Tuesday - Friday
8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
168 E. 4th Street
Benson, AZ 85602
520.265.8031
info@bensonchamberaz.com
Debi does return calls. Please leave a message if no immediate answer.

Kartchner Caverns State Park
Chris DeMille
pio@azstateparks.gov
Join Date: 05/01/2015

86 Cafe
Pedro & Maria Santiago
Join Date: 05/19/2015

Kartchner Caverns Gift Shop/Cafe
Elaina Cole
Website
Cole-elaina@aramark.com
Join Date: 06/08/2015

Marilyn Gourley
Join Date: 06/10/2015

San Pedro Lodge No. 55, F&AM (Masonic)
Roderic Wagoner
Website
rod.wagoner@gainbroadband.com
Join Date: 06/24/2015

Hartmann Commercial Real Estate LLC
Alain Hartmann
Website
alain@hcreinc.com
Join Date: 06/26/2015

AZ G & T Cooperatives
J.D. Wallace
Website
jdwallace@ssw.coop
Join Date: 06/30/2015

AZ Storage 4 U
Mark Grapp
azstorage4u@gmail.com
Join Date: 07/21/2015
 

Southwestern Power Group
Martin Bailey
Website
mbailey@southwesternpower.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 05/29/2015

Villa Del Sol
Vivian Boutkan
Website
VillaDelSol@vimresidential.com
Member Since: 05/15/2014
Renewed On: 06/26/2015

DiPeso Realty & Apprasals L.L.C.
David DiPeso
Website
david.dipeso@dipesorealty.com
Member Since: 01/01/2000
Renewed On: 05/21/2015

Cochise Senior Meals Fund Raising
Marilyn Gourley
Member Since: 03/01/2013
Renewed On: 06/26/2015

Down By The River Bed & Breakfast
Mike and Angie Hug
Website
info@downbytheriverbandb.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 05/21/2015

Arizona Skyline Assisted Living Home LLC
Shay Hurbon
Website
johnnyhurbon@gmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2008
Renewed On: 06/05/2015

SKP Saguaro Co-op of Arizona Inc.
Tisha Luzadder
Website
SKPSaguaro@gmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 05/22/2015

Cox Communications
Judy Wilson
Website
Judy.Wilson@Cox.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 05/20/2015

With all of the hubba-baloo (yes, if you can spell it - it's a word!) about El Dorado Holdings coming in here and pretty much making a "New Benson", we have heard negetive and positve response. Most of it has been positive. We want to thank our members who responded by writing letters to the Army Corps of Engineers on this project's behalf.Our members have written many letters to both the newspaper and the Corp. and they have been well received. George Scott's and Debi Kilpatrick's letters to the Army Corp of Engineers were both quoted in an article in the Arizona Daily Star. Writing letters does make a difference in having your voice heard. All of you who wrote letters, did make a difference!

Barbara Nunn and Dave Thompson decided they would take a trip down to Maricopa and see for themselves exactly what is going on, and what the effect of El Dorado has been in the area. They were very glad they did. It is set up pretty much the same way as it would be here Barbara said. You have the original part of Maricopa on one end, and the new part on the other. She said it was very clean. The water features - whether it be fountains or catch basins - were beautiful. In the neighborhoods she said there was an elderly man mowing his yard and a couple houses down there were children playing in the cul-de-sac.She said it was "exactly the way it should be". The traffic lights were set about a mile apart, by Barbara's estimation, and traffic flowed very easily throughout the area. They made it a point to stop and talk to old business owners, who were there before El Dorado came in. The one feed store, she likened to Ed Fenn's Benson Feed, had been there for a half century or more. The owner said that before El Dorado came in, they were barely making it and struggling. After El Dorado, business has been booming ever since. Barb and Dave made it a point to talk to multiple original business owners and the same response was given as the feed store owner - by El Dorado coming in, it saved the town.

Dave and Barb were beyond impressed and it wasn't what they were expecting at all. They invite anyone who would like to see how El Dorado does things, to please drive down there and actually LOOK at what is going on. Talk to original residents and business owners for yourself, take the roads into the neighborhoods, notice details of infastructure. It's the best way to do it, and they are so glad they did!

Debi had a chance to talk with Norm Sturm, our Cochise County's Emergency Services Coordinator. Norm has inside knowledge of "The Villages" in Florida, that El Dorado has modeled Maricopa after, and will be modeling "The Villages at Vigneto" after. That project was started approximately 20 years ago, and is almost built out. Meaning there are only a few lots left to sell. Norm's parents were living about 10 miles away from "The Villages" before retiring to Cochise County. He has been there more than a few times. Both he and his parents really liked it there. Norm said that his parents were always up there doing something fun. There are plenty of activities, concerts, and events that bring people into the area, and for the residents to do. It is very clean and well organized. It is exactly where people like to live and be. It seems that everything El Dorado plans and builds in top notch and prosperous. They have a professional team that covers all areas of research, planning and building, organizing, and running a community. They are exactly what this area needs.

I am very glad to hear about this personal experience concerning "The Villages" in Florida, as it is a little too far away to just "take a jaunt on down there and take a look for oneself". (Thank you for relaying your experience to me, so I can pass it on Norm!)

As a footnote: El Dorado partners with many (approximately 70) local companies in their endeavors. They do their best to make sure everyone prospers and that is exactly the attitude a community should have.

Tina Slankas from the City of Phoenix who will be coming and doing Cyber Securtiy workshops throughout Cochise County. The date that is open for the Benson area is listed below.  This is a free class coordinated through the Benson Chamber of Commerce, and the Cochise County Office of Emergency Services. The times of the class is 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. The work shop will provide a light meal. Please contact  Debi at the Benson Chamber of Commerce to RSVP so we can secure the times and reserve your place. Again, that is:
What: Cyber Security Workshop
Where: Benson location will be determined by then.
When: September 09, 2015
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Fee: Free

One of our members, Lee Peterson of Flashfire Photography, came in and has been telling me of some interesting things going on in his business. Starting 7.30.15 until an undetermined time in October, Lee will have one of his photographs displayed at the Endeavor Art Gallery over by the Benson Museum. The photograph has been printed and mounted on metal and is very sharp looking! Lee also has talked with Elaina up at Kartchner Caverns and will be working on a panoramic of the night sky for the gift shop! He will also be featured up at the City Grille at the golf course in the future, and has a wedding shoot coming up. Lee has a wonderful eye, especially for nature, and we are very happy that he is becoming a known photographer in the area. The Chamber has 2 of Lee's pictures in the office, and they are complimented regularly.

As many of you know, Guy Atchley of KGUN 9 News came down and did a story on Benson's murals. The project was started by Lisa Hill who resurrected Benson Clean and Beautiful. To date, we have around 30 murals that Doug Quarles, of the Quarles Art Gallery, has painted. He is currently working on a very large one depicting Kartchner Caverns. It will go along the whole wall of the Art Gallery, facing Huachuca Street. We invite you to come take a look at its progress! Doug is painting it from looking at photographs - if that isn't talent - I don't know what is!

Thank you to Mr. Leo O'Farrell, of Benson Clean and Beautiful, for alerting KGUN 9 to the story unfolding in Benson and getting one of our nicest focal points in the spotlight!

Please get your business cards and promo items into the Chamber office!
I am organizing the Butterfield Days activities in the park. We have the Car Show, Antique Tractor Show, Antique Tractor Pulls, Static Antique Engine Display, vendors, and the Pony Express will be with us as well! The Chamber of Commerce and Cascabel Fire will be grilling burgers, hot dogs, and roasted corn on the cob. If anyone would like to help me with all of the details, I would sure appreciate it! If you would like to be part of putting together the activities in the park, please call me at 520.221.1634! Thank you  :-)