April 2009  May 2009   June 2009 

June's Red Carpet Award winner,  Nancy Vonberg, Bank of the West accepts  the "Red Carpet" pin and $25 Gift Certificate.

Red Carpet Service Award        

Red Carpet Award Winner for June is Nancy Vonberg, Bank of the West for her outstanding customer service.

Nancy Vonberg was nominated Rita Thompson. These were the comments "Rita was out of town and had wrote a check out of the wrong checkbook. Nancy contacted Rita and printed a new check and deposited it in the correct bank.! Nancy Vonberg receives a Red Carpet Pin, $25.00 Gift Certificate as well as other advertising. She will be entered in the Red Carpet Person of the Year award contest to be presented in 2010.

If you know someone out there that has rolled out the red carpet for you, give them some well deserved recognition and nominate them for next month’s award! Nomination cards can be found at the Chamber office and also at most of the businesses.

If you were the nomination person of a Red Carpet winner please stop by the office we have a gift for you too. We appreciate you taking the time and effort to make sure someone’s efforts are noticed.

Lunch and Learn speaker Joseph Drnas, P.E., Customer/Community Manger, Rocky Mountain Power, updates
the members about their projects

Lunch & Learn    

June winners: Warren Clarke, C Bar C Excavation, Newsletter Profile; Janell Winkel, WWCC, Radio; Mike Nelson, High Plains Physical Therapy, Radio; Bob Saunders, Wells Fargo, Reader Board Sign; 
50/50 Raffle winner was Janell Winkel.  The Lunch & Learn program is held the third Wednesday of every month at noon at rotating Chamber member restaurants that can accommodate the meetings.  July’s
Lunch and Learn will be July 15^th, Noon , Pizza Hut, Mayor Hank Castillon will be the speaker.

Chamber Board of Directors
and Staff

¨         Bob Saunders, Past-President  Wells Fargo   307-352-5538

¨         Michael Nelson, President    High Plains Physical Therapy  307-875-1847 

¨         Cindy Brandjord, Vice President  School District #2  307-872-3290 

¨         Bonnie Bigolin, 1st Vice-President   Print Link Ad-Specialties 307-875-6128 

¨         Robert Berg, Secretary  Artic Circle  307-875-4582 

¨         Jeff Nieters, Treasurer  City of Green River  307-872-6122 

¨         Kathy Gilbert  Green River Star  307-875-3103 

¨         Joanna Nara-Kloepper   BLM  307-352-0321 

¨         Brian Mortimer  Solvay  307-872-6508 

¨         Jeff Wilson    Desert View Eye Care Center  307-875-3399 

¨         Marie Colestock  Green River Realty  307-875-5522 

¨         Terri Cook  307-875300  Hampton Inn Suites

• Janet Hartford, Executive Director

• Wendy Kraft, Office Specialist

• Marci Brunette, Office Assistant

Renewals  

2009 River Festival—More Fun Planned!!!

Don’t tell me you got nothin’ to do!  

 

• Spring is here!  With the weather changing take a jog, walk or bike ride along the Green Belt.

• Grab your towels, sunscreen and swimsuits and head down to the Splash Park at Evers Park .

• Attend the next Registered Shoot July 25^th at Let It Fly.

• Drive up to Seedskadee and see the trumpeter swans, ducks and eagles…you may even see a deer or moose.

• Keep your tan up at Hot Styles Tanning Salon

• World Class fishing awaits at Flaming Gorge Reservoir, take the trailer and spend a weekend in Flaming Gorge Country.

• Attend the Green River ’s Farmer’s Market every Wednesday from 4-8 pm

• Mountain Bike Riding for Intermediate/Advance Riders every Thursday, 6:00 pm , Stratton Myers.  Beginners every Wednesday, 6:30 pm , Stratton Myers.

• Grab a Yellow Bike at Stratton Myer’s or the Clock Tower and enjoy a leisurely ride, please put the bikes back in one of the bike racks.

• Float or tube on the Green River , remember to always wear a life jacket.

• Get into the “swing” of things at the Rolling Green Golf Course.

 

Newsletter Profile

Warren ClarConke, owner / operator of C BAR C Excavation has been doing business in Green River for two and one half years. Clarke has been a heavy equipment operator for thirty years. His operators experience includes work with a variety of types of equipment from large dirt moving equipment to small equipment that would work well in smaller areas, such as back yards. C BAR C Excavation offers digging and hauling of soil and rock materials. Warren will provide assistance to his customers in determining what will the safest and least costly process for the job they need completed. Clarke can provide viewing of his work in this area to include, large scale ponds, foundations , driveways, top soil, large scale stones and more. Culverts, cattle-guards, sewage and septic installation and ditching can also be provided. Contact Warren at 307-360-7019.

Information Distributed by Chamber  

June 2009 Year to Date

Relocation Packets                                          3             19
Vacation Packets                                             11           140
School Kids info                                              1             19
Convention Packets                                         306        350
Wyoming Pins                                                  0             100
City of Green River Pins                                  0             0
High Desert Country Pins                                 0             100
Gift Certificates                                               112        2055
Dollar Amount                          $3735.00  $89630.00

Brochure Racks                                                2931      6162
Bulk Brochures                                                      0             0
Chamber Kiosk                                                  403         841
Walk ins                                                            636        2577 
Web Site Hits                                                   1875      10954
E-Mails                                                               250       1447  

Sales Tax Disbursements–May*

Sweetwater County

               County                  1,746,747
               Green River            870,791
               Rock Springs        1,399,140  

Lodging Tax Sweetwater County

               County                         2,259
               Green River                 3,430
               Rock Springs               24,937  

Labor Force**

SW Co.  Employed             May 2008                            23,437 
                                            Apr. 2009                           23,315
                                            May 2009                            23,402

                Unemployed        May. 2008                           573
                                            Apr. 2009                            1,090                                                                                               May 2009                            1,229  

State       Employed             May 2008                            282,162
                                            Apr. 2009                            274,731                                             May 2009                            275,358

               Unemployed        May 2008                            8,518
                                          Apr. 2009                            13,646
                                          May 2009                            14,565 

Housing as of  May

               Homes sold         

                              Green River          10
                              Rock Springs        15

               Residential Listings

                              Green River         97
                              Rock Springs        215

               Average Costs      $197,000

*Wyoming Department of Revenue              

** Wyoming Labor Force Trends

Run Like Ralph

By Tom Reilly, author of “Crush Price Objections.”

St. Louis has been hot and humid for the past two weeks, and today promises to be the hottest day of the year with a projected heat index of 
110 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a good day to get out early for my morning walk. About 20 minutes into the walk, I saw Ralph.

Ralph is a remarkable 85 year-old man. Reaching 85 is a feat in itself, but it is how Ralph has reached and lives his ninth decade that makes 
him remarkable. Ralph is a child of the Great Depression and WWII veteran of the Battle of the Bulge. He has raised his family and survived the 
death of his wife.

Ralph runs five miles three days every week, rain or shine, hot or cold. I see him out there in the summer and the winter, even when he has to 
navigate his pencil-thin body around the snow. When I introduced myself to him one day, I told him he was a real inspiration. He responded 
with the predictable humility his generation reserves for such compliments. His mind is clear, memory strong and wit sharp. We have a sort of 
unspoken agreement not to stop for too long because both of us can be gas bags and talk forever. So, we slow down, say a few words and continue 
with our routines. One day we did stop and talk for a while. What a joy!

I asked what he thought of the state-of-things these days, and he responded with the confidence and resolve of the survivor-generation of which 
he is a part: "We've seen tough times before. We'll be okay. It'll all work out. It always does." We talked a bit longer and parted our ways, me 
walking, Ralph running and reading.

You see, Ralph carries with him song lyrics on index cards to memorize as he runs. He volunteers to play music at nursing homes. Ralph told me 
he does this to keep his mind active and to always have a song in his heart. A survivor of the Great Depression, war veteran and widower still 
smiles, sings, exercises his fit body and studies to keep his mind going.

His life is a lesson for anyone going through tough times. What do you do to get rid of your stress? How are you giving back to others? What are
 you studying to grow? It's unlikely you will feel the ill effects of stress when you burn the energy exercising. It's difficult to feel sorry for yourself 
when you're doing for others. And it's impossible to be negative when you are filling your mind with new ideas.

When I see Ralph later this week I may tell him I wrote about him, but he would probably not see the big deal in doing what has become his life 
for the past 85 years. He might smile and grind out a few more miles while learning a few more lyrics.

Good Economic News

This new feature will share with you some of the latest good economic news—share with others.

1. Bloomberg: "The index of U.S. leading economic indicators rose in May for a second straight month, reinforcing signs that the worst 
   recession in five decades may end this year…"
2. Housing starts showing new life: up 17.2% from April to May.
3. U.S. consumer confidence reaches a nine-month high. This is significant because confidence precedes spending and consumer spending is 
   70% of the U.S. economy.

Good news, like love and hope, is better when you share it.  

Tom Reilly’s Sales Bytes are brought to you by Manufacturing-Works.
More Sales Bytes can be found at http://www.manufacturing-works.com/sales_bytes/

The Green River Arts Council (GRAC) is committed to bringing a variety of arts to Green River and making it available for 
everyone in the community to enjoy.   With this purpose in mind, GRAC is inviting local citizens to participate in several 
projects planned for this coming summer.

The Arts Council and the Green River City Council have approved the purchase of a folk art painting of Green River by 
Eric Dowdle. This is an exciting opportunity for the community.  Dowdle is an artist who graduated from Green River 
High School and who now lives in Utah.  And the best part is that each of us has the opportunity to be included in the 
painting.

Eric highlights local businesses and people from the community in his paintings.  He talks to historians, to local groups and 
individuals and then wanders around town taking photos of buildings and landmarks.  In the Green River painting, he will 
include Castle Rock, Tollgate Rock, the river, Flaming Gorge Way, and more.  After getting to know a place and gathering 
a wealth of information and photos, he makes a charcoal drawing of the location and loads the image onto his webpage.  
At that point, people can go to the webpage and register to be in the final painting.   Because of his connection with Green 
River, Eric will do the painting of Green River at half the cost he charges other cities.  The current plan is to have the 
original hang in City Hall.

You can add yourself, your family or your business to this original painting. There is a charge, but you will receive a 
signed and numbered print when the project is finished.  Here’s how to be a part of this unique piece of Green River history:

Choose your favorite photo of yourself or your family.  Business owners can submit photos of their businesses or their 
business logos.

Go to www.dowdlefolkart.com to register.

The deadline to be a part of the painting is in September with the unveiling of the painting and distribution of signed and 
numbered prints taking place in mid-December.  We will keep you posted as we set the dates.

Eric is an excellent artist and has painted U.S. cities such as Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, New York and Washington, 
D.C., and also world cities such as London, Paris and Jerusalem.  Check out his website for more images including one of 
Yellowstone Park with Old Faithful Lodge and Geyser, waterfalls, tourist, and of course, bears.  Eric credits his high school 
art teacher, Rudy Gunter, for turning him into an artist. 

The 2010 Census is Coming and it is Safe  

What should I do?
Fill out the questionnaire mailed by the U.S Census Bureau in March 2010.  

Why is the Census important?
The Census is important because complete and accurate Census data is critical to our ability to serve the 
people of Green River The data helps us identify our population and their needs and allows us to secure 
our share of federal funding to meet those needs.  

Who does the data help?
Everyone! Over 200 agencies make their funding allocations based on Census data. Some examples where 
federal funding is allocated are: educational agencies, Head Start programs, Women, Infants and Children 
(WIC), Public Transportation, Road rehabilitation and construction and emergency food and shelter.  

Questions?
Green River Chamber of Commerce—307-875-5711, or check out • www.2010census.gov

TICKETS ON SALE  

The Chamber has various tickets on sale for many events. Right now we have tickets for:  

Red Desert Roundup Rodeo
Sweetwater County Fair Carnival 
Currant Creek Event in the Tent
Raffle Tickets for the Pond Tour  

Please check with us if you are looking to buy Tickets for an event.

Did You Know??????

The San Francisco Cable Cars are the only cars are the only mobile National Monuments.  

Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from history:
            Spades-King David
            Hearts-Charlemagne
            Clubs-Alexander, the Great
            Diamonds-Julius Caesar

111,111,111 x 111,111,111=12,345,678,987,654,321  

If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle.  
If the horse has one front leg in the air, the person died because of wounds received in battle.  If the 
horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.

Cruise N’ on the Green!  

Remember back in the good ole days when you used to take your car out and “Cruise” main street, well here is your chance to re-live those days! Bring out your classic or antique cars, trucks and bikes and Cruise the Green…River that is.  

Friday July 17^th is the day, 7-9 pm is the time—meet at Arctic Circle and get together with other car enthusiasts and show off your car, a DJ will be playing all the old 50’s – 60’s music. The group will then “Cruise” Main Street .  

There will be a drawing for Chamber Gift Certificates too.  

For more information contact the Chamber at 307-875-5711

The Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board hosted the 2nd Annual “REACH” Awards on May 15, 2009 , recognizing Rare and
Exceptional Achievements for Customer service in Hospitality. “Without quality employees providing outstanding customer service to the
guests of Sweetwater County , all of the efforts of the board would be for not. There isn’t a marketing or public relations campaign that can
replace that. These individuals truly are the backbone of the tourism industry and we feel it is important to recognize their service,” said
Jenissa Bartlett, Executive Director of the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board.  

Alan Dubberly, Deputy Director of Wyoming Travel and Tourism was this year’s guest speaker. Mr. Dubberly spoke on the impact that the
travel and tourism industry has on Wyoming ’s economy. The “REACH” Awards recognize five categories of nominees, Best Hotel
Housekeeping Personnel, Best Reservations/Guest Services Personnel, Sweetwater County Tourism “Cheerleader” Award, “REACH”
Award Business of the Year and “REACH” Award for Employee of the Year. This year’s winners were:  

·        Best Hotel Housekeeping Personnel: Mary Morin, Little America

·        Best Hotel Housekeeping Personnel: Kim Strid, Hampton Inn & Suites in Green River

·        Sweetwater County Tourism “Cheerleader” Award: Gary Perkins, Sweetwater County Museum

·        “REACH” Award for Employee of the Year: Maria Valadez, Quality Inn

·        “REACH” Award for Business of the Year: Western Wyoming Beverage

Ribbon Cutting for Northern Title

L-r Glennise Wendorf, Stacy Waters, Lori Rivera, Misty Wilson, Andrea Jones, Marianne Emden, Marie
Colestock, Tammy Christiansen, Back Row Rick Devous, Tina Linkenauger, Michelle Hostetler, Margaret
Gibbens, Brett Broadhead, Debbie Orr, Jeff Nieters, Clay Broadhead, Lynn Margne, Denise Staley,  
Paul Davis, Curt Christiansen.

Please join the Green River Chamber, The Hole in the Wall Gang and the City of Green River for a Ribbon
Cutting for Let It Fly, Thursday, July 2nd, 6:00 pm.  Directions:  Take I-80 to Green River.  Take exit 89 off of the
interstate.  Take a right on the Jamestown Rd.  Drive 2 miles and take a right onto Blue Rim Rd.  Head north
pass the storage unites 10 miles.  When you come to the fork take a left (County Rd. 7).  Drive 2 miles and take
a left at the sign, Let It Fly.