Archives for February 2014

* Throw Beads * Collect Beads *

Mardi Gras Parade in Angel Fire

Participate in the Parade

Enter Now!

Call Donna for information at 575-377-1100.

Instead of my usual “I Know Jo” or Chamber info updates, I want to share with you a letter we received at the Chamber from the family of Jake Arko. Jake, a local long time resident, was involved in a skiing accident on January 3, 2014. (More updates and information are available on the face book page administrated by his sister and mom) Welcome home, Jake!

This letter is to you, from them:

THANK-YOU ALL for everything you have done! The outpouring of love and kindness during Jake’s recovery has been overwhelming; words alone cannot express how grateful we are to each one of you. We cannot begin to list all the names of those who have helped, called, sent wishes, emails, prayed, donated time, money and so much more, as time goes on hopefully we will be able to thank each of you in person, in the meantime please accept this note of acknowledgement and thanks:

“Thanks to those skiing with Jake for getting help quickly, thanks to the Angel Fire Resort Ski Patrol, the Resort First Aid, Angel Fire Ambulance, Care Flight, and all the doctors and staff at UNM for saving our son’s life. Without all of you working as a team he would not be with us today.
Thanks to all the UNM Staff who tried to keep us as well as Jake comfortable. Thanks for keeping track of Jake’s personal items and boots on the day of the accident. Thank-you to every community throughout Colfax County for coming together in various ways to gather and provide funds that will be used towards the many medical expenses that have accumulated and those he will incur in the future months as he reaches towards full recovery. Thanks to those involved in setting up bank accounts and for donating at International Bank. Thanks to those who took time out of your lives to bake items to be sold at bake sales, for holding bake sales and for purchasing the items sold at the bake sales. Thanks to those who put out donation jars and to those who put funds into the jars. Thanks to those who provided us with housing and motels while we were in Albuquerque, for taking us out to meals, for cleaning our house. Thanks for cleaning, stocking and delivering our trailer to Albuquerque. Thanks to the special folks for their effort and time to hold a fundraiser dinner, and all that was involved in gathering, preparing and serving and to those who came to enjoy the meal, who provided items for the silent auction, and those who purchased items at the silent auction. Thanks for the recognition and the funds collected at the Cimarron High School Homecoming Game. Thanks to all the Colfax County 4-H Members for your Club bake sales and to the Colfax County 4-H Council for the various gas & gift cards. Thanks for all the gifts we received at the hospital, the large care package for Leo and I, Jake’s pajamas, cookies, balloons, flowers, colored ink pins, paper and the tablet.

Oh, and the wooden goats!! Thank-you to those who set up the fundraiser t-shirts and who have shown support by purchasing and wearing both the red and the blue shirts. We appreciate the weekly Pool Tournaments being held on Jake’s behalf. Special thanks to the friends, neighbors and family who cared for all of our animals and livestock while we were in Albuquerque, for cutting and splitting wood, for providing meat for the freezer, and to our employers & co-workers for understanding. Thanks to the young man who saved the day and paid for a portion of our lunch when I had forgotten my wallet.

Our world is full of caring and kind people – thanks to each and everyone of you! If we’ve left you out, we’ll catch up with you later.”

Leo & Barb Arko
Erin Arko

When: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 from 8:00 am to 9:00 am

Where: Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce, 3407 Mountain View Blvd. in Centro Plaza

Guest Speaker: Dan Swanson, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Angel Fire Resort

Municipal Councilor Candidate – Question & Answer Forum

When: Thursday, February 27, 2014 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Where: Angel Fire Community Center, 15 CS Ranch Rd

Please send your questions to manager@angelfirechamber.org no later than February 19, 2014.

By Jo Mixon

January 2014 has proven to be an exciting month at the Chamber. As you know, I spent the first week in Tucson, Arizona attending the US Chamber Institute for Organizational Management. We are now in the process of implementing a lot of what I learned and making changes appropriately. We have become accustomed to change over the past few years. Together, with the Board of Director’s, the Chamber has set a forward motion to continue heading in a positive direction. We are committed to stay on this pathway!

Most of this month has been filled with legislation issues. On January 14 nineteen New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, including the Angel Fire Chamber, co-hosted a luncheon, held in Albuquerque for the Governor. It was attended by over 700 people.

Next, Governor Suzanna Martinez declared January 22, 2014 to be Enchanted Circle Day at the Legislation. Angel Fire was honored to be on the agenda. Mayor Cottam spoke in the Rotunda of the Roundhouse in Santa Fe along with the Mayors of Eagle Nest, Red River, Questa, and Taos. We set up an Angel Fire booth for this event and gave a list of our concerns to the Legislation.

On January 27, we again went to Santa Fe to represent Angel Fire. This time at the Annual Chamber of Commerce Legislative Reception. The Village of Angel Fire, The Angel Fire Resort and the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce shared booths. These three entities working together made a powerful presence for Angel Fire! The evening was a huge success with more than half of the State Legislatures present. And we gifted them with Angel Fire information, Visitors Guide, and Shop Angel Fire bags!

Representing Angel Fire on January 27, 2014 in Santa Fe at the Annual Chamber of Commerce Legislative Reception are left to right: Angel Fire Village Manager, Jay Mitchell; Angel Fire Mayor Pro Tem, Chuck Howe; Angel Fire Mayor, Barbara Cottam; Grant Administrator/Sales and Marketing for the Village of Angel Fire, Tracie Orr; Director of Marketing and Business Development for the Angel Fire Resort, Dan Swanson; Executive Director of the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce, Jo Mixon; and Ambassador Team Leader/Volunteer Extraordinaire of the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce, Johnese Turri.

Then on January 28, we headed in different directions to attend the meetings. Some of which were the New Mexico Chamber Executives Association, Ski New Mexico, and the Tourism Association of New Mexico’s Annual Meeting where Mayor Cottam was seated on the Board of Directors and is Chairing the Education Committee. During this Legislation, Angel Fire has been well represented and we hope our voices have been heard. At the least, know that we are all committed to growing and working together to help make Angel Fire the best it can be!

Back home in the office, we have another great addition to our staff. I’d like to introduce you to Debbie Espie.

She has joined our team as an overly qualified bookkeeper/Office Assistant. As the CFO/Owner of a highly successful family
business for more than eighteen years, we are excited to gain her expertise in the chamber office. She holds a BSc in Zooloy-Miami University/Oxford Ohio and an MSc Limnology-University of Guelph/Ontario Canada. Debbie moved to Angel Fire with her husband and two children last June. She has already become active in Garden Club, Habla Tamale Committees and various other community functions. And we are very happy she has joined our staff!