By Mary Jo Coulehan | Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber has hosted the Community Awards for almost 25 years. This is a time to take a look at the people and organizations that make our community so special. So many businesses give to the community and nonprofit agencies throughout the year. So many nonprofit agencies fill huge gaps in our community providing services that are critical to the residents of Archuleta County. Then there are the people that are the cogs of the wheels, making everything happen. It’s time to honor these heroes.
At the Chamber’s annual meeting on Feb. 8, 2023, we will do just that — honor and celebrate some of Pagosa’s success stories. With the positive feedback of last year’s event, we will replicate that format. The Chamber will host community conversations beginning at 4 p.m. The conversations will be centered around what is happening around important topics in our community. There will be a panel of presenters depending on the topics. In addition, we will be there to listen to what some of the business concerns are and take even more steps to create actionable items.
After the community conversation, there will be a reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar and beverages. At this time, we will honor the winners in the following Community Award categories: Citizen, Volunteer, Non-Profit and Small Business of the Year.
All of the forms to nominate a community award winner are available at https://pagosachamber.com/2022-community-awards/. Please fill out the forms completely — you can use a separate piece of paper to tell the full story. These forms allow you to tell a story about why the organization or person should be considered. The more complete your information about the person or organization, the more information the judges have to consider the nominee. The deadline for submitting the forms is Jan. 16, 2023, at 5 p.m.
Tickets for the Chamber annual award event will be available online after the first of the year along with more information about the afternoon’s activities and presenters. It is the same price if you attend just the breakout sessions and/or the reception. The whole event will run between 4 and 7 p.m. and will be held at the Pagosa Lakes Property Owners Association Clubhouse. Mark your calendars now for an afternoon of information, celebration, networking and catching up on business and community activities. The event is open to the community; it is not just for Chamber members. Be a part of the village to impart change and positive improvements and find out what is really being done in these areas of concern in our community.
Thank you
The Chamber would like to extend a thank you to the Tourism Department, Visitor Center staff, nonprofit agencies and businesses and The Pagosa Springs SUN for another wonderful the Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration walk. The reviews coming in are again great, albeit the weather still was quite cold. As with most events, this endeavor took lots of preparation hours and time from staff and volunteers. Many thanks to all the organizations that participated. The event attracted a mix of visitors and locals alike — a combination that describes our community as a community that welcomes our guests and enjoys participating in the events that make us local. So, thank you to all the hard workers, the creativity, organization and effort it took to put on such a successful holiday soiree.
On behalf of the Chamber Board of Directors and staff, we wish our community a wonderful Christmas season. With the snow on the ground and still expected, visitation numbers will increase as expected. We thank all those in the service industries taking care of our guests and locals.
Enjoy this wonderful time of year in Pagosa, and merry Christmas.
