Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner & Auction

Description

The Annual Meeting will take place on June 26, 2012 at Venice in Westerly, 5:30pm.  There will also be the annual Chamber great Escape Auction with over 150 auction items for sale at the event.  Tickets are $50 and are available on a first-come, first serve basis.  Corporate tables of 10 that include an ad in the event program are available for $800.   The event is open to the public. Historically, the event sells out, so interested parties are encouraged to register quickly as seating is limited. 
For more information, contact The Chamber at 401-596-7761.
 
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNOUNCES CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
 
The Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of has announced that it will honor Angela Smith as the Citizen of the Year.
 
The award was established in 1957 to recognize outstanding leadership and exceptional contributions to the community.  Criteria considered in the selection process include leadership role in the community, specific contributions in business and civic/non-profit organizations, promoting the community image, improving the quality of life in our area, personal and professional characteristics including integrity, creativity, communication skills and broad social perspectives. 
 
Angie has served this community nobly and faithfully for many years.  “She  is a woman of outstanding community spirit, generosity and concern for the well being of our citizens and the quality of life in our community.  She is known as a passionate and loyal volunteer, as she has committed a tremendous amount of time and energy to many different civic organizations” said Chamber President Michelle Russell.
 
Angie has been the Administrator at Westerly Medical Center for 42 years and has helped this business stay strong through some challenging economic times.   As part of her commitment to quality health care, she served on the Advisory Board of RI Blue Cross and Blue Shield for 12 years, driving to Providence each month.
 
Some of Angie’s many local community contributions are outlined below:
 
Incredible Board member of more than 12 years and supporter of the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce
Through her tremendous volunteer service to the GWPACC, she raises thousands of dollars annually for the organization.    She’s Past President and has served on numerous committees including:
She’s chaired the Great Escape Auction for 14 years recruiting over 200 auction items herself, promoting ticket sales, contracting entertainment and more.
She’s been on the committee for 15 years and chaired the Virtu Art Festival event for at least 10 of those years.  She works hard helping coordinate the set up of artists, the break down at the end of the event, and negotiations with Wilcox Park.  It is a very hands-on job.
She has volunteered at the Pawcatuck River Duck Race, Blues & Brews, the Holiday Stroll, the golf ball drop and the Easter Egg Hunt each year.
She has served on the ATHENA award committee for 9 years.
She served on the Southern RI 40 Under 40 Committee, the Finance Committee, the Building Expansion Committee and the Membership Drive committee.

She is a member of the Westerly Lions Club and serves on their Board of Directors.  She was the first female member of the Westerly Lions Club and will be voted in as President this July. She has recruited 16 other women into the club. 
 
She is a member of the Dante Society Board and chairs their largest fundraiser which includes a cooking demonstration that funds a scholarship for students pursuing Italian in college. 
 
She is very active at the Westerly Yacht Club, donating her time to coordinate balls, dinner dances, and other themed events.
 
She participated as a dancer in the Dancing with the Stars event in 2009, benefiting the Westerly school system.  She served as a judge for that event for 3 years.
 
She also dressed in costume to portray “Salome” for the Friends of the Library production Literary Women of the Past… with A past”.
 
She has volunteered her time selling pizza at the Pops concert, a benefit for Westerly Rotary.