Quartzsite Chamber details events, visitor-center costs and grant activity

Shawn Johnson, vice president of the Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce, outlined the chamber’s recent events, partnerships and operating costs during the May 26 council meeting.

Johnson said the chamber organized and supported community events including a holiday parade, Camelpalooza and a chili cook-off, helped advertise and sponsor a local “moonshot” contest and provided a $500 prize for local winners. He described the chamber’s outreach work at regional business expos and the organization’s effort to highlight small businesses on social media.

On financing, Johnson described a La Paz County Main Street revitalization grant in which participating businesses contributed matching funds and the chamber supplied $15,000 in support for projects such as updated signage and minor pavement and façade work. He said the chamber shares space for the visitor center with Sunset Sheds and that a single paid employee, Laura, coordinates volunteers and answers visitor calls; Johnson estimated about $10,000 is spent on visitor-center maintenance, with roughly $1,000 for volunteer coordination and another $2,100 for other support services.

"We split the rent, and Laura is the one that is responsible for doing all of the volunteer coordination," Johnson said, describing how the chamber covers administrative tasks and visitor services.

Council members asked questions about attendance, volunteer capacity and how the chamber markets events; Johnson emphasized the chamber’s role in promoting tourism and helping local shops participate in county-wide promotions. He also said the chamber partners with the Friends of the Sonoran Desert on outreach and manages booths at regional expos to route visitors to Quartzsite businesses.

The presentation concluded with general praise from council members for the chamber’s outreach and a reminder that residents can contact the chamber office for visitor information and local resources.