Starting Friday, June 27, the Farmer’s Market will move to the parking lot east of the courthouse on Pagosa Street, in the downtown district.

The market will continue until the end of September, weather permitting. The Farmer’s Market will be held every Friday from 4-7 p.m. The only Friday during the period that the market is not scheduled is Friday, July 4.

The Southwest Organization for Sustainability (SOS) group has worked hard to find a good location for the weekly market. With the market changing days from Sunday to Friday, it was necessary to find a location that would not infringe on regular business activities. We can’t thank Rio Grande Savings & Loan enough for their location in hosting the first year of the Farmer’s Market.

Now in its second year, with the encouragement of past Town Manager Mark Garcia and the help and approval of Town Council, the market has a new home on a new date and at a new time. With this new location, we hope to attract visitors passing through town or encourage people to come back to Pagosa. SOS hopes that locals will also come downtown or stop on their way home from work and enjoy the downtown area. The view overlooking the river is beautiful, many of the shops are indicating that they will be staying open later, and we look to bring activity to the downtown corridor on Friday evenings.

Bring the family downtown to shop the market and enjoy the area. Make use of Town Park, take a soak in one of the hot springs facilities, or shop one of our great stores. If you are interested in participating as a produce or floral vendor at the 2008 Farmer’s Market, please call Abby Linzie at 731-6412.

Deadline for baskets

Everyone is waiting for the morning frosts to subside so we can keep our flowers and baskets out all night long.

The final days are approaching for you to order your Pagosa Pride Summer Hanging Baskets. These beautiful 12-inch baskets will be arranged with flowers and greenery for full and partial sun exposure.

The baskets this year will be provided by Pagosa Feed and Nursery. The baskets will be delivered to your home or office by a Chamber staff or board member. All baskets will come with fertilizer, so you can tend your flowers all summer long as we thank you for “Growing with the Chamber.”

The baskets will be delivered with young plants and as you water and tend them, they will fill out and become even more beautiful.

Order your basket today. The cost of the baskets is $25 each. We have extended the ordering deadline to Monday, May 19. You can call us to order, fax in an order, or e-mail your request. We will deliver baskets after Memorial Day or, if the weather does not warm up, after June 1.

Let us do some of the gardening for you this year. We’ll help you spruce up your business or home entrance, and enjoy the colors of summer with these beautiful flowers from the Chamber of Commerce.

Town Clean-up Week

We are in the midst of clean-up week, sponsored by the Town of Pagosa Springs.

Curbside pick-up is available all over town for larger pieces of debris such as old lumber, branches or even appliances (with no Freon). There is also a Dumpster for trash set at the end of South 5th Street, inside the Sanitation District fence. It is available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 12 through May 18.

Next week, May 19-25, is cemetery clean-up. While there will not be a Dumpster at the site, there will be roadside pick-up. You may also have junk cars removed, with proof of title, by calling Rita Prokop at Town Hall at 264-4151.

Let’s keep beautifying our community and dispose of the items buried by the winter snow. Let’s keep things clean and show some community pride. We are very grateful to the town for continuing to sponsor this annual clean-up event. Let’s shine, Pagosa.

Tri-State car meet

On Saturday, May 17, beginning at about 9 a.m., a group of Denver Corvair car enthusiasts will display their collectibles at a car meet in the parking lots at the Bear Creek and Bell Tower Park. These cars, built between 1960 and 1969, are the only cars that were mass-produced with air-cooled, rear engines. In 1960, General Motors captured the Motor Trend magazine’s “Car of the Year” award for its Corvair, and this vehicle is known for its independent front and rear suspension, bucket seats and turbo charger.

There will be a People’s Choice award, so everyone is encouraged to come down and see these meticulous cars and vote for their favorite vehicle — convertible, wagon, coupe or pickup. The show will run until about noon when car enthusiasts will have time to go around Pagosa to see the sites and experience all the weekend activities.

A-Tisket-A-Tasket

Come the community center Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m. for the Seeds of Learning annual fund-raiser. This year’s theme is A-Tisket-A-Tasket. Wonderful baskets of all values will be available for purchase at a silent auction. A dinner will be served by Eddie B Cookin and there will also be a cash bar. Tickets are still available for $50 each, only at Switchback Mountain Wear in the Country Center Plaza on the west side of town. Table sponsorships are also still available. This worthwhile fund-raiser is always filled with incredible creativity, a bidding frenzy, and lots of hilarity — all for the children. For more information, call Seeds of Learning at 264-5513.

Shy Rabbit

Four paper artists and 14 clay artists will display their work starting Saturday evening, May 17 at 5 p.m. The paper display consists of a group of artists that participated in the “Printmaking Without a Press” workshops and were invited to display their works. Led by local artist D. Michael Coffee, these talented participants will show the “Reductive Ink” printmaking process developed by Coffee.

The ceramic artists have all been students of Prof. Patrick Shia Crabb, head of the ceramics department at Santa Ana College in California for more than 30 years. Students and professional artists will show their work with some artists in attendance.

For more information about the showing at the Shy Rabbit Studio at 333 Bastille Drive, call 731-2766. If you cannot attend due to other commitments, stop by the arts complex Thursday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Membership

We have several new members to welcome aboard this week.

We start out with the relocation of two businesses that share shop space. We are pleased to have Artemisia Botanicals and Satori Boutique and Gifts join as Chamber members. Located in the historic downtown district, these two stores make a great combination. Artemisia is a full-service herbal apothecary that manufactures their own organic and wild harvested herbs, teas, tinctures, salves, oils and body care. They also carry flower essences, essential oils, books and many other fun products. Owner Jennie Blechman also offers classes and consultations by appointment. To have a special product made for you or to shop their extensive supply of goods, call 264-1150.

Satori Boutique and Gifts carries unique clothing and gifts from around the world. From the fun to the elegant, Satori carries sizes from the small to the plus. Michele Smith also carries unusual instruments, gifts, jewelry, cards, suncatchers and kid’s toys. Come explore these two wonderful stores in a new great location on Pagosa Street, where Superior Audio used to be. You’ll be so thrilled over the transformation.

We also have a lodging facility, Winslow on the Shire, joining as a Chamber member. This fairytale vacation manor, which used to be Echo Manor Inn, has 12 bedrooms, baths and a spacious living area. It is available for rent for vacations, weddings, retreats and family reunions. This facility comfortably sleeps 30 people. Located just three miles south of town on U.S 84, this inn has a different theme for each guestroom. Call (310) 750-6475 to treat yourself or your visiting family or friends to a unique stay while in Pagosa.

Another new member is The Lawn General with Kevin Cook. The Lawn General offers residential and commercial lawn care, spring and fall yard cleaning, aeration, and dethatching tree removal. Kevin provides quality lawn care at reasonable prices. To book your business or home lawn care, call 769-2532.

Having left the fold for a while and now back again as a chamber member, we welcome back Troy Ross Construction, LLC & Roofing. You name it, Ross Construction just about does it all: asphalt paving, repairs and maintenance on all types of roofing including flat roofs, standing seam metal roof system, Propanel and metal roof systems. They also offer driveway guarding and graveling. They will have a very busy summer helping the community recuperate from the winter, so book them now by calling 264-5265.

Our renewals this week include: Bank of the San Juans; The Source for Pagosa Real Estate; Colorado Dream Homes; the Malt Shoppe; Christine’s Cuisine; Chimney Rock Appraisals; MTECH; and Northeast Mini Storage.

Our “Friends of the Chamber” this week include our wonderful volunteers Dr. Mark and Claudine McAnelly, and ex-Chamber board member, Jody McAlister. We appreciate their membership and support.

I hope everyone has a busy, yet safe weekend. Don’t forget to order your hanging baskets. Businesses will also begin to see the Visitor Center Diplomats wandering around town and going to the businesses to familiarize themselves with our community and its services. Thank you to all those businesses that are hosting our Diplomats. Also, watch the skies on Saturday for the participants at the Avjet “Fly-In” breakfast. We hope we see lots of interesting planes and people visiting Pagosa.