2020
FEBRUARY
NEWSLETTER
INTRODUCTION
From the Executive Director
T
ourism is the second largest economic generator in the Cowboy State. In 2018, international and domestic visitors spent more than $136 million here in Fremont County. This influx of tourist dollars generated $44.6 million in earnings, supported more than 1,400 jobs, and generated just shy of $7 million in state and local taxes. As we work to help our extractive industries overcome their current struggles, it is imperative that we continue to support and promote Lander’s unique tourism assets.
The Chamber is directly involved in this effort in several ways. First, and most visibly, we operate the Lander Visitor Center, the largest and most impressive in all of Fremont County. Since relocating to our new location on the corner of 1st & Main, walkin visitations have skyrocketed, as has our success in persuading them to “linger in Lander” and spend their dollars here. (Our secret? We send them to Sinks Canyon first.) We also promote Lander as a destination for business and leisure travel through print and digital media such as our annual Travel & Relocation Guide and new Destination Lander website (destinationlander.com).
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Michelle Mazur, President Elevate Rehab
Jonathan Tonkowich, Vice Pres. Wyoming Catholic College
Eric Andrews, Treasurer Fagnant, Lewis & Brinda P.C.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ann Espinosa Home Source Realty Inc. Inter Mountain Builders
Dave Fehringer Perhaps the most substantial way the Chamber promotes and supports local tourism is through our membership in the Wind River Visitors Council (WRVC). Comprised of representatives from Lander, Riverton, Dubois, Hudson, Shoshoni, and Fremont County, the individual members of the WRVC administer the proceeds of the county lodging tax for the express purpose of bolstering their local tourism assets. On behalf of the City of Lander, the Chamber allocates tens of thousands of dollars in grants annually to tourism-related non-profit and civic organizations for the purpose of developing assets, activities, programs, and events that will attract tourist dollars to Lander. In 2019, the Chamber helped fund such popular events as the Pioneer Days Rodeo and Parade, Native American powwows, Pedigree Stage Stop dog sled race, Jurassic Classic mountain bike festival, RiverFest, Lander Valley Farmers’ Market, Challenge for Charities, International Climbers’ Festival, Wyoming Outdoor Weekend & Expo, Rough & Tumble Trail Races, and many more! Can we help support your tourism-focused project? Submit an application for a Tourism Asset Development (TAD) Grant by February 14! (See page 4.)
WH Smith & Associates, Inc.
Suzanne Norris Wyoming Life Resource Center
Rick Bestul NAPA Auto Parts
James Whiting Whiting Law PC
Mika Baker, Past President Central Bank & Trust
Joanne Slingerland Central Wyoming College
PROFESSIONAL STAFF Owen Sweeney Executive Director
Carol King Associate Director
Kelsey Ball
Owen Sweeney Executive Director Lander Chamber of Commerce
Operations Assistant
January Business After Hours hosted by Lander Bodyworks
February Business After Hours will be hosted by
Central Bank & Trust 2019-20 Schedule
Feb 20 Central Bank & Trust
April 16 Ron’s Flooring
March 19 Lander Golf Course
May 21 Westward Heights Care Center
COMMUNITY EVENTS
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS BUSINESS AFTER
CALENDAR
BUSINESS AFTER February Calendar of Events EVERY MONDAY Book sale at the Book Nook, 4-7 pm, Carnegie Room, Lander Library
4 50/50 On The Water Fly Fishing Film Festival 7 pm, Coulter Loft above Lander Bar
8 Exploring Historic Computers 2-4 pm, Riverton Museum
EVERY SATURDAY Lander Valley Farmers Market, 1-3 pm, VFW, on the west end of Main St.
4 25th Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race Lander Meet & Greet, 5:30-6:30 pm, Main Street; 2019 movie at Lander Bake Shop
8 Ducks Unlimited Dinner 4-9 pm, Lander Community Center
Book sale at the Book Nook, 4-7 pm, Carnegie Room, Lander Library FIRST MONDAY Brain Injury Support Group 5-6 pm, Lander Library
5 25th Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race Lander leg, 9-11 am, Louis Lake parking lot on Hwy 28 5 Public Lands course every other Wednesday thru May 13, 6-7 pm, CWC Lander
FIRST WEDNESDAY Brain Injury Support Group 5-6 pm, Soldier’s House of Fremont County, Riverton
6-8 Studio 153 Gallery & Gifts grand opening ThursFri 5-10pm, Sat 4-10, 153c S. 5th St.
THIRD THURSDAY Soup & Support: Caregiver Support Group, 11am-12:30 pm, Frontier Home Health & Hospice
6 Local & Global Impacts of Climate Change 7-8:15 pm, Lander Community Center 7 First Friday open til 9 pm, Belles & Beaus
Feb 1-2 53rd Wyoming State Winter Fair Trade Show, Fri. 2-8 pm, Sat. 10-8, Lander Community Center
7 First Friday: Art & Live Music 5-9 pm, The Middle Fork
1 Knitting Skills 10am3pm, Pinngora Yarns 1 Porgy and Bess, Met Opera Live in HD 11am12:15pm, Lander Library Carnegie Room 1 Fremont Symphony Mid-Winter Musicale 3pm, Covenant Presbyterian Church
8-9 Wyoming State Winter Fair Horse Show 9-3, Lander Rodeo Grounds 8 Chunky Monkey Hat 10noon, Pingora Yarns 8 Felted Valentine’s Day Bear 1-3, Pingora Yarns
12 Learn to Knit with Corrine 6-8 pm, Pingora Yarns 13 Local Energy Solutions 7-8:15 pm, Lander Community Center 14 Murder Mystery Night at the Museum: Roaring ‘20s 5:30-9:30 pm, Riverton Museum 19 Learn to Crochet with Hailey 6-8 pm, Pingora Yarns 20 Business After Hours! 5:30-7:30 pm, Central Bank & Trust 21 Lander Community Awards Luncheon 12-1 pm, Lander Community Center, contact 332-3892 for tickets 27 Action at the Federal Level 7-8:15 pm, Lander Community Center 29 Agrippina, Met Opera Live in HD 11am-2:45 pm, Lander Library Carnegie Room
2020 TOURISM ASSET DEVELOPMENT (TAD) GRANT APPLICATION
Organization ______________________________________________ Name:____________________________________________________ Program Director:___________________________________________ Mailing Address:______ _____________________________________ Phone:_____________________________
Email:______________________________________
Project Title:________________________________________________________________________ Project Start Date:______________ Project Completion Date:______________________________ Amount Requested: ________________ Total Budget for Project:_____________________________ REQUIREMENTS 1. Written description of planned use of funds, reason this project is important to our tourism industry and anticipated economic impact (no longer than 2 pages) 2. Detailed budget showing expenses and revenues. Questions (continue on an additional sheet if needed): 1. What area(s), attraction(s), activities, and /or events will this project promote? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Is this a new project? What is the history of the project? _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ I certify that the application form and all attachments are correct to the best of my knowledge.
Program Director:_________________________________
Date:___________
TADMEMBER GRANT APPLICATION NEW WELCOME
2020 Tourism Asset Development Grant applications are now available. The purpose of the TAD Program is to develop tourism-related assets and attract visitors from outside of Lander. Call 332-3892, ext. 2, to receive the entire application via email.
THINK LANDER FIRST
SHOP LOCAL
COMMUNITY
AWARDS
Photo: Brad Christensen
We invite you to submit nominations for our 2019 Community Awards! The Community Awards luncheon will be held Friday, February 21, 2020. For more information, call the Lander Chamber of Commerce at 332-3892. As tradition holds, the categories are:
ANCHOR AWARD Survived the challenge of time (business) BEAUTIFICATION Outstanding storefront appearance ROOKIE OF THE YEAR Innovation, enthusiasm, and creativity (business) SPIRIT OF LANDER Ignites enthusiasm with their participation (business) LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION Long-standing community commitment (individual) To submit your nomination online, go to: https://forms.gle/ro8ucEPHqNg1BomJ8
RESERVE OR PURCHASE TICKETS IN ADVANCE:
info@landerchamber.org | (307) 332-3892
by Rob Condie, Regional Director Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network Should you spend money on an accounting system to keep track of your finances, or should you use a free option that may require more work on your part? This is a question that is almost always asked of me as small businesses are about to start. There are many options ranging from costly software with an abundance of features to simple spreadsheets. Finding out which route is right for your business can save you a lot of stress, especially when tax time comes. From my time spent working with accounting software and knowledge of spreadsheets, I‘ve heard arguments both ways as to what is best for your business. But at the end of the day, I believe accounting software can be beneficial to every small business owner. Here’s why: Digital spreadsheets, like Excel, require knowledge of complex formulas which can make your records prone to errors. The right accounting software handles all the calculations for you, and does it properly. Simple spreadsheets are easy to alter, which can make you susceptible to fraud. Most accounting software keeps track of all changes and maintains an audit trail. Each income stream needs to be tracked separately. This means that as you start offering more services, the number of spreadsheets you have to maintain will increase, while accounting software usually does this for you automatically. One of my favorite things about an accounting system is the ability to call a multitude of reports at any given time to see your business from many different angles. Most software options have built-in reports for income statements, balance sheets, specific vendors, sales item, and much more. Fundamentally, accounting software is built to ensure that you record your accounting data effectively with minimal mistakes and good auditing. You still need to use your data properly and many accountants can better help you with your finances if you use a program they are familiar with. The Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network also offers no-cost, confidential assistance with bookkeeping and more. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to buy the most expensive software out there. The Wyoming SBDC Network can help you find the software that works best for your business and budget and how to track your finances effectively — even if you decide an Excel worksheet is best for you. Get in contact with your local SBDC advisor today.
About the Wyoming SBDC Network: The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. In 2018 alone, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 111 new businesses, create or save 1,402 jobs and bring a capital impact of more than $10 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
BOOKKEEPING
Small Business Bookkeeping Options
Altitude Interiors Evan Piquette, manager 333 Main St., Lander Black Mountain Embroidery 693 Hwy 132, Suite 2, Ethete Clark’s Landscaping Inc. Brian & Jill Clark PO Box 1204, Lander Dandelion Floral Teresa Tibbets 129 Main St., Lander DOWL Kasey Jones, Lander manager PO Box 1655, Lander Elks Lodge BPOE 2317 492 Lincoln St., Lander Ethete Store/Paintbrush Grill 693 Hwy 132, Ethete Family Chiropractic LLC Vince Irene 8135 Hwy 789, Lander Fossen, RaJean Strube 178 Smith St., Lander
Lander Vision Center Mike Weideman, O.D. 556 Main St., Lander Middle Fork, The Jenna Ackerman 351 Main St., Lander New York Life Beau Wendling 592 Main St., Suite B, Lander Palace Pharmacy Jolene Osback 634 Main St., Lander Perfect Power Electric Inc. Darin Hubble 1320 W. Main, Lander Plains Tire Co. 1175 N. Federal Blvd., Riverton Porter’s Mountain View Supply 750 E. Sunset Dr., Riverton
Tiger Joint Powers Board 260 Lincoln, Lander Trinity Episcopal Church Walt & Janet Seeley, Pastors 860 S. 3rd St., Lander Whiting Law PC James Whiting 277 Main St., Suite 3, Lander Wind River Hotel & Casino 180 Red Wolf Place, Riverton Wyoming Catholic College 306 Main St., Lander Wyoming Family Sonography, LLC Faith Hamilton PO Box 1827, Lander WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS! ABC Resources, Alan Thomalla, 153c S. 5th St., Lander Great Divide Towing and Recovery Jayson Mitchell, 156 Escarpment Road, Lander
Rainmaker Marketing Solutions 118 Valley Circle, Riverton
Holy Rosary Catholic Church Rev. James Schumacher 163 Leedy Dr., Lander
SageWest Healthcare John Ferrelli, CEO 1320 Bishop Randall Dr., Lander
Law Office of Zachary Hamilton Mahlum LLC 933 Main St., Suite 6, Lander
Shoshone Rose Casino & Hotel 5690 Hwy 287, Lander
LOR Foundation Gary Wilmot, Executive Director 360 Main St., Lander
RENEWING MEMBERS
Atlantic City Federal Credit Union Brian Rohrbacher, President 1005 11th St., Lander
Hayden Outdoors Bill Vacek, Broker 206 Main St., Lander
RENEWING MEMBERS
Alchemy, an artists’ cooperative 320 Main St., Lander
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. Postage Paid LANDER, WY PERMIT NO. 78
This issue of the chamber newsletter is printed by Western Printing