New to Whitehall? Did you get your goody bag?

If not, call the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce. Its members will make sure you get one.

"It's such a neat way to reach out to the community," said chamber Executive Laura Long. "Whitehall is known for being so big and yet it has a hometown feel."

The blue canvas goody bags are emblazoned with the phrase "Welcome to Whitehall" and feature logos of various chamber members and sponsors of the Welcome to Whitehall program.

Each month, chamber members volunteer to stuff the goody bags with chamber member business cards and information as well as advertising premiums such as pens, magnets and even lip balm.

"A lot of our members put in coupons, magnets. It's a great way to get your name out," said Long. "I don't know of any other towns that do it."

Each bag also contains a Whitehall new resident packet from the township. This includes information on government meetings, departments and programs.

The actual work of assembling the bags gets done quickly. Items are arranged on a conference table in the chamber office. Volunteer members each take a bag and walk around the table adding items until everything on the table is in the bag. The completed welcome bags are then placed on another table in the back of the room.

As they fill the bags, chamber members talk about family and social life and sometimes share treats such as homemade cookies.

The idea for the bags originated about two years ago with Justen Bennett of PNC Bank when he was new to the chamber and got involved with the Community Outreach Committee, said Long.

"Not only is the chamber involved in member to member activities but we really try to reach out to individuals," said Long. For example, the chamber participates in the Relay for Life of Whitehall and Toys for Tots, it sponsors a division in the Whitehall parade and has organized its own Health and Wellness Day and Doggie Day and Pet Parade.

In addition to Bennett, Michelle Funk of the Pennsylvania Performing Arts Center and Donna Hosler of Office Elf LLC "were really instrumental in getting this thing going," said Long.

Since then, Caitlin Stibitz of Cetronia Ambulance Corps and Michelle Udicious of St. Luke's Home Health and Hospice have become co-chairs of the outreach committee and Brittany Banzoff of ServPro of Easton, Bethlehem, Whitehall serves as chair of the Welcome to Whitehall bags program.

Long said the chamber makes an average of 60 welcome bags a month.

Sallie White of Gopher Services personally delivers the bags to new residents.

"She tries to talk to them individually," said Long, adding that if she must, White will leave the bags for those who are not home.

Bags are also delivered to leasing agents for new tenants moving into apartment complexes, Long said.

For more information on the chamber, call Long at 610-432-4130.