October 2015

Hours of Operation

Debi Kilpatrick

The office is open
Tues - Fri from 8 a.m.- 2 p.m.
168 E. 4th Street
(2 doors West from Quarles Art Gallery)
Benson, AZ 85602
520.265.8031
info@bensonchamberaz.com
If Debi doesn't answer, please leave a message,
she DOES return calls!

Welcome New Members!

Benson Butterfield Rodeo
Heather Floyd
Website
heathercfloydaz@gmail.com
Join Date: 08/01/2015

El Dorado Benson, LLC
Mike Reinbold
mreinbold@eldoradoholdings.net
Join Date: 09/09/2015

Caring Connections for Special Needs, LLC.
Anita Choate
Website
anitachoate@ccsneeds.com
Join Date: 10/19/2015

Thank You to Returning Members!

Arizona Legends RV Resort
arizonalegendsrv@gmail.com
Community Bridges Inc.
jmcnamara@cbridges.com
Quarterhorse RV Park & Motel
Dan Barrera
postalbarrera@hotmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 09/18/2015

Benson Shop with a Cop Program
Denise L Celentano
Website
bswacp@gmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2011
Renewed On: 09/25/2015

MC2 Homes, Inc.
Brad Cooper
Website
bradc@mc2homes.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 09/16/2015

Down By The River Bed & Breakfast
Darryn & Elizabeth Cray
Website
info@downbytheriverbandb.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 09/01/2015

Grace Chapel Benson
Lupe Diaz
Website
office@gracechapelbenson.org
Member Since: 07/21/2011
Renewed On: 08/07/2015

Sahara Motel
Nancy Iverson
Member Since: 01/01/2010
Renewed On: 09/02/2015

Keast's Computer World,LLC
Paul Keast
Website
keastscomputerworld@cox.net
Member Since: 07/27/2014
Renewed On: 09/09/2015

Pioneer Title Agency
Kim Lockhart
Website
kimberly.lockhart@ptaaz.com
Member Since: 01/01/2007
Renewed On: 08/11/2015

The Good Samaritan Society Quiburi Mission
Melissa Maize
Website
mmaize@good-sam.com
Member Since: 06/24/2014
Renewed On: 09/09/2015

CM Construction
Caleb Malbouf
cmconstructionaz@hotmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2011
Renewed On: 09/16/2015

Benson Ace Hardware
Mary Mattos
Website
maryh@svace.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 08/14/2015

Audiology Hearing & Balance Services
Nicole Moore
Website
nicole@audiologyinc.net
Member Since: 06/14/2013
Renewed On: 09/15/2015

American Family Insurance
Manny Natter
mnatter@amfam.com
Member Since: 02/19/2014
Renewed On: 08/07/2015

American Family Insurance
Manny Natter
mnatter@amfam.com
Member Since: 02/19/2014
Renewed On: 09/22/2015

American Family Insurance
Manny Natter
mnatter@amfam.com
Member Since: 02/19/2014
Renewed On: 10/16/2015

Curtis Ohlhauser, CPA
Curtis Ohlhauser
Website
info@ohlhauser.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 08/11/2015

Quarles Art Gallery
Doug & Sharon Quarles
Website
quarlesart@powerc.net
Member Since: 08/25/2014
Renewed On: 08/13/2015

Arizona Skyline Assisted Living Home LLC
Steve Ramirez
Website
sramirez50@gmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2008
Renewed On: 08/19/2015

Stamback Septic Service
Joe Schmucker
Website
stambackseptic@gmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 08/25/2015

Pato Blanco Lakes RV Resort
Betty Stuart
Website
patoblancolakes@rnsmte.com
Member Since: 01/01/2008
Renewed On: 08/18/2015

Mi Casa Restaurant
Santa Sutton
Member Since: 07/26/2012
Renewed On: 09/16/2015
 

Calendar of Events

Amerind's Autumn Fest
10/24/2015
10:00 AM - 04:00 PM MST

Amerind's Autumn Fest
10/24/2015
10:00 AM - 04:00 PM MST

Chamber Board Of Directors Meeting
10/27/2015
05:30 PM - 07:00 PM PST

Cochise County Sheriff's Charity Ride
11/07/2015
08:30 AM - 05:30 PM MST

Fort Huachuca Holiday Bazaar
11/14/2015- 11/15/2015
09:00 AM - 05:00 PM MST

3rd Thursday Breakfast
11/19/2015
07:00 AM - 08:00 AM PST

AZ Skyline Assisted Living Ribbon Cutting!
11/20/2015
01:00 PM - 04:00 PM MST

Chamber Board Of Directors Meeting
11/24/2015
05:30 PM - 07:00 PM PST

Christmas on Main Street
12/12/2015
09:00 AM - 05:00 PM MST

3rd Thursday Breakfast
12/17/2015
07:00 AM - 08:00 AM PST

Benson Lions Club Fundraiser
12/18/2015
05:00 PM - 08:00 PM MST

Butterfield Days Activities in the Park a Success!

Debi Kilpatrick

Many thanks is extended to everyone who helped to make the Butterfield Days Activities in the Park a success! We couldn't have done it without our sponsors and volunteers. Also a very big THANK YOU goes to The Pony Express, Buffalo Soldiers 9th and 10th Calvary, and Power From the Past Tractor Club!
The space allotted for the Car Show was full (Debi was putting cars in strange places towards the end), the vendor spaces were full, the BBQ did well, the Tractor Pulls did well, and the Pony Express and Buffalo Soldiers were happy! Everything that has come back to us has been positive. Spectators liked the Car Show being on Saturday, and the flow throughout the park went smoothly!  Thank you one and all for your help in making this a success!
A big Thank You also goes to Jose and the guys at Lion's Park for being so awesome, and getting the barricades and bleachers set up!
Our Sponsors:
HudBay Minerals/ Rosemont Project

El Dorado Holdings/ The Villages at Vigneto
G&T Cooperatives 
Excelsior Mine/ Gunnison Copper Project
Apache Nitrogen

Mark Grapp/ AZ Storage 4 U
Jesse & Sherry Lynn Van Teeters/ J & S Entertainment
Derrick Rogers/ The Shop
Leeona Post/ Post Insurance
Deb & Ken/ Tombstone Custom T-Shirts
Sulpher Springs Valley Electric Company

A Special Thank You goes to our Raffle Prize donors. Because of you -
AYSO #1132 Youth Soccer of Benson was presented with $200 (the proceeds of the raffle prizes). 

Apache Nitrogen 
Kartchner Caverns State Park
GoodWill Industries
Eve Schaefer/Mary Kay
Carole Irizarry - Pierce/Gold Canyon Candles
Benson Feed Store
Benson Tire Shop
Pablos Restaurant
Napa
Junction Express
Dollar General
Sheer Pleasure
Benson Lumber

Christmas on Main Street and the Festival of Trees

October Kicks off the busy time of year in Southeast Arizona! There are events and activities almost every weekend, and multiple things going on during many weekends. The next big thing going on in Benson are our Christmas activities.

Christmas on Main Street is organized by the Benson/San Pedro Valley Chamber of Commerce. It is held at the corner of 4th Street and Land Avenue. It offers live on stage entertainment, Santa and Mrs. Claus with goodies for the children, holiday shopping provided by our many vendors, who offer a very nice array of gift giving ideas, and some sort of activities for the children. AZ Lifeline Helicopter Service will be flying Santa and Mrs. Claus over Benson again this year in their red and white helicopter! (Rudolph and the Boys are preparing for the Big Flight - and they don't want to risk any unfortunate incidents with a U.P. train). If you would like to be a vendor or a sponsor of our Christmas on Main Street please contact Debi Kilpatrick @ the Chamber of Commerce. The number is 520.265.8031 or info@bensonchamberaz.com. Many of you received emails with the flyers, vendor apps, and sponsorship apps attached. Please hang up the flyers if applicable.

The Festival of Trees is organized by Shannon Thola. Businesses can participate by decorating one of the many pine trees that line 4th street in the middle of town. These trees scream "Decorate me! every December. (Well, that's Debi's interpretation anyway (: ). Awards are given to the businesses with the coolest looking trees! This year Shannon would like to add more children's activities to the West lot on Land Street. In the past, Debi had a kiddie carnival, and last year Del Thola donated the use of his kiddie train for the kids. Shannon would like to expand on those ideas a bit this year. She was thinking along the lines of Christmas crafts, s'mores building, cocoa, animal petting zoo, face painting, or whatever she can come up with! She is asking for a $10 donation to enter your tree into the Festival of Trees this year, to cover supplies for the Children's Activities. Anyone who would like to support Shannon with supplies, or would like to help her pull this great idea into reality, please give Shannon a call at 520.221.0687. 

Please check out the Calendar of Events!

Please check out the calendar of events! There are quite a few interesting things going on for the rest of the year. For details, please see the whole descriptions on the Chamber calendar.

A Cool Little True Story Debi Would Like To Share With You.....

Debi Kilpatrick

As some of you know, I have a little girl by the name of Jasmine. She is 8 years old. Over the course of the last year, when Jasmine was acting like a bit of a....shall we say "Twit" or a normal 7-8 year old, I would call the Santa Hotline and put Jasmine on the phone. The first time this happened, Jasmine was stunned. When she got off the phone with the Santa Hotline she said "You have Santa's number, Mama?" The response "Yep! I work at the Chamber, Boogie, I know a lot of people." Jasmine's response was a very thoughtful "OH....." 

During Fall Break, Jasmine had been asking if she could go to work with me. Well, the time frame was kind of crazy with it being the week before Butterfield Days the first week, and the week after Butterfield Days the second week. So, on the last day of her Fall break, Jasmine got to go with Mama to work. Jasmine claims the front desk in the office building as her own, and she immediately began setting up shop there, with her markers and papers. She made herself a sign and taped it on the desk that said "Jasmine's Desk". She watered the plants (that has been her job for the last couple of years. George pays her every time she does it) and settled herself in at the front desk. When people came in the front door she would ask them if they were looking for George or Debi. She's a very good little receptionist.

Well, it just happened to be the day that Santa and Mrs. Claus came to check in, and let me know that they were back in town. As we discussed health, helicopters, and the like, Jasmine was listening and looking and being very thoughtful. Of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus were dressed in street clothes, and Santa even had a badge on that said "David". This little detail did not escape Jasmine's attention. After we were done discussing, Santa and his Lady left. Jasmine mulled this whole ordeal over in her mind, and after a bit came in to my office and said "Was that Santa, Mama?"............

Now some of you are thinking "How is Debi going to get out of this one", right? Well, let me tell ya!  I replied "Yes, Boogie, that was Santa and Mrs. Claus. They come down here in the Fall like the rest of the winter visitors. It is very cold at the North Pole, and they are taking a break from it. The Shop is up there, but the elves have everything covered. The elves know what they are doing. It also gives Santa a chance to talk to the kids of Benson, before they have to go back up to the North Pole to finish all the Christmas details." Jasmine looked at me and said "The thing he was wearing said 'David'". "Well Jazz, he's not going to wear a thing that says 'Santa', now is he? Then everyone would know who he is!" Jasmine pondered this little tidbit of insider info over in her mind for a minute, and very quietly said " I won't tell anybody, Mama. I'll keep his secret."
"I knew you would, Boogie. You are such a smart and kind girl!"

So, there you have it folks! Santa is a winter visitor. He is a lot closer than you think, and you may never know when he is in town and keeping an eye on things. Don't ask us who he is, we will never never tell! And I doubt, after that encounter, that Jasmine will ever land herself on the "Naughty List".

So there is a little story to kick off your Holiday Season. Halloween is first, Thanksgiving is second, and Christmas, 
Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and whatever else is celebrated in December is next. (I can't bring myself to do the whole Happy Hallowthanksmaseve thing.)

Just remember - keep the magic.
Never grow up so much that you lose it.
Never grow up so much that you forget how to be so kind and considerate.
Never grow up so much that you forget how special the little things are. 

--Debi

 
Benson | San Pedro Valley News - October 2015