Volunteer to Serve on a Chamber Committee: The Chamber has a strong tradition of volunteerism. It is the engine that drives our organization. Below are your Chamber's active committees. You are invited to serve on one or more to enhance your visibility, increase tourism, and address concerns of importance to the business community. Any individual from a member company can participate.
Ambassador Committee: Welcomes new members, informs them of Chamber benefits and activities and increases retention rate of new members. Meets bimonthly.
Economic Development Committee: Refines the list of business "voids" that exist in the community. Works to attract quality businesses to fill those voids. Conducts visitations to local employers and coordinates job fairs. Meets biannually.
Christmas Decorating Contest: Drive around The Westerly-Pawcatuck area with other "judges" to select the winning entries in this annual holiday event. One night commitment in mid-December.
Duck Boat Committee: Works to raise corporate donations, secure grants, oversee maintenance, and all other activities relating to this amphibious tour vessel project.
River Glow Committee: Committee plans a floating bonfire event for downtown including street performers, food vendors, volunteers, and entertainers. This event has an attendance of about 8,000 and is held annually on the Saturday of July 4th weekend. Volunteers are needed! Committee meets May through July.
Beer Tasting Committee: Committee organizes an extensive affair featuring over 13 restaurants, 30 beers, wine, live entertainment, and raffle prizes. Members sell tickets and promote the event which is held in March.
Great Escape Auction Committee: Plans an elegant black tie auction-dinner-dance featuring over 200 items. Members secure auction items, help sell tickets, and promote the event held in May each year. Committee meets January through April.
Pawcatuck River Duck Race: Plans entertainment, secures sponsors, coordinates school involvement and generates publicity for the Pawcatuck River Duck Race. Committee meets January through April. Event is held on the last Saturday in April.
Santa's Arrival Help with crowd control and distribution of candy, coloring books and lollipops to more than 2,000 children. One night commitment in late November.
Tourism Committee: Plans the Chamber's tourism marketing activities including advertising campaigns, Go Westerly! travel magazine, organizes familiarization tours, coordinates photo shoots, develops a marketing plan and coordinates Big Screen Movies on the Beach. Committee meets quarterly.
"Virtu" Art Festival Committee: Recruits sponsors, selects artists and entertainment, and organizes all aspects of this major community celebration of the visual and performing arts. Meets February through May. Event is held Memorial Day Weekend.
Athena Award Committee: works to identify nominees for the prestigious Athena Award, screens scholarship applications, and coordinates a dinner celebration.
Candidates Night Committee: Help coordinate a forum for local residents to learn more about the individuals running for Town Council, State Representative and State Senate.
Westerly AED: - Raise funds to help purchase and place automatic defibrillators in public places throughout the community. Working to have Westerly and Pawcatuck recognized as the first "heart-safe towns" in RI and CT.
Swamp Yankee Striped Bass Committee: Recruits prizes and participants for a fishing derby and coordinates publicity.
Technology Committee: Works to improve office technology, upgrade equipment and incorporate state - of - the - art features into our progressive Chamber web site.
