By Marianne Griffin
The Balloon Festival was great on Friday and Saturday and then the rains came.
Everyone seemed to have a fun at the Street Fair while the sun was shining. Lots of music and entertainment plus activities for young people expanded the event compared with years past. Many people came into town to say "howdy" and "thanks for your service" to the veterans at the "Second Chance" booth. But, now it's time to look at what comes up next.
The Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce provides mini-grants every year for community organizations that sponsor events and activities that encourage visitors and tourists to come to the Mancos Valley. Examples of projects that received a mini-grant from the Chamber include: the Mancos Valley Balloon Festival, the Mancos Valley Arts Council for the Arts Roundup and the Street Fair, the Farmers Market, and the Chicken Creek Nordic Ski Area.
Applications are due Nov. 1. Forms can be found at http://mancosvalley.com/chamber-information/chamber-forms. Anyone interested in a grant application may call the Chamber at 970-533-7434 or email chamber@mancosvalley.com. Of course, you can always drop by the Visitor Center at 101 E. Bauer between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to pick up an application.
Also, on Nov. 1 the Visitor Center changes its hours for winter, as the number of tourism decreases. The VC will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Lions Club is gearing up for their Christmas Bazaar. They schedule their event early in the season, Saturday Nov. 15, to avoid conflict with other bazaars. For more information, call Donna Schmittel at 970-533-7011.
The next Chamber of Commerce deadline is Dec. 1 for Citizen of the Year nominations. Application forms can be found at the Chamber website or picked up at the office. There will be more details as the deadline nears.
There is no Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors meeting in October. The Chamber has its annual planning retreat in October. The next Board meeting will be in November.
Marianne Griffin is the executive director of the Mancos Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center, 101 E. Bauer Ave. Call her at 533-7434.