FEBRUARY IS THE MONTH OF LOVE:
LET'S CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY
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Let’s paint our town RED…
February is the month of love and we want to celebrate our community by decorating businesses and homes with all things red. We would love to see our businesses dress-up their storefronts with hearts and any creative ideas they have for the month of February. If you are interested in a window artist to come and paint your store windows, please reach out to us and we can help connect you!
We were inspired by the paper mache hearts we have seen strung throughout town earlier in 2020. Whoever you are that made those, THANK YOU! Those brighten our days. Let's make it a thing all month long for February.
Want to let your favorite business know you love them?
Decorate hearts with notes of appreciation and drop-off to your favorite business for them to display. Let’s let our town how much we mean to one another and have some bright colors with the winter white! Get crafty as a business, a school, a classroom, or as a family to paint our town red.
St. Luke’s Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store will have a jar in their store all month long to guess the amount of heart candy’s for a $25 gift certificate! Have a creative idea of your own? Let us know! We look forward to seeing all the love around town.
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LATEST STIMULUS INFORMATION |
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Last week we hosted a webinar with the Boise SBA Office on the second rollout of federal funding available for businesses. A big thank you to our guest speakers, Christian Pennington and Shannon Madsen of the Boise office. They were incredibly knowledgeable and several of you had your unique questions answered by their staff. For those unable to make it, we are linking their presentations below. Also, thank you to Aana Vannoy from Idaho First Bank to offer her information from the lender side of things.
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NEXT ST. LUKE'S TOWN HALL
FEB. 19TH AT NOON
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St. Luke’s McCall invites you to join local experts to hear COVID-19 updates. We will also discuss COVID-19 vaccines, including how they work, their safety and effectiveness, estimated timeline of when you can get your vaccine and how to schedule an appointment. The public is invited to submit questions before via email.
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LOCAL WINTER PROGRAMMING TO FEED YOUR MIND AND SOUL, SAFELY |
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We have many members that are offering programming this winter to keep our minds and hearts full! We encourage you to register for one of these events and support the amazing efforts of these organizations to maintain a healthy community. Thanks to all for offering these opportunities to us.
McCall Arts & Humanities Council Cabin Fever Series for February
Valentine Papercrafting Class
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! On Tuesday, February 9 from 6:00 to 7:30pm, join local paper crafts enthusiast Andrea Schafer-Ramelli via Zoom for a Valentine’s Day-themed class. Find the fun in papercrafting while creating and customizing Valentine’s-themed bags and assorted greeting cards. Participants will receive materials and instruction to make four folded greeting cards, two small gift bags, and four small flat “trading” cards—perfect for showcasing Valentine’s Day gifts and treats. Join from anywhere you have an internet connection. Cost: $10, or $8.50 for MAHC Members. Registration required. Please register at mccallarts.org or email McCallArtsHumanities@Gmail.com for more information.
Virtual Poetry Workshop
On Saturday, February 13 from 10:00am to 1:00pm join Dr. Tobias Wray, Director of Creative Writing Programs for the University of Idaho, for a poetry workshop centered on memory. Poems, as we all know, grapple with meaning-making, feeling their way to a more intuitive understanding. Poems, like dreams, can teach us what we don’t know we already know. The memories that draw our recall are sharp, frequently borne out of difficult times. In this class, we’ll work to lift some of the debris out of the way to honor the crucial details of our experience. This class will be held via Zoom, so you can join from anywhere you have an internet connection. Cost: $20, or $17 for MAHC Members. Registration required. Please register at mccallarts.org or email McCallArtsHumanities@Gmail.com for more information.
Mining Poetry Class
On Thursday, February 25 from 6:00 to 7:00pm, join Idaho historian Tom Blanchard on Zoom for a deep dive into the mining poems of local author and whitewater kayaker, Bill Studebaker. William “Bill” Studebaker grew up in the backcountry of Lemhi County listening to the sounds of the mountains and the men who mined those veins. Starting with a short presentation on the role mining has played in shaping Idaho, we will explore the language and history of mining through Bill’s poems. This class is FREE but registration is required. Please register at mccallarts.org or email McCallArtsHumanities@Gmail.com for more information.
Community HUB February Programming
The community is invited to CUB's winter series, Looking Ahead, Conversations on Aging and Dying. Sessions are on Zoom and free with donations gratefully accepted to support programming, shared resources, and community-building. Registration means you receive the Zoom link the day of the session.
A session on grief and after-death experiences.
with Dr. Sharon Katz, Jill Thompson, and Darcy Williamson
Tuesday, February 9
4:00 - 5:30 pm
with Tiffany Robb, Mary Holden, and Emma Ballantyne
Monday, February 15
3:00 - 4:30 pm
with Kathy Deinhardt Hill
Thursday, February 18
3:30 - 4:30 pm
with Dr. Joan Edwards and Suzi Smith
Wednesday, February 24
12:00 - 1:00 pm
with Laura Stavoe
Saturday, March 6
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
with St. Luke’s McCall facilitators
See webpage for contact information.
With support from the St. Luke’s McCall Foundation Board, Idaho Humanities Council, and National Endowment for the Humanities.
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HOUSEHOLD CHECKLIST TO HELP NAVIGATE COVID-19 FOR HOUSEHOLDS |
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NEW LAKE FORK FACILITY OPEN STARTING DECEMBER 1ST!
48 E Lake Fork Road (next to Road Department Building)
HOURS:
TUESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY….8am – 5pm
WEDNESDAY….9am – 6pm
SATURDAY….10am – 4pm
*SATELLITE LOCATIONS IN MCCALL, DONNELLY & CASCADE ARE CLOSED AS OF DECEMBER 1ST.
Learn what is accepted and how to recycle responsibly here in Valley County. This is a beautiful, new facility in an effort to improve and increase recycling in our region. Click on the link below for more information!
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TUTOR MOBILE FOR KIDS TO CONTINUE
THIS SPRING
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What a giving community we have...
The Shepherd's Home, McCall Parks and Rec, and McCall Public Library are excited to restart the Mobile Tutoring Bus Program to support students distance learning during the 2021 Spring Semester! Students of all ages are welcome to come and learn from hands on STEAM projects, bring their homework or problems they are struggling with to get one-on-one assistance from our volunteer tutors.
This tutor program is FREE for all and COVID safety measures are in place for adults and children! To get more information, sign up your student, or volunteer please contact Serena at McCallTutoringBus@gmail.com or feel free to call The Shepherd's Home 208-634-1152.
Thank you to our fabulous community partners for pulling resources to offer this invaluable resource for local families during the pandemic.
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We are thrilled to welcome new members! Please help us welcome the following new businesses to our Chamber: |
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The Cross O Ranch was established in 1890 and has seen five generations live in the same house at the same location.
Cross O Meat’s beef is grass fed, finished to perfection using local non-GMO barley and then dry-aged to create the tastiest premium beef you’ll ever experience! They serve not only our local communities but can also ship all of their products directly to your door! LEARN MORE HERE
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ART CORNER - YOUR FEEDBACK IS NEEDED |
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PUBLIC ART SURVEY OUT FOR INPUT UNTIL WEDNESDAY: The draft McCall Public Art Plan is ready for your review! With help from cultural consultant Bill Flood, this plan helps to define a vision, goals, sites and priorities for public artworks in McCall. Please take a moment to review the McCall Public Art Plan - DRAFT and email any comments or suggestions directly to Bill Flood at bill@billflood.org by Wednesday, February 10, 2021.
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CREATIVE DISTRICT SURVEY: The Idaho Policy Institute at Boise State University (IPI) has been commissioned by the Idaho Commission on the Arts (ICA) to learn more about the value and impact of creatives in the West Central Mountains. The Idaho Commission on the Arts will be using this data to assist the community in the completion of a creative asset inventory and map. These tools and a report from IPI will inform a larger creative district effort. Please take a few minutes to respond to the survey. Creative assets, along with the natural environment, are what define a region. They include a diversity of artists, entrepreneurs, innovators, makers, and their networks, places, and organizations. Your response as a creative asset is important to this effort. To participate in the survey, click here: TAKE THE SURVEY HERE
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WHEN SHOULD THE MCCALL MILL WHISTLE BLOW?: In McCall’s early years, logging and lumber production were principal industries largely responsible for the founding of McCall as a township. Several lumber mills were built over the years and all of them burned down. A few artifacts were salvaged from the final burn. The mill steam whistle being one of them. This public art project by Amy Westover, scheduled to be installed in Brown Park fall 2021, is meant to give back to McCall the sound that embodied the character and livelihood of the town for decades. It is meant to create a new “village” tradition of blowing the whistle at key times of year both as a honoring of the past and also a distinct celebration of the present. Please help us choose when to sound the whistle by providing your suggestions below: TAKE THE SURVEY HERE
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Roots Forest School and Gallery 601 in Boise have teamed up to sell commemorative and limited edition Jane Wooster Scott Winter Carnival paintings to fundraise! More information HERE on how to purchase your print. A win-win for our community and thank you to Gallery 601 for wanting to give back.
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- There is a MANDATORY FACE COVERING REQUIREMENT in effect for Valley County.
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Idaho is currently in STAGE 3 of the statewide reopening protocol. To see more what this means, visit the State's website HERE.
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A new skate rink at Gold Glove park brings a little bit of history and more outdoor opportunities for recreation. Remember to wear a mask, be respectful of the neighbors, socially distance, read the signs and recreate responsibly. Hours are Noon - 8pm, seven days a week. Portable restroom available.
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Winter Walking at the Golf course is an important past time for our community as we see each other’s smiling faces along the path and enjoy this beautiful space. Remember to keep your pets close, on leash or under total control and pick up after your dog. Wear a mask, read the signs and recreate responsibly. For the month of February, McCall Parks and Recreation has teamed up with McCall Golf Course and Banyans on the Green to host a series of treks on the groomed golf course paths. Join us each Friday in February, tiki torches will be lit at 6:00 PM and lite a one mile loop starting at Aspen. This mini event series encourages you to get outside; if poor weather the nightly event is cancelled. Mark your calendar for the following dates: February 5, 12, 19, 26
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Snow in the City is what winter is all about in McCall our Public Works department and Parks department work collaboratively with local area business owners to keep sidewalks clear and safe after storm events. We have a great web page dedicated to information, parking maps, snow cams and resources for you to refer to. Check it out at mccall.id.us/snowinthecity.
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City is seeking to fill a position from the business community to join the Local Option Tax Commission. In this role, you would evaluate requests for Local Option Tax contributions and make recommendations to the City Council on projects you feel should receive funding. Interested? Contact the Clerks office at bwagner@mccall.id.us via email and ask to learn more. We would love to see our business community represented.
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MCCALL PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS
FOR FEBRUARY
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CHAMBER OFFICE CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY |
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For the long President's Weekend, we are taking some time off and our office will be closed beginning midday on Friday, Feb. 12th through Tuesday, Feb. 16th. We have been out delivering magazines this past weekend and week, but if you would like some magazines before Friday, please let us know, and we will coordinate.
As always, our robust and extensive website is open 24 hours a day, so please visit https://visitmccall.org/ for our full business directory, itinerary ideas, and more. We have a FAQ below as well on winter activities.
***Our regular hours are Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm, but we are down to one staff person temporarily, so please bear with us if we have to run an errand or step away from the office. Thank you.
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ANSWERS TO COMMONLY ASKED
WINTER QUESTIONS
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Here are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions this winter!
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HOT SPRINGS: We have two hot springs open in the region 1. Zim's Hot Springs in New Meadows and 2. Mundo Hot Springs in Cambridge. Burgdorf Hot Springs has recently reopened for limited cabin guests, but no day swims at this time during COVID. For more information on their reopening plans, visit their website.
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SKI RESORTS: 1. Brundage Mountain Resort NEW for 2020-21: Most Day Ticket types are available for sale ONLINE ONLY. Purchase in advance. Quantities are limited. 2. Tamarack Resort tickets can be purchased on line or at the mountain 3. Little Ski Hill has the "only night skiing in McCall" and has a brand-new T-Bar lift!
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NORDIC & SNOWSHOEING: There are several areas with groomed trails for both snowshoeing and nordic/skate skiing in the area. McCall Nordic has a great website with information on all of these places! 1. Jug Mountain Ranch 2. Bear Basin 3. Ponderosa State Park 4. North Valley Trail 5. Tamarack Resort. For rentals of this equipment or to try out a fat tire bike, check out a list of members such as Home Town Sports, Gravity Sports, McCall Sports Exchange, Tamarack Resort, Jug Mountain Ranch, and MORE.
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SNOWMOBILING: For a list of places to rent snowmobiles, VISIT HERE. For information on area riding, avalanche safety, licensing and zones, VISIT HERE.
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Congratulations to Pastor Char on her retirement from the McCall Community Congregational Church: Rev. Charlottie Havlicak (Pastor Char) has retired from the McCall Community Congregational Church after 25 years of service at this congregation. We wish her well on this next chapter and we thank her for being such a wonderful community leader for McCall. Best to you, Pastor Char.
Have something cool you want to share with us or want to honor someone at your business or organization? Please let us know and we will include in our Business Bulletin Section! We want to celebrate good news and good people.
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MCCALL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
info@mccallchamber.org
(208) 634-7631
visitmccall.org
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