically as well, Gookin said. We will be at the weekly Glenwood farmers market, Deltarado fest, and Price International Days in Utah. To staff Gelu s growth, the business has hired more than 15 high school and college students in part-time positions. We re not going to stop until Gelu is a household name, Gookin said. Customers can like us on Facebook at /GeluItalianIce; follow us on or visit Reach Karin Gookin at for more information. Museum of Western Colorado Celebrate Our 50 th With Us The Museum is proud to announce that King'N Trio will help us celebrate our 50th Anniversary with a benefit concert on Friday, July 24th. The band King'N Trio began about 14 years ago and is known for its folk, Irish, and Americana tunes. They have become a Grand Valley sensation. The band members include their very own Board Member Merritt Kinsey who plays the string bass. Joining him are Chris Unfug, who has been with the band since the beginning and plays guitar, banjo and mandolin; Russ Williams on guitar; and Terry Toner, who joined the band last year and plays the harmonica. Mesa County Health Department The next food handlers class at the Mesa County Health Department will be: Date: Monday, July 6, 2015 Time: 9-11 am OR 4-6 pm Where: Community Services Building /2 Road, GJ Cost: $10.00 per person Please arrive early, as class size is limited. We look forward to seeing your employees at one of the classes. Questions? Feel free to call us at They also have an online food handler's class! The cost is $ foodsafety/template.aspx?id=3383 To learn about our new food safety recognition program go to environment/foodsafety/template.aspx?id=3383 Little Sprouts Preschool Open House WOW! Can you believe it s time to start looking at Preschools for your small children? With school starting August 3, 2015, our preschool staff is looking forward to another great year of helping families provide a nurturing, inspiring, and appropriately challenging early learning experiences for your children here at Little Sprout Preschool. We provide an environment that promotes healthy development: mentally, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually. We will be having an Open House on July 21 (Tuesday) and July 23 (Thursday) from 6 pm 7:30 pm. Be sure to attend! This is a good time to meet our staff, tour our center, drop off completed paper work, and school supplies.

9 The Chamber Matters, Page 9 From Our Members (Cont d) The Business Incubator Center Bookkeeping Bootcamp July 14, 2015, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Join Helen Roe as she explains how to set up and track business accounting records to gain better control of your business. You'll learn how balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow projections are prepared and what they can tell you about your business. Cost: $75 (includes lunch) Pumping Up The Dream: Starting a Business in Western Colorado Thursday, July 16, 1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. FRUITA LOCATION Wednesday, July 29, 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Take advantage of the opportunity to receive step-bystep guidance as you start your new business in Western Colorado. This class covers the most commonly asked questions, including: how to do a trade name search, choosing the right legal structure, registering with the state, local licensing requirements, the business planning process, and options for financing your business. Cost is $50*. *This cost includes the workshop, training materials, and membership in the Fast Trac Business Basics program, a series of 5 topic-specific brown bag lunch and learns. Open Coffee Club Friday, July 17, :00 a.m. - noon Trailhead Coffee, 413 Monument Road, GJ. COST: Free (plus the cost of your beverage or snack) Mesa County Library Walk-Up Help Desk July 22, 2015, 10:00 a.m. - noon Individualized assistance on the use of online business research resources available through Mesa County Libraries, as well as the basics of website design and social media. COST: Free. From Our Members (Cont d) Mesa County Libraries: Mesa County Libraries will begin construction of 970West production studio. Mesa County Libraries plan to break ground in early July on a digital recording and production studio that will offer opportunities for the public to learn and perform professional-level audio and video recording. The studio also will enhance Mesa County Libraries ability to document and preserve Mesa County s unique and vanishing cultural assets. Approximately 3,000 square feet in size, the studio building will be constructed on vacant land owned by Mesa County Libraries at Fifth Street and Ouray Avenue. As designed and proposed, the studio will include a 654-square-foot studio/training room (capable of holding people for training), a 436- square-foot control room, a 245-square-foot space for an artist in residence, storage space for equipment and materials, and parking for approximately 10 vehicles with access from the alley. Visually, the exterior will resemble the Central Library building. The facility will be named the 970West Studio. 970West is a pioneering digital initiative by Mesa County Libraries to provide the community with unique, locally focused online content and the technological tools to produce such content. The 970West Studio is a huge step forward in bringing 21st century library services to Mesa County, said Library Director Joseph Sanchez. New media and digital technology enable people from all walks of life to create high-quality audio and video content for a variety of purposes. This studio gives the library an opportunity to create unique, valuable content of local importance, and it also gives the citizens of Mesa County a chance to learn and use professional-level facilities and equipment for their own projects. Several potential users already have indicated interest in using the studio upon completion. For example, K-12 students could use it to produce audio-visual senior portfolios, local bands could use it to record music, and individuals could use it to produce video histories of families or local businesses.

10 The Chamber Matters, Page 10 From Our Members (Cont d) Library staff also will make significant use of the studio for various projects associated with 970West Digital, an online collection of photos, videos, artwork, and other elements that visually capture the unique aspects of life in western Colorado. 970West Digital includes collections such as Veterans Remember, landscape and wildlife photography, and images and information about hand-tied flies for fishing in western Colorado. 970West Digital can be found at: mesacountylibraries.org. Estimated cost of the 970West Studio is approximately $1,350,000, funded primarily by the Mesa County Public Library District s cash reserves. Library administration is confident that construction of the 970West Studio can be accomplished while maintaining a safe and prudent balance in the library district s reserves. The Mesa County Public Library Foundation has launched a capital campaign for the studio and has committed $250,000 toward the project. The capital campaign will continue through Dec. 31, Asset Engineering of Grand Junction, which provided preconstruction services on the project, is expected to be the general contractor. Construction is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, The Board of Trustees is excited about the potential that this studio holds for Mesa County Libraries, said Elaine Barnett, president of the Mesa County Public Library District Board of Trustees. Not only will the library be better able to provide technology education and training to the community, but our capacity to help record and preserve many of the unique aspects of Mesa County will be greatly improved. We view this studio as an important and critical investment in the future of Mesa County Libraries and our community. Workshop on July 8 to explore best practices for working with volunteers WHAT: Presentation: Life Cycle of a Volunteer WHEN: 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, 2015 WHERE: Mesa County Libraries Central Library, Fifth Street and Grand Avenue. From Our Members (Cont d) Life Cycle of a Volunteer, a workshop exploring best practices for organizations that work with volunteers, is scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, at the Mesa County Libraries Central Library, Fifth Street and Grand Avenue in Grand Junction. The workshop will look at best practices along the continuum of volunteer service: recruiting, training, reward and recognition, managing performance, and succession planning. Those who attend will learn ideas for building a strong, sustainable corps of volunteers and for increasing volunteer satisfaction. The presenter, Carlene Goldthwaite, is an experienced volunteer who most recently served as director of the Colorado State Council of the Society of Human Resource Management. In her various volunteer roles, Goldthwaite has developed structures, tools, and processes to engage and retain volunteers. Her company, Create Real Growth, works with leaders of all organizational types to leverage the power of their people. Preregistration for this event is encouraged. Preregister by visiting the Events Calendar at: mesacountylibraries.org or by calling This workshop is open to the public at no charge. Women In Business The Women In Business group had a great meeting in June - hosted by Robinson & Co. Realty - with awesome food and beverages. After everyone introduced themselves and described their business, playing Bunco moved everyone around and allowed for great interaction between all attendees. Watch your weekly updates for the next meeting information. Thank you Robinson & Co. Realty!!!

11 The Chamber Matters, Page 11 Business After Hours Thank You, Museum of Western Colorado Dinosaur Journey Thank you for graciously hosting the June Business After Hours at the Museum of Western Colorado Dinosaur Journey in Fruita, Colorado. Your support is greatly appreciated!!! The food from Family Health West was delicious! July BAH Join us on Thursday, July 16, 2015 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Grand Junction, 743 Horizon Drive, Grand Junction, CO for the July Business After Hours, hosted by the DoubleTree by Hilton. Each month the Fruita Chamber of Commerce offers Business After Hours (BAH) for members and guests. This fun event is hosted by a different Chamber member each month. Each BAH features the host member and offers a valuable networking forum for all our other members. COST: $7.00 per person if paid before 12:00 noon on day of the event. $10.00 per person if paid at the door. Please join us for this fabulous networking opportunity! It is so easy to register online through your Chamber Master account. Unsure how to do so? For help logging in please call Chloé with the Chamber office at More Info 2015 BAH Schedule July 16 October 15 DoubleTree Hotel Robinson & Co. Realty August 20 November 19 Moon Farm Holiday Inn & Suites September December 17 No BAH Alpine Bank

12 The Chamber Matters, Page 12 Save The Date!! Thursday, August 27 th :30 1:00 pm Wealth Management Adobe Creek Golf Course Sponsored by: Rib City Grill Adobe Creek Golf Course Fruita Chamber of Commerce and Insurance Benefits by Design Find out what the answers are to 4 of the most important questions concerning your financial future!

13 The Chamber Matters, Page 13 Two workshops, two presenters, one morning! Come join us. Saturday, July 11th, 9:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. Grand Junction Business Incubator Center 2591 Legacy Way, Grand Junction MEMBERS & NON-MEMBERS WELCOME Breakfast at 9:15 & Workshop 9:30am-12:30ish Please RSVP to Terri Benson at BAD MOON RISING: SET THE TONE THROUGH MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE with Warren Hammond Your character needs a voice, and so does your setting. Whether it's darkand-stormy or bright-and-sunny, it's time to bring your setting to life just like your characters. Learn to take your writing to a new level by infusing your story with mood, tone and atmosphere. Warren Hammond is the author of the gritty, futuristic KOP trilogy (KOP, EX-KOP, and KOP KILLER, published by Tor Books) and TIDES OF MARITINIA, published by HarperCollins. A 2013 Colorado Book Award winner, he is hard at work on a new series. QUERY LETTERS 101 with Angie Hodapp A query letter is a one-page pitch letter an absolute necessity for novelists seeking agents. Writers dread writing them, agencies receive hundreds each week, and most of them elicit no more than a form rejection letter. However, there are many things writers can do to avoid that fate. Angie Hodapp of Nelson Literary Agency will walk you through writing a standout query while avoiding common pitfalls. Learn the anatomy of a query letter, including what it should (and shouldn t) say about both you and your completed manuscript, and practice writing synopsis paragraphs that are clear, concise, and compelling. Get tons of tips and tools that will maximize your chances of landing a publishing contract. Angie Hodapp holds a master's degree in English and is a graduate of the Denver Publishing Institute. A Colorado Gold Contest winner and Writers of the Future semifinalist, she works at Nelson Literary Agency in Denver. For more information: