Roswell Daily Record

Roswell, N.M. (Jan. 21, 1997) - Misunderstandings and rumors surfacing in the community about the Roswell UFO Encounter '97, the summer UFO festival, have raised the question, What is the UFO Encounters Committee?

"The committee is an independent group made up of individuals and associations striving to create and promote a tourist industry for Roswell and Chaves County," said Stan Crosby, committee chairman.

Crosby said he is not affiliated with the International UFO Museum & Research Center nor is the committee.

The committee was organized three years ago to plan and produce a summer festival capitalizing on Roswell's history.

"When movie producers started making movies about Roswell, using sites in Arizona, giving those communities economic benefits, something had to be done," he said.

The committee works all year to produce the event. It is made up of volunteers, including Crosby, who donate their time to organizing the festivities.

"Money is made from the UFO craze," Crosby said. "Shouldn't the community of Roswell benefit?"

Crosby said tourism dollars are the best influx of cash to any community - the visitors come, they spend money, they leave.

"The community becomes the benefactor of every tourist," he said. "This situation can only be a positive one for the entire community."

The organization of each year's Encounter requires various groups from within the community, who donate their manpower and ideas.

Some of the groups working on this year's Encounter include the Roswell Museum and Art Center, the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium, the UFO Enigma Museum, the International UFO Museum & Research Center, the Roswell Jaycees, the Chamber of Commerce, the Parks and Recreation Department, the Roswell Runners' Club, the Roswell Daily Record, the Roswell Community Little Theater, KSFX Radio and many other individuals.

"At no time has any group been denied a part in the organizational process - the meetings are open to anyone," Crosby said. "Groups and individuals are encouraged to become a part of this vital summer festival."

Crosby said this year's Encounter events have drawn significant attention, so much so that a live television production is scheduled.

Recently, attention has been focused on the concert, planned as part of the Roswell UFO Encounter '97, he said.

"Although not totally organized by the local committee, it was deemed necessary to attract not only the major television promoters, but a target-group of individuals who will spend monies in the community before and after the concert," Crosby said.

The Roswell UFO Encounter '97 is scheduled for July 1-6; the concert is scheduled for July 5.