By ALEXANDRA NEWMAN

Once upon a time, the Welcome Wagon greeted new residents to our community, but that welcoming committee has been long gone. To fill the void, the Chesterton/Duneland Chamber of Commerce developed a program they call At Home in Duneland.

For the past year a volunteer committee has worked quietly, but diligently, designing a logo, contacting businesses to include welcome gifts to give to the newcomers. They also are the ones who deliver the bags and answer questions asked by those unfamiliar with the area.

“So far we’ve made 200 deliveries, since we began distributions in May last year,” said Linda Ramsey, chairman of the committee. The group organized in January of 2006.

Although 200 is a lot of new residents, one would think that with the number of homes being built, there would have been even more. However, getting names of new residents today has become a difficult task.

Back in the days when realtors and the post office were allowed to provide information to the local welcoming committee, it was easy to locate the newcomers. In fact, it was not uncommon for the newcomer’s names, address, ages of the children, occupation of the parents and any other personal information to be included in newsletters and newspapers.

“Thanks to the U.S. Privacy Act, realtors no longer can notify welcoming committees - not even the next door neighbors,” said Tracy Constantine, of the Duneland Chamber.

To help make things easier, the Chesterton Tribune publishes a coupon frequently which the new resident can fill out and send to the Chamber. Realtors also have been handing their new clients cards advising them to contact the Chamber. Home associations also can inform their new neighbors about the Chamber’s program.

“We’ve been getting so many gifts from businesses that we are planning to get larger shopping bags,” Constatine said.

The bags contain a current Chesterton Tribune, coupons, maps, key chains, pens and pencils, toothbrushes, balloons - oh, so many items! Lists of banks, doctors, stores, information about the schools, Lakeshore and surrounding community also is in the bag.

“People ask us questions about the town, and we are there to answer the questions,” said Kim White, a volunteer who grew up here.

“I enjoy making the deliveries, Ramsey said. “Sometimes they have coffee and cookies ready for us and we meet really nice people.

“When I moved here 40 years ago, I took an Avon route to meet people. We got a welcome bag, but there is so much more information now. It just goes to show how much we have grown since then,” added Ramsey, manager of Horizon Bank.

Volunteer Debbie Tegtmeyer, joined this committee when she moved here two years ago. “I saw the article that the group was forming and thought it would be a great way to meet people and find out about the area,” she said.

Another volunteer member, Theresa Edwards, of Michigan City, echoed the members’ enjoyment in belonging to the group. The company she works for is called Servpro, and although it is based outside of Duneland, the water and fire restoration company is available to this community.

When the committee is not delivering the gift bags, members organize the new gifts that keep coming in. They also discuss how they can improve their service.

For more information, please call the Chamber at 926-1151.

Posted 4/16/2007