» Events
» Committees
There are many ways for Chamber members to get involved and to expand their network of contacts. And there are dozens of ways you can volunteer. Every year the Chamber puts on community events, business expos, breakfast get-togethers and after hours events to help members promote themselves. Volunteering for Chamber activities is fun and rewarding, and a great way to give back to your community and meet new people.
If you are interested in serving or want information about any of our valuable programs, contact Linda Matthews or Patricia L. Ritchie at 203-255-1011. Participation on Chamber committees is a membership privilege. Remember, although we welcome your involvement in any of our activities, your financial support is appreciated just as much as the time you donate.
Each year the Chamber holds several major events that could never happen without the help of our volunteers:
- Wine/Food Event & Silent Auction
- Arts & Crafts Show
- Incoming Freshman Events at the Universities
- Trick or Treat on Safety Street
- Santa's Arrival
Some of these events raise money for the Chamber's activities. All of them enhance the Chamber's visibility in the community.
Wine/Food Event & Silent Auction
This is the Chamber's biggest annual fundraiser. Be responsible for finding and delivering to the Chamber office 10 items for the silent auction table with a minimum value of $50 each. We need six people to help with this. We need help on the afternoon of the event in getting the items to the space where the event will be held, and we need help in setting up the auction tables and prizes. Clean-up crew is also essential — at least 3 people are needed. Or perhaps you are a good cook and can make your special appetizer or dessert for the food table.
Arts & Crafts Show
The Fairfield Chamber Arts & Crafts Show is free to the general public but raises money through exhibitor fees. Usually held the third weekend in June and runs for two days.
Road signs need to go up two weeks before the event and be taken down after the show.
On show days, volunteers work in 2 hr. shifts. The Saturday crew is essential when crafters arrive at 7 am. Sunday volunteers are needed between 10 am and 6 pm. During show hours, 10 am to 5 pm, volunteers will blow up balloons, sell T-shirts, and cover booths when a crafter needs to take a break or get a sandwich. The final Sunday crew will be responsible for taking down the tent, cleaning up, and transporting the tent and other items back to the office.
Incoming Freshman Events at the Universities
Come to Fairfield or Sacred Heart University on a Sunday and help us hand out free promotional items and information regarding the community and Chamber gift certificate program, and answer the sort of questions about Fairfield that new students and their families would ask. Need to work in 2 or 3 hour shifts; usually runs about 6 hours.
Trick or Treat on Safety Street
Trick or Treat is October 31 (or the Friday before if it falls on a weekend) and requires help in transporting the Chamber tent to and from Sherman Green. Dress in costume and hand out candy and Chamber information from 2–5 pm. Or, help distribute posters to local merchants for display in their window. These posters should be up one week prior to the event.
Santa's Arrival
Santa's Arrival is always the first Saturday after Thanksgiving and runs from 10 am to 2:30 pm on Sherman Green. This event involves transporting the Chamber tent to and from Sherman Green and generally running the show. We also need a team of 8 to run the horse and buggy rides. Each volunteer works a 2 hr. shift. If we have enough volunteers, we'll dress a couple of them up as Rudolf or Frosty the Snowman. We need a Santa Claus (OK, that one's a given). Whatever you can do is great, and we only require a sign-up of two hours each.
Volunteering isn't only about once-a-year events. Chamber committees offer a way to stay involved all year round, whether you're interested in business community outreach or want to add your voice to the Chamber's strategic planning. The following committees are open to interested members:
Marketing and Web Site Committee
Do you have a creative side? Then join us on the Marketing Committee. These folks meet once a month from 8–9 am and focus on special event fundraising and its potential contribution to the Chamber's bottom line. They plan and implement the marketing strategy for the Chamber.
Party Planner Committee
This group is responsible for our big annual fundraiser: planning the event, soliciting auction items, and being available in general to come up with ideas and to help in whatever way possible.
Health and Wellness Committee
The Fairfield Wellness Revolution is our answer to rising health care costs and the challenges of modern living. This program launched in 2008 to organize our annual health fair and group wellness competition.
Ambassadors Program
Ambassadors provide hands-on assistance by delivering member packets to new Chamber members each month and promoting member retention. The team helps new members get involved, and makes sure they're aware of their membership benefits. The committee chair assigns an ambassadors to each Business After Hours event to ensure new and potential members are comfortable and introduced to other members.
Membership Committee
Membership works hand in hand with Marketing to come up with useful ideas for recruiting — and retaining — new members. The Membership Chair is responsible for heading a committee for our annual membership campaign.
Program Chair
We're looking for someone to plan four educational seminars a year. Duties include securing a site, providing speaker bios and proposals, and acting as liaison for the Chamber.
Leads Groups
Each leads group needs a facilitator or co-facilitators to run the twice-a-month meetings: keep attendance records, email meeting reminders and act as liaison to the Chamber.
