Some of you have not, I repeat, have not, paid your 2013 membership dues. Now I know that we are all busy and sometimes things fall through the cracks so please get those in as soon as possible or you will not make it into our brochure and will be removed from our website. This year you will see a completely new and improved brochure.
The Montezuma County Amateur Photo Contest is looking for businesses willing to display these photo contest photos as well as individuals who wish to enter photos for this. This is being hosted by the Dolores, Mancos and Cortez Area Chambers of Commerce.
The contest is open to amateurs only. A professional is defined as one whose primary source of income (50 percent) or more results from his/her photographic work.
The purpose of this contest is to generate a photo library for use by the local Chambers of Commerce for the promotion of the Montezuma County area.
Photos should capture the beauty of the people, scenery, personality, history or natural elements which contribute to the profile of our quality of life here in Montezuma County. (Hint: One of the intended uses of these photos will be for website usage and horizontal pictures tend to work the best.)
Three photographs will be selected as First, Second and Third place. There will be recognition for two Honorable Mention entries also.
~First Prize is $100, second prize is $50.00 and third prize is $30.
Submissions, to be juried will be accepted through June 21. A signed release form must be submitted to the Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce.
Photos must be submitted in jpg. format to cortezchamber@cityofcortez.com to be juried. Please include a brief description of your photo and location and date that it was taken. If one of your photos is selected as a finalist you will be notified by July 3.
There will be 50 photographs chosen to be displayed and judged for first, second and third place and 2 honorable mentions.
Only original photos taken by an artist in Montezuma County will be accepted. Photographs must be suitable to a family environment.
Call the Dolores or Cortez Chambers for more information.
The Dolores Chamber has secured our February Business after Hours date and location. It will be Thursday, Feb. 21 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Second Chance Thrift Store in Dolores. This will be a wonderful opportunity to have some great food and refreshments, to network and develop working relationships with many businesses and individuals you may not usually have the opportunity to connect with. Everybody is invited. Renew runs the thrift store and will be present for this event. You do not have to be a chamber member to attend and the thrift store will be open for normal business those hours as well.
For more info contact the Dolores Chamber at 882-4018.
Another way we are going to exclusively promote Dolores businesses is that once a month I will write another article for the Dolores Star that will highlight individual businesses. Look for that in two weeks. This article will tell their unique story and inform the readers of what they have to offer as a business.
Many people are struggling in this economy. To help ease some of that burden there is a FREE community dinner every Thursday night at 6 p.m. at the Cortez Family Worship Center Foursquare Church 500 N. Washington in Cortez. Everyone is welcome. Invite your family and friends.
Another new idea we are implementing in 2013 is that our chamber board has decided to let me loose on the community!! You will be seeing your chamber director inside of your businesses much more frequently as the board has decided that the director should be more visible, and find out what you business owners and towns folks are thinking. We desire and encourage everybody's input and suggestions as to how we can better serve Dolores. So if you stop by the visitor's center during normal business hours and it is closed this will probably be why.
Our next Chamber membership meeting will be Wednesday Feb. 27 at noon at the Ponderosa. Norm Jones the new Dean of Pueblo Community College and South West Community College will be our guest speaker.