285 GOLD RUSH & Leaf Peeping Season is coming! Want to stay local and enjoy the fall colors? You don’t need to go far. There are beautiful fall colors in this area, and we are going to help you find them! Businesses are creating AMAZING HOT DEALS for the season between September 15 and October 15. Macaroni Kid: Evergreen, Conifer, Bailey is creating an interactive map with both HOT Spots for the beautiful fall colors and all the HOT deals! Get off HWY 285 and enjoy the LOCAL colors in our LOCAL area and get some HOT deals from LOCAL businesses while you’re at it! Follow the 285 Tourism Facebook page for more information and log on to GoConifer.com for the map and a complete list of hot deals!
 
The Conifer Chamber is continuing to advocate for our business community. As businesses tell me about their needs, I’m taking those comments directly to our representatives. Rep. Lisa Cutter is proud to be one of the co-sponsors for the Energize Colorado Gap Fund. This application is NOW LIVE. Go to https://energizecolorado.com/gap-fund/ for details, eligibility and the application. The Energize Colorado Gap Fund will provide more than $25M in small business loans and grants to boost small business enterprises. Sole proprietors, businesses and nonprofits with less than 25 full-time employees can apply for up to a $15,000 grant and a $20,000 loan for a possible combined total of $35,000 in financial assistance. Another  opportunity that just opened up is for FREE PPE supplies for Jefferson County businesses. The Commissioners have allocated money from the CARES Act dollars to help businesses in providing FREE PPE supplies. There is an application process. The application is available at https://www.jeffco.us/4057/CARES-Act-Emergency-Grants-Funding. Supplies can be picked up from the Evergreen or Conifer chamber once you have been approved.
 
School Restart Resource Guide is NOW available at GoConifer.com! The Conifer Chamber of Commerce teamed up with local community educators and day care providers, to create solutions for families as we walk through the fall school schedule. Interested in volunteering to help students in the virtual/on-line environment during the Fall 2020 semester? We have resources for you! Are you thinking about starting a new business by offering in home childcare? We have resources for you! Do you and your child need to access the internet for completing schoolwork, but have no internet or unreliable internet? We have resources for you!
Log on for a list of individuals and/or organizations that can assist you with online learning, tutoring, alternative school formats or daycare options. 
 
At this month’s online membership meeting, the Conifer Chamber is excited to bring details about what’s is going on with the Jeffco Fire Mitigation Task Force. Both Commissioner Dalhkemper and Fire Chief Ware will be joining us to give us updates on this task force. This meeting will be held Friday, Sept. 11 from 8-9am online. Later in the month we will be joining forces with the Evergreen chamber for a combined mixer at Morse Evergreen Autobody on Thursday, Sept. 17^th from 5-7pm. We are asking everyone to register in advance for both events at GoConifer.com.