Steve headed back east to NY.  He spent time with his family and was even able to organize a mini-reunion with old friends from his High School days.   I headed west into the wilds of Utah – what seems to be a favorite escape for us Colorad0-ians come Spring!  I explored Capital Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks with two fellow photographers.  We are so blessed to live in such beautiful country.   After a week on the road, I came home to attend to some business such as our annual  Ice Park Meeting and meetings with our local Chamber and the like.    I was able to head back out and explore Hovenweep NP & Natural Bridges NM.    Both amazing places.  I’ve loaded a few pictures up on my Flickr site for those that wish to take a look at my adventures.

An economic stimulus targeted specifically to Ouray County is being announced this week, after several months of planning and preparation. This stimulus does not require local residents to buy anything and it adds to the economy without adding to the tax burden. However, they can help the local economy significantly by suggesting groups who might consider having their meetings here. A volunteer committee of the Ouray Marketing Committee is ready to take it from there to contact the groups and work with them for their planning.

“Bring Your Meeting Home” has become the 2009 mantra of the Marketing Committee. And, in the spirit of everyone pitching in to help the local economy, the committee is seeking assistance from the community to “recruit” more group business such as meetings and conferences, weddings, reunions, training sessions, etc. During the past several months, the committee, led by OCRA President Karen Avery, has studied other “group” destinations to determine how Ouray County can compete with them. They then comprehensively researched local spaces and found 45 venues throughout Ouray County suited for various kinds of group activities, and created a directory of those with functional details about each– even including how many electrical outlets each has.

The Marketing Committee has created a new team of staff and volunteers and developed procedures, including some free services, to accommodate the needs of meeting and event planners. And, they have initiated a pro-active sales campaign to find potential group business.

“We know that many people in our community go to meetings elsewhere, some have brought meetings here already, and most probably have good ideas about other group business opportunities through their professional, volunteer or social connections. We hope they will share their suggestions. It will help us add more leads to those we are already following. Their personal knowledge about groups will add much to the success of our sales efforts,” Karen Avery notes.

“Reports from those who have found Ouray, mostly on their own, for their meetings typically have rave reviews of the experience here. Instead of waiting for them to find us, it is time now for us to take a pro-active initiative to seek groups that are of the size and dynamic we can graciously accommodate.”

The addition of two meetings a month, averaging 50 participants, would add almost $1million annually to the local economy based on just minimal meetings needs, and not including any shopping the participants might do. Avery adds, “We can comfortably accommodate from 2 to 200 for meetings, meals, and lodging. Depending on their needs and the season, we can accommodate even larger groups. We can provide some basic services free for groups, and can direct them to local meeting planning services if they need that assistance.”

To suggest a group, please contact Jennifer Loshaw, Executive Director of the Ouray Chamber Resort Association at 325-4746, 800-228-1876 or meetings@ouraycolorado.com.

1-Oma (grandmother), Joe & Ann

2 – Gerrit, Trina, Joe, Aunt Lisa, & Oma

3 – Dad & the Boys…Trouble waiting to happen.