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I hope you have been taking advantage of the resources that Colleen and I have been compiling over the last few months. If you haven’t yet taken advantage of any of them I would strongly encourage you to do so.

In partnership with the Arizona Commerce Authority, Small Business Development Center and others you have the opportunity to register for zoom meetings and webinars on a wide variety of topics that include things like “Converting Offline Business to Thrive Online”, SBA’s Loan Clinic, “Enriching Your Customer & Employee Relationships” and more. 

You can also connect with your fellow Chamber members this month through our virtual Membership 101 class, our virtual Mixer featuring the Kiwanis Marketplace as our host and the Zoom breakfast meeting hosted by Summit Aesthetics. 
You can find out how to register for any of these events by looking at the event calendar on the Chamber website.

I also encourage you to remember to visit the resource section on the front of our website. The resource page is full of helpful links and information for business owners, residents, employees, etc. We continue to update it on a regular basis.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Patty Villeneuve
President/CEO
Virtual Tour Host: Kiwanis Marketplace 
Join your fellow Chamber Members for a a virtual tour and monthly opportunity to network!
Always the second Wednesday every month.
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Come join your fellow Carefree/Cave Creek Chamber Members for an informational monthly presentation. Our speaker has information important to your business.
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Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 602 295 9422
35 Years
The Boulders Resort & Spa
34 Years
Arizona Public Service
33 Years
Carefree Physical Therapy 
Desert Treasures 33 years
31 Years
Horny Toad
27 Years
KAKB, PLLC
26 Years
Desert Foothills Plumbing
Sonoran Arts League
Spirit in the Desert
25 Years
Paradise Valley Community College At Black Mountain
Thunderbird Artists
24 Years
Cave Creek Museum
Desert Foothills Land Trust
Foothills Accounting 
22 Years
Foothills Community Foundation
Harold’s Corral
21 Years
Carefree Clarity 
Christ Anglican Church
Desert Foothills Library
19 Years
Aesthetic Family Dentistry
18 Years
Desert Foothills AC & Heating
17 Years
Carefree Dentist 
Southwest Gas Corporation
Villas of Cave Creek
14 Years
Bertram Signs 
Kendrick Wealth Management
Proven Media
13 Years
Cave Creek Visitors Guide 
Glory Bees
Robert Martino Electric
Russ Lyon Sotheby's Int Realty
12 Years
Arizona Ace
Bartlett Lake Marina 
Foothills Food Bank
11 Years
Beckham Dental
Cave Creek Car Wash
City Sun Times
Hired Hands Graphic Design
Maximum Exterminating 
Summit chiropractic  
The UPS Store
10 Years
Desert Foothills Family YMCA
Grossman Insurance Agency
Network Wellness Center
9 Years
Cave Creek Candle & Gifts
Don & Janet Mohr
8 Years
American Federal 
Phoenix Plumbing and Drain
Tonto Bar and Grill
7 Years
Arizona Musicfest 
Carefree Outdoor Living
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage -Sandi Hess 
Desert Hills Presbyterian
GM Hunt Builders & Remodelers
Grace Foundation for the Preservation of Americana
Neighbors in Need
Pinnacle Paving
Stefan Mann
6 Years
Cave Creek Chapel
Cave Creek Olive Oil
Coyote House Design
Edward Jones-Natasha Palmatier
5 Years
Allstate Rebecca Niessink – Carefree
Brugo’s Pizza  
Revital AZ
Tractor Supply
Wild at Heart
4 Years
All Mercedes
Arizona Auto License Service
AZ Pain Doctors
AZ Perfect Comfort
Cave Creek Cannabis
Cimarron River Company
Elements Massage
HIS Lighting
Hunt Distinctive Properties-Fulton/Rizzo
Merrill Gardens at Anthem
Nici Art 
Northwestern Mutual
Prickly Pear Inn
Remedy Termite & Pest
State Farm-Jason McCloud
State Farm-Steve Morse
Stick’s Golf & Cigar Lounge 
3 Years
A 360 View
Brashear Team at Keller Williams
Carefree Pet Resort  
Center for the Arts
Chaparral Veterinary Medical Center
Charity Plumbing 
Cornerstone Irrigation Repair
Desert Dream Realty
Etania Jewelry & Boutique
Gallery at El Pedregal
Healthy Weight and Wellness
Home Instead Senior Care
Lone Mountain Memory Care
Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation
Mathnasium of Cave Creek
Morris Hall PLLC
North Valley Water Solutions
Partners Dog Training
The Print Shop Cave Creek
Well adjusted Chiropractic
Zona’s Essential Oils
2 Years
Allstate Rebecca Niessink – Cave Creek
Carefree Cave Creek Italian American Club
Charlie Green Makeup Artist
Heritage at Carefree Senior Living
Image Skin and Spa 
Puppy Luv Dog Rescue & Flea Market
R Morales Law
1 Year
Black Tie Moving
Carefree Pet Sitter 
Center for Integrative Health & Wellness
Desert Foothills Theater 
El Encanto Mexican Restaurant 
Humani Tours
Kimberly Nathanson-Berkshire Hathaway
Lincoln & Wenk
Light Electric
Lucorp Marketing
Office Max
Oregano’s  
Pizzicata Ristorante Pizzeria
Rutherford Design & Construction
Summit Aesthetics
Summit Aesthetics-MaxilloFacial/Oral Surgery
Tour Monkey

Welcome to the Chamber of Commerce community! We look forward to seeing you and getting to know you at our events.

AIC Insurance Agency-Carefree
Desert living magazine
Desert State Air
Gallery Michele
Keller Williams-Mario Licciardi
Maclaren & Whearty, LLP
Medicare Todd
Morrissey & Associates 
Park University 
Pomodoro Italian Grill & Seafood
Pristine Sales & Marketing 
The View Carefree Townhomes, LLC
Needless to say, the last 120 days have been some of the craziest we have seen between COVID-19, mandated shut-downs, wildfires, curfews, and now the extreme summer heat. Like many areas, Carefree businesses have experienced several challenges, but…there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. With change and adversity, comes opportunity. Even prior to the pandemic, the stars were aligning for Carefree, and with the pandemic perhaps comes even more opportunity to be the place of choice in this new normal.

At the start of 2020, the shift from traditional retail mall shopping was already changing, with close to 15% of all purchase made online. The other 85%? Consumers looking for an experience beyond the large parking lots, cookie cutter stores and food courts. We were in the midst of a main street resurgence. Cool areas were popping up all over the Valley, primarily led by women and minority owned small businesses and unique local dining and entertainment venues, the backbone of our retail business community.

Today, 30% of all purchases are online, and the vast majority of active consumers are making shopping decisions based upon personal safety.  As we head into Fall, the Town is committed to working with its businesses, to create an environment that is vibrant and fun, while being mindful of creating a safe place. We have all the pieces, a great outdoor open space, amenities, pavilion and a great list of businesses, galleries and restaurants. This summer, we have repainted the Garden facilities and walls, are working on cleaning up the alley spaces, have added COVID conscious activities in the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, are creating an art walk and have provided a walking exercise trail in connection Desert Foothills Land Trust. This Fall, we will be engaging a consultant to look at circulation and signage, developing new strategies for curbside pickup and extending open space to businesses and adding entertainment. On a larger scale, we are engaging in a destination health and wellness initiative, rebuilding our marketing and media platforms, and examining strategies and initiatives for the next general plan update that will further enhance the retail and destination goals for the Town. I will continue to reach out, and engage with you on the most productive ways we can enhance the Carefree experience. And, I really do mean this, please call/text (623-694-2605) or email (steve@carefree.org) me any ideas thoughts you may have.

I am not going to sugar coat it, the road ahead is not going to be easy, budgets are tight, people are nervous, social distancing limits group cooperation, but if we work together, get creative, put the past behind us, and fix our mindset to be in it to win it, Carefree will be the place of choice.     
  August 4th Election. As I review this on the 30th of July I have no idea how things will turn out.

 I will tell you this though. The Town of Cave Creek has never been in better shape or more competent hands. Finances are good, Water Quality is at the highest level ever, and you've got Department Heads that know what they're doing and are dedicated to improving our Town.

 On the downside we still have the issue with the Carefree Condemnation of our Water Customers, a situation that is still being presented with very old information. Hardly any of the "problems" being presented are not or have not been addressed. There is a lot more involved than just turning a few valves and both Towns Customers will pay dearly because of this action.

 Big Time and Big Money Political Campaigning has come to Cave Creek and it is nasty. I only hope and pray that this doesn't discourage Good People from wanting to be involved in the future.
 Thanks for your continued support!
From the Cave Creek Museum
Kraig Nelson, historian

In 2005, the owner of Cave Creek’s Rancho Manana Golf Resort at the time, succinctly stated, “There would be no Rancho Manana Dude Ranch without Romaine Lowdermilk!” The extraordinary, multi-talented, Romaine (Romy) Lowdermilk, was acknowledged as the undisputed “Father of Dude Ranching in Arizona.” Romy’s final involvement in Dude or Guest Ranches was Rancho Manana in Cave Creek. The 750-acre property was co-owned with a wealthy couple from Chicago, Ted and China Loring, who met Romy on their honeymoon in 1936, at Soda Springs Ranch, near Rimrock (eighty-four miles north of Phoenix). This was one of Romaine’s earlier Arizona Guest Ranches which was established in 1928.
Dude ranching was an important part of our Cave Creek history. This style of western hospitality allowed easterners (usually) to be immersed in a cowboy lifestyle including equine activities, hiking, and hearty, open-flame cuisine. Rancho Manana was one of three Dude Ranches in the Cave Creek area including Spur Cross Ranch established in 1928 and Sierra Vista Ranch established in 1938. The first excited Rancho Manana guests arrived in 1944. The Ranch could accommodate twenty-five guests, however, sometimes they would entertain up to forty guests.
How did the Guest Ranch develop for Romy? As it turns out, it was somewhat of an accident. Not only was Romy an accomplished rancher, he was an exceptionally gifted western-short-story writer. He was published in at least three national magazines including Adventure Magazine, Arogsy, and, Short Stories. Additionally, at least one of his short stories (some say more) became a “silent” film. When one of Romy’s editors visited Arizona to discuss some literary issues and stayed at his Kay El Bar Ranch (Romy’s first ranch near Wickenburg) in a rustic, adobe-bunk-house while living the “western lifestyle,” the editor’s exhilarating experience was soon shared with other easterners who desired to recreate a similar “western adventure.” Creating this “cowboy and cowgirl” experience, coupled with the novel idea of collecting money for this unique western recreation, the Dude Ranch was born!
Romy had many other talents; he was a gifted singer, songwriter, musician, and entertainer who published more than 200 western songs. In 1935, Romaine gained a national radio audience when he performed for KOY in Phoenix and WLS in Chicago. The popular western show was called the National Barn Dance. It was noted that tall, slim, handsome Romy, in his fancy western regalia, was continually overwhelmed with charmed autograph seekers.
It’s no wonder that when the charming and talented Romaine Lowdermilk, as the face and spirit of Rancho Manana retired in 1955, that was the end of Rancho Manana as an Arizona Dude Ranch, and the end of a special era in Cave Creek.                              
APS
The Foothills Focus
North Valley Magazine
Tech 4 Life
748 Easy St., P.O. Box 734
Carefree, AZ 85377
480-488-3381