Volunteer!

We are one of the few ALL VOLUNTEER chambers left in Indiana, and we get a LOT DONE, both for our members and our towns. Here is the list of 2017 committees (again) with notes on what it takes to complete each task - let us know which one(s) peek your interest / where's YOUR passion?
  • Scholarships - the annual $1,000 Jack Peek Memorial College Scholarship, awarded to a deserving Franklin Township college-bound high school student (whether attending FC, Lu-Hi or Roncalli)
    • ​​​* committee currently chaired by pastor emeritus Rev. Jim Waters, several Chamber members revise, print, distribute, collect and review scholarship applications, then select awardee(s) based on those reviews (or, on occasion, personal interviews)
  • Membership - welcoming our members annually, contact by visit, monthly emails and US mail, developing a list of benefits for those belonging to the Chamber (click here for the current benefit list).
    • * this one keeps us busy - tracking of dues received and member info is done by pres/officers - composing & sending emails (current pres), on site visits to deliver printed news, updates, directories, etc. to the majority of our members (current pres), drafting & printing those member newsletters, mailing those not delivered personally (current pres), responding to member inquiries by email, web post, text and voicemail (current president), planning monthly meetings and the agendas and programs to go with them (current president) 
  • Business After Hours - quarterly networking opportunity for both the event host and the many attendees - traditionally held on a weekday evening from 5-7p(ish).
    • * coordinate with host member and help plan and market these 'business parties' - we've had three such events (plus the Christmas party) in the past year, with another Christmas party in the works for this year (current president)
  • Easter Bunny - a joint project with our Franklin Road Branch public library, this is a wonderful opportunity for families to bring their young ones for a photo op with THE Easter Bunny!
    • * so MANY thanks to event chair Cheryll Smith, we've had literally THOUSANDS of visitors to the Franklin Road Library the past few years. Cheryll is ready to step down as chair, so 2016 will need a new volunteer - YOU?
  • Old Settler's Day Street Fair Booth - an awesome opportunity for our members to greet the THOUSANDS of shoppers and visitors to an annual event in Franklin Township (since the 70's) - last Sunday in June
    • * while there's not a load of planning for this event (event managed by the volunteer members of the Lions Club),  it does require a little leg work on the day of, setting up shady tents, handing out Chamber directories along with your own business trinkets (managed this year by current vice pres Amanda Henson and Cheryll Smith)
  • Economic Development - a standing committee with the stated purpose to promote and enhance the business climate in our corner of Indianapolis (more on the Econ Dev Committee page!)
    • * this committee of volunteer Chamber members, chaired by Dick Nye, stays busy year round, networking with downtown Indy, communicating with member businesses about issues pertinent to our towns. Having recently completed the multi-year project of Revitalizing Wanamaker (street and sewer reconstruction), and the update of our 10 year old Why Franklin Township economic marketing video, the current Econ Dev committee project is the legalization and unification of sign standards along Southeastern - care to join us?
  • By-Laws - another standing committee convened regularly to evaluate and update our operational guidelines (most recently updated Fall 2014)
    • * THANKS to members Bob Frye, Judy Duncan and Paul Brakke, this committee has concluded it's task for the coming months.
  • Directory - a printed listing to promote ALL caring members of the Franklin Township Chamber of Commerce
    • * This one is a BIG project that used to fall mostly on one person to sell ads, collect the money, arrange for the layout and design and printing. Uber volunteer Linda Casey (Indiana National Bank, back when that's what it was) ran this project for many years, Darrel Holtzclaw (funeral home) did it for a year or two, then another Chamber uber volunteer Cheryll Smith ran it for many years. In those years, the directory was our biggest money maker (four figure$ left for Chamber philanthropy AFTER printing & distributing costs were paid).
    • A few years ago, when we couldn't find a replacement volunteer chair (or committee) willing to do all the above (ad sales, etc.), we farmed out the ad sales and layout/design AND mailing to a 3rd party - the directory then cost us (Chamber) a hefty four figures a year (from our dues) - great member benefit for sure, but, over just a few annual issues, our five figure Chamber accounts were dwindled down to about $1,500 (as of Jan 2014).
    • Last year, as we already had $5,000 budgeted towards the expense (would have cost more to repeat the prior years' format), we used that $5,000 (dues money again) to print and mail over 25,000 ad-free copies of our membership roster through the All Township issue of the Informer.
    • THIS year, it was decided we'd print our traditional booklet, without ads (no ad sales to contend with), a few hundred copies at a time, and reprint as needed. Then we received an awesome offer from Ed Holmes to sponsor our directory for $5,000. With all graphic design, layout and content work being donated (current pres), that sponsorship allowed us to print over 10,000 Chamber books! (THANK YOU, ED!). Distribution accomplished by counter top display at member locations (delivered by current pres) - there's only a handful of 50-count bundles remaining!
    • What would YOU like to see done next year??
  • Web Site - the on-line home of our members and community information (like the community calendar on our Events page)
    • * many thanks to Jaclyn Thomas, Joyce Crystle and Dotti Peek for doing the research and recommendations for a new and improved (and oh-so-easy to use) web page builder (www.Weebly.com). The web page still needs regular updates to content, meetings, events, photos, etc. (current pres), but the very friendly interface makes this a much less than overwhelming task.
    • For all 2017 updates please e-mail those to Jaclyn Thomas at [email protected]
  • FaceBook Page - posting of any and all events and information from our members and fellow Franklin Township non-profits
    • * first foray into social media for marketing use, our Chamber FaceBook page has amazed and even baffled the administrator (current pres) - we've over 1,300 followers (WOW!), and our community posts - ranging from Chamber meetings to homecoming parades, Chamber member open houses, Historical Society dinners, Civic League silent auctions, Lions Club golf outings and much more - can generate thousands of 'total reaches' in a week! The single post (in May) on the passing of Dotti Peek was seen by over 5,600!
    • Is this something YOU could help keep updated?
  • Shop with Scrip - a member-only (mostly) way to smartly pay for your annual member dues AND raise funds for our community without donating that first dime! More here...
    • * volunteer member Jan Worman did a great job keeping this project rolling - we've netted four figures since it's launch as a Chamber fund raiser late in '13.
    • As Jan lives in New Pal, and attends the New Pal Chamber monthly meetings (which just happen to be at exactly the same 11:30a time on exactly the same 2nd Tues date), this project needs a chair (not difficult or time consuming, but does require regular management).
  • Christmas in Wanamaker - a Holiday 'street fair' if you will, featuring shopping, hot cocoa and warm cinnamon cider, delicious treats, a PARADE, and photos with Santa the first Saturday in December
    • * since 2003, an annual and dedicated group of Chamber volunteers, chaired by Jim Trimble, organizes a fantastic festival to kick off the Christmas season (if you've not attended, you've really missed out on a GREAT DAY!)
    • Would you like to be part of the booth/vendor displays? help with face painting? serve hot chocolate or warm cinnamon cider? stop by the Ordinary for a committee meeting most any Tuesday evening at 6:15-ish (mid October through event day).
  • More Photos with Santa - the other joint project with our Franklin Road Branch public library!
    • * so MANY thanks (AGAIN) to event chair Cheryll Smith and Santa and the Mrs., Bud & Melinda Townsend, we've had literally THOUSANDS of visitors to the Franklin Road Library the past few years. The Townsends have retired (FLA) and we welcome Jim & Sue Winton, the Clauses of Christmas In Wanamaker fame. Cheryll is ready to step down as chair, so 2016 will need a new volunteer - YOU?
  • Community Calendar - a pet project (current pres) for decades, there have been aborted attempts to compile any and all events being held IN Franklin Township BY Franklin Township not-for-profits in one easy to view location (was monthly ads in the Informer back in the 80's, then club newsletters . . .) - now on our own WEB PAGES! Those postings include Chamber member special events as well!
    • * it's an easy-to-update Google calendar that's automatically linked to our Community Calendar web page - add an event to the Google cal, and the Chamber web page is updated by default!
    • Think this is something YOU could help manage? would be GREAT if this were the same volunteer as the FaceBook admin, as the events added on one usually get added to both . . .
  • Monthly Chamber Page in Informer - an offer from Kasie was to allow us to publish community / Chamber info on our own dedicated page, once a month. Advertising space on that page would be available only to Chamber members at a nice discount!
    • * while I managed to build a number of pages of great info for publication, I sorely missed the monthly opportunity given to us by the Informer staff (my apologies) - perhaps something on which YOU could offer an assist?
  • Citizen of the Year - selection of  one in our community who has gone FAR above and beyond (only one per year, but not necessarily every year - awardee finalized by the committee of prior CoY's still active in the Chamber)
    • * usually need to interview someone close the nominee (listing their community support over the years) with accompanying write-up (current president.)

    Let us know what your interests are... Thank You!