Scattered Thoughts…. from Dorothy

            The 2012 Four Corners Oil and Gas Conference is over and while the committee and the volunteers are still trying to recover, this conference was the most successful to date.

            About 3,000 people took advantage of the programs offered, the exhibits, the opportunity to network and the great lunches served each day. We appreciate Jimmy Evans and his staff from Spare Rib and Sam Gonzales and his staff from Los Hermanitos for helping cater lunches to the 2,000 people each day. Appetites were completely satisfied and the response from those enjoying lunch was very positive. We’ve learned over the years that if lunch is good, people will remember and return again!

            It will be about six weeks before the bills are paid and the audit is done. The committee will then meet, determine how much seed money the members want to remain in the checking account for the 2014 conference, and split any proceeds left between the six partners of the conference. Those six partners include the Four Corners Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the American Petroleum Institute (API), the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the Desk and Derrick Club of Farmington, and the Farmington Chamber of Commerce.

            With the conference behind us, the chamber looks forward to a summer of great events and activities. The Promotions and Special Events Committee, chaired by Ginger Palmer and Sandy Williams, will host Music on the Rocks with Art from 7-10 p.m. June 15 at the Gateway Museum. Food, adult beverages, music by Close Enuff from San Juan College and a silent auction will be offered. Tickets are $75 for couples and $40 for singles and may be purchased at the chamber, 100 W. Broadway. The committee is still looking for sponsors for the event – sponsorships are $1,000 and $500. If you’d like to be a sponsor, please call the chamber at 325-0279.

            On June 29, the chamber joins the City of Farmington and the Convention and Visitors Bureau in hosting the annual History Makers event from 5-7 p.m. at the Farmington Civic Center. The 2012 inductees in History Makers include Foster Blacklock, who represents the Pioneer Era; William S. Allen, who represents the Formative Era; Jerry Sandel, who represents the Growth Era; Jerry Clayton, who represents the Maturing Era; and Dennis Peterson, who represents the Modern Era.

            There is no charge to attend the event and I encourage you to make History Makers part of your Freedom Days plans. Our community is fortunate to have great leaders who have helped make Farmington and San Juan County great places to live and to do business.

            On June 30, the chamber’s Health and Wellness Committee, chaired by Dr. Carletta Thompson, will host a Fitness Day from 9 a.m.-noon at Vietnam Veterans Park. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in many fitness forums, which will last about 15 minutes each, to – hopefully! – find an exercise they enjoy and will make part of their healthy lifestyle. Information on getting and staying healthy will also be available. For more information on the Fitness Day, please call the chamber at 325-0279.

            Majestic Media will host the May Business After Hours from 5-7 p.m. May 24 at the San Juan Country Club. Members are invited and encouraged to attend to network, find out more about the host business, and be entered in the drawing for the Box of Bucks and other prizes. Admission is $2 and you may put your business card and a buck in the box for the Box of Bucks drawing. Our BAHs events are very popular and well attended and – most importantly – lots of fun!

            One of the chamber’s newest members – Auntie Anne’s – is looking for someone to buy the local franchise. The franchise offers a special purchase option with its VetFran program, which gives active and retired military candidates a reduced franchise fee. VetFran was developed to help veterans transition to civilian life and is designed to encourage franchise ownership by offering financial incentives to honorably discharged veterans. A location for the Farmington franchise has been secured. Auntie Anne’s is a hand rolled soft pretzel franchise that also offers a Pretzel Dog, which is a hot dog wrapped in pretzel dough.

            If you’d like more information on the franchise, call Linda Engels at 610-507-9034 or email her LindaE@auntieannesinc.com.

            If you or someone you know/love has graduated from high school or college, please let us know so we can honor them in next week’s newsletter. We know our careers keep us busy, but it is our families and friends who keep us grounded and we’d love to recognize them! Email their names, where they have or will graduate from and their degrees to me at Dorothy@gofarmington.com.

            Whether you’re thinking graduation gifts, wedding gifts (my friend Natalie Koehn from Sycamore Park Community Center is getting married June 9!) Father’s Day gifts or retail therapy, please remember to shop at home, where your dollars do the most good!