Chamber news:
(December meeting, Shaffer Hotel Conference Room, 11:30am-12:30pm)
New Board and Officers for 2008 - same as slate announced earlier; uncontested. voted in by acclamation. How (un)democratic can you get? Hey, kidding aside, it's a good year anytime we have at least one person per position.
President, Kevin Turner (business member, Turner Inn); VP, Glenn Fulfer (organization member, Salinas Pueblo Missions); VP, Scott Remmich (business member, B Street Market); Treasurer, Dennis Fulfer (business member, DKF Diversified); Recording Secretary, Rhonda Silva (individual member, unofficially representing the Town of Mountainair); Corresponding Secretary, Bert Herrman (business, member, Casa Manzano B & B); Board Member-at-large, Fedelina Romero (business member, Padilla Ranch). Outgoing three term president Dorothy Cole received a standing ovation, indubitably accepted, no doubt, with enormous relief.
The new board will be installed at the January meeting. A generic 2008 budget was approved, covering basic fixed expenses (phone, postage, etc), allocating $1,000 for strategic initiatives (whatever that is) and projects and $2,000 for advertising (approximately $1,000 reimbursable from Tourism Department).
Each year the Chamber undertakes a major project and puts on one fundraising activity, the November Turkey Bingo. New billboards on US 60 ended up the 2007 project. Although not exactly a "project." civil discourse and orderly meetings were noted as major achievements. The Town Square, under consideration since 2006, returns to the front burner for 2008. The chamber has a scale rendition of proposed layout but as yet no materials list, time & materials cost estimate or confirmed funding.
Kevin Turner, Dennis Fulfer and Scott Remmich have been working on a Mountainair Marketing Plan. In addition to general town promotion, a Cooperative Advertising program may be under consideration as well. Many if not most chambers of commerce across the country sponsor cooperative advertising. Matching state grant funding is available for advertising. Additionally, as a non-profit, the chamber is eligible for better advertising rates. Passing on advertising savings benefits local business and make chamber membership more attractive to non-member businesses. Ultimately, any Mountainair advertising raises Mountainair's "brand awareness" and benefits all local business.
Ghost Hunters come to Mountainair
Following the usual reports, business and election, Becky Mann of Southwest Ghost Hunter's Association (SGHA) was the December meeting's guest presenter. Albuquerque based SGHA and its companion enterprise, Haunted Adventures are currently negotiating with the Shaffer Hotel and the Town of Mountainair to host a "haunted adventure" in Mountainair, tentatively scheduled for Sunday February (a month most of us try to stay indoors) 9, with the following weekend as a back-up date. SGHA would like to make Mountainair an annual event.
Although SGHA's Mountainair adventure would be based primarily at the Shaffer and include a package for ghosthunting visitors, SGHA, according to Ms Mann, intends to involve as much of the town as possible in the adventure. The Shaffer package would represent the adventure's top tier, with a less pricey middle tier package for visitor making their own lodging arrangements and a third, less expensive tier, for local participants. No pricing estimates are available at this time and will depend both on features offered and local merchant participation (e.g. what discounts they will offer package holders and how much they will contribute to what features). Ms Mann assured gathered chamber member that there would be no participation charges for local businesses or organizations.
If you are interested in participating, have a ghost to share, suggestions to make or questions to ask, email Becky Mann at research@sgha.net
SGHA also wants to involve a local charity. The Animal Shelter, although actually town animal control and strictly speaking not a charity nor incorporated as such, has been recommended. Animal welfare would, however, be a worthy recipient but should involve Shannon DeRemer and benefit her rescue efforts as well.
Although in existence since 1984, SGHA was not incorporated until, possibly in connection with developing the related commercial endeavor, Haunted Adventures. Searches turn up only two adventures so far, both in 2007: Cloudcroft Inn and a Halloween "open air scare" touring ghosts of Albuquerque's Old Town. Is Mountainair is getting in on the ground floor of a well promoted major tourism event? Or is it too early - not too mention the "adventures" track record being on the skimpy side - to say for sure? Time will tell, but it certainly could make for an interesting event. More on the subject anon...
from Haunted Adventures FAQ
What is a Ghost Tour?
Our Tour is a guided outdoor walking tour which shares the ghost stories and history of reputed haunted sites as well as the paranormal investigations of those sites as conducted by the Southwest Ghost Hunter's Association. The Tour also includes photographs, videos and sound clips.
What is a "Ghost hunting Retreat"?
These are interactive endeavors that are a combination of a ghost tour and a ghost hunt, with presentations and other activities thrown in. They are usually over night stays at a haunted location which culminates in a ghost hunt of the property that you actually get to participate in. Your lodging and meals are often included in the admission price.
