May 24, 2018

Let’s Enjoy Memorial Day in Sedona and Keep Fire Safety, Patience and Gratitude in mind, too.

Memorial Day is a beautiful time to live in Sedona.  Since I came here in 1984 as a very young man, I’ve come to love the holiday even more.  Being here adds a unique pleasure to the tradition of gathering with family and friends, enjoying great outdoor eating in fantastic weather, and the precious moments we take to remember those who died for our country.

Here are a few holiday ideas and tips I’ve been thinking about:

•     As we explore our forests or plan a backyard BBQ, let’s keep fire safety top of mind.  The Forest Service has already closed portions of the Tonto and Kaibab National forests due to the extreme fire danger, and closure of parts of the Apache-Sitgreaves forest is coming soon.  Campfires are banned almost everywhere. PLEASE be extra careful.  Let’s continue to be good stewards of our magnificent forests.

•    The Memorial Day weekend is one of our most popular times for visitors, so we will all need little extra patience as we move around town this weekend.  Fortunately, the community is making progress on transportation improvements, with construction starting later this year.  Relief can’t come fast enough!

•    This weekend, I’m looking forward to seeing many of the thousands of people in Sedona who are Chamber partners or work at Chamber-affiliated businesses.  The warmth and openness we experience when we are among our neighbors might be the “small town” quality I love the most about Sedona. It may be hard to measure, but our residents do so much to make Sedona a special place to live.

•    It’s the perfect time to thank the teachers, administrators and support staff that make our schools a positive learning environments for our kids.  As they conclude another year of dedicated service, I know I’ll be taking a moment to congratulate all my friends in the school system on their hard work and commitment.

•    I hope you have a brilliant holiday weekend and that your summer plans include lots of recreation and relaxation.

At your Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau, we’ll be busy sharing many of the actions we’re taking to help tackle issues facing our friends, families and businesses, such as traffic improvements and new approaches to managing tourism.  I’m looking forward to sharing and hearing your thoughts!  Check out my column in the Red Rock News on June 1 about some of the exciting ways we are pitching in.

Have a great holiday weekend!

 

—Lonnie Lillie,
Chair of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau Board of Directors

Contact Lonnie at board@sedonachamber.com

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