May 2023 Chamber News:

May 17, 2023 Delta County Independent article:



March Chamber News:

• The Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce will also be doing business (dba) as the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce.  Here's why.   Here is the Colorado Secretary of State filing for doing business as the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce
   
• Monthly Regular Meetings have been moved to the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:00pm at the Hotchkiss-Crawford Historical Museum.
   
• The HotchkissChamber.com website is mostly up to date with 2023 Agendas & Minutes and new Quick Links to most Member's profile pages.  
   
• Two North Fork Valley Chamber Board Director Vacancies exist.  Some points to consider:
  • The preference is to have one new Director from Crawford and one from Paonia.
  • Time commitment is NO MORE than 1 to 2 hours per week or 50 to 100 hours per year to be part of a very active Board.
  • Directors can attend all Regular/Special Meetings virtually and Motions can be voted on by email.
  • Board Directors set direction and provide oversight. 
  • List of Director responsibilities here.
  • Please email NFVChamber@gmail.com or HotchkissChamber@gmail.com if interested.
    ​
• Hotchkiss Town Council   update: Board President Kim Shay gave a Chamber Update at the Town Council March 9, 2023 Session regarding rebranding to the North Fork Valley Chamber, 2023 Visitor Guides, and the Colorado Grand Scholarship Award.  The Town of Hotchkiss siged off on the Chamber's proposd changes for DCI's 2023 Visitor Guide.
   
• Paonia Town Council update: Board Director Terry O'Brien presented to the Paonia Trustees information about the two Delta County Visitor Guides and the need to rewrite the North Fork Valley "Three Things To Do" and the Paonia Town Profile. The Trustees tasked the North Fork Valley Chamber to work jointly with the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition on the the revised test to the Delta County Board of Tourism.
   
• The Chamber reached out to the Crawford Town Council and the Crawford Chamber of Commerce concerning the 2023 Visitor Guide text for the North Fork Valley Community.  The Crawford Town Council reviewed the Chamber's proposed text and signed off on new wording for the DCI Visitor Guide.  The Crawford Chamber did not respond due to suspending their operations at least until August 2023.
   
• ​2023 Diamond Club Status has been added to the web site here.  Diamond status is typically displayed next to any first Member reference on a page.
   
• Board Director Terry O'Brien attended the quarterly meeting of the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway on 3/17 which included Executive Director's from the Carbondale, Gunnison, and Redstone/Marble Chamber of Commerces, the Mayor of Paonia, the Delta County Public Information Officer, Gunnison County employees, and State and BLM representatives.  It was a good meeting to discuss joint issues of the North Fork Valley Towns along the Byway.

March Chamber News:

• The Hotchkiss Community Chamber of Commerce will also be doing business (dba) as the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce.  Here's why.   Here is the Colorado Secretary of State filing for doing business as the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce
   
• Monthly Regular Meetings have been moved to the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:00pm at the Hotchkiss-Crawford Historical Museum.
   
• The HotchkissChamber.com website is mostly up to date with 2023 Agendas & Minutes and new Quick Links to most Member's profile pages.  
   
• Two North Fork Valley Chamber Board Director Vacancies exist.  Some points to consider:
  • The preference is to have one new Director from Crawford and one from Paonia.
  • Time commitment is NO MORE than 1 to 2 hours per week or 50 to 100 hours per year to be part of a very active Board.
  • Directors can attend all Regular/Special Meetings virtually and Motions can be voted on by email.
  • Board Directors set direction and provide oversight. 
  • List of Director responsibilities here.
  • Please email NFVChamber@gmail.com or HotchkissChamber@gmail.com if interested.
    ​
• Hotchkiss Town Council   update: Board President Kim Shay gave a Chamber Update at the Town Council March 9, 2023 Session regarding rebranding to the North Fork Valley Chamber, 2023 Visitor Guides, and the Colorado Grand Scholarship Award.  The Town of Hotchkiss siged off on the Chamber's proposd changes for DCI's 2023 Visitor Guide.
   
• Paonia Town Council update: Board Director Terry O'Brien presented to the Paonia Trustees information about the two Delta County Visitor Guides and the need to rewrite the North Fork Valley "Three Things To Do" and the Paonia Town Profile. The Trustees tasked the North Fork Valley Chamber to work jointly with the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition on the the revised test to the Delta County Board of Tourism.
   
• The Chamber reached out to the Crawford Town Council and the Crawford Chamber of Commerce concerning the 2023 Visitor Guide text for the North Fork Valley Community.  The Crawford Town Council reviewed the Chamber's proposed text and signed off on new wording for the DCI Visitor Guide.  The Crawford Chamber did not respond due to suspending their operations at least until August 2023.
   
• ​2023 Diamond Club Status has been added to the web site here.  Diamond status is typically displayed next to any first Member reference on a page.
   
• Board Director Terry O'Brien attended the quarterly meeting of the West Elk Loop Scenic and Historic Byway on 3/17 which included Executive Director's from the Carbondale, Gunnison, and Redstone/Marble Chamber of Commerces, the Mayor of Paonia, the Delta County Public Information Officer, Gunnison County employees, and State and BLM representatives.  It was a good meeting to discuss joint issues of the North Fork Valley Towns along the Byway.

March 2023 North Fork Valley Chamber Ongoing Projects:

• Continued coordination of the North Fork Valley 2023 printed tourism guides with the Delta County Board of Tourism  and the towns of Crawford, Hotchkiss, and Paonia.  The 2022 Official Delta County Visitors Guide's North Fork Valley write up mentions two museums and the Fish Hatchery with a little blurb at the end of the two pages on other activities.  View the two pages here.  View the 2022 DC Visitor Guide here.  The North Fork Valley Community can and must do a better job at marketing our special three town tourist area. 
  
  The Chamber has reached out to the three towns, the Delta County Board of Tourism, the North Fork Valley Creative Coalition , and other Chamber Members to create a new version for the 2023 Edition.  Stay tuned and see joint ad with One Delta County, Delta Area Chamber of Commerce and the North Fork Valley Chamber of Commerce (a DBA Company of the Hotchkiss Chamber).  This ad will run in both the Delta County Independent 2023 Official Delta County Visitor Guide and the High Country Shopper/Spotlight 2023 Local Living Visitor Guide.
   
•  Membership Renewals and New Membership Drive.  Over 50% of our Members renewed from the first email request sent out at the end of January.  Thank you.
   
• Awarding the Colorado Grand Vintage Car Rally  $10,000 Scholarship Award to a North Fork Valley High School and North Fork Valley Home Schooled Student.
   
• Continued set up of the North Fork Valley Chamber and a rebranding of the Hotchkiss Chamber doing business as the North Fork Valley Chamber.  

March Area Business and Area Chamber News:

• The Crawford Chamber of Commerce suspended operations until at least August 2023 due to difficulties in securing enough volunteer board members.
• The Delta Area Chamber of Commerce  held its Annual Meeting February 27, 2023 and is looking for a part-time or full-time Executive Director.  
• Over The Hill Media  is publishing the North Fork Valley Visitor Guide 2023 Edition. 
• High Country Shopper/Spotlight  is publishing the Local Living Delta County 2023 Visitor Guide. 
• Delta County Independent , in concert with the Delta County Tourism Board is publishing a 2023 Visitor Guide. Ad deadline revised to March 20.