What's happening in Ridgway

Four Ridgway High School students were awarded a total of $3,500 in scholarships during the 3^rd Annual Ridgway Chamber Open on Saturday. The golf tournament also raised funds to support scholarships and youth apprenticeships in 2020.

The Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce (RACC) welcomed new board members, Ashley Perkins of Alpine Bank in October and Kane Scheidegger of Kane Scheidegger Gallery in December. Perkins and Scheidegger bring their specialized knowledge from the financial services industry, art world and outdoor recreation to the chamber, to support its marketing activities and understanding of the local business community’s needs.

In an ongoing effort to promote and get to know our local businesses, the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to introduce our September 2019 RACC Member of the Month:

The Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce and its partners were awarded marketing grants totaling $35,000 from the Colorado Tourism Office (CTO) over the last month. One grant for $10,000 will fund a Ouray County Off-Peak Season Marketing Campaign, implemented in collaboration with the Ouray Tourism Office, while the other will fund marketing of the Colorado Creative Corridor by Ridgway and four other towns along a travel route featuring state-certified Creative Districts.

In a world of oversaturation of media and electronic devices, it’s refreshing to see youth within our community reach out and get involved in apprenticeships that foster hard work and connections with traditional hands-on skills.

In that one sentence, RIGS Fly Shop & Guide Service Co-owner Tim Patterson captured the sentiments of many employers and parents. It’s common to see young, unengaged employees, heads in their smartphones at jobs that are just a way to get a little extra spending money. More familiar yet are the jobless teenagers, either uninterested or unable to find employment due to limited job availability in small, rural towns.

Patterson was commenting on his experience as a mentor in the inaugural summer of the Ridgway Area Chamber of Commerce Youth Apprenticeship Program, funded by the 2018 Ridgway Chamber Open. This year’s golf tournament is coming up on Saturday, September 14 at the Divide Ranch & Club, and will raise money for the summer 2020 apprenticeships.