The Deer Isle-Stonington Chamber of Commerce is one of the Island’s most vital organizations. Directed and run by volunteers, our Chamber strives to promote and enhance the community’s diverse businesses through a variety of means including publication of the annual Island Guide. Over 15,000 copies of the Guide are distributed throughout the State of Maine at State Visitor Centers, via mail, at our Welcome Center and our members businesses. Our Island map features the location of all our members and is given out free of charge to visitors.
The Chamber sponsors an annual spring birding Festival: "Wings, Wave & Woods, a weekend of birding by land, by sea and by art", Spring Clean-Up Day, our annual Lupine Festival celebrating springtime on Deer Isle, the 4th of July parade and fireworks, and other events.
The Chamber also serves as a clearing house for information on all aspects of Island life, state and national Chamber programs, tourism and opportunities for business growth such as the BuyLocal – HireLocal campaigns.
Business Membership
Your business or organization is welcome to join the Chamber any time of year. To qualify for membership your business must be located on the Island and can be either year round or seasonal.
The deadline to be included in the 2013 Island Guide, both as a Chamber member and to place an ad, is November 1st, 2012. If you join by November 1st 2012, you will receive ALL the benefits of membership:
- Island Guide: (Island Guide is published midwinter so join the Chamber early!)
- 2 free category listings
- Inexpensive advertising opportunites
- Location listing on the Island Map
- Chamber Website:
- Free listing
- Free link to your website
- Free email link
- Free Chamber email address
- Free weekly email news/sales/advertising newsletter
- Welcome Center:
- Free placement of advertising/promotional materials
- Inexpensive display at the Kiosk
- Free listing, where applicable, in our Festival pamphlets
- Admission to our Winter Business Workshops
- Half price dues for joining BuyLocal & HireLocal campaigns
- Reduced health insurance cost through Chamber Blue Program
Download Business Membership Form
Download Island Guide Advertising Form
Associate Membership
Associate Memberships were created in 1997 at the request of non-business owners who wished to support the Chamber’s efforts. Associate members are either year round or summer residents. Annual tax deductible dues is $50.00. We are deeply grateful to our Associate Members, both for their financial contribution and to their volunteer efforts. Many Associates are summer residents and serve as greeters at our Welcome Center which welcomes over 4000 visitors from May through October. Associate members are invited to join the Chamber Board, attend our monthly meetings and in the planning of our Festivals, events and efforts. We welcome you to join!
Download Associate Membership Form
2013 Associate Chamber Members
William Creasy Jr.
Bob Harris
Anne Hooke
Alwyn & Irving Johnson
Mission Statement
Our Mission: To promote the interests and vitality of the Deer Isle-Stonington business community in a manner that respects the island’s traditional ways of life and encourages new, sustainable opportunities that will support a flourishing island economy.
What We Do: To accomplish the goals of our mission our focus is:
- To promote both year-round and seasonal member businesses by creating, publishing and disseminating the Island Guide and the Island Map as well as managing the chamber’s website.
- To greet visitors arriving on our island with an attractive and useful Welcome Center.
- To coordinate and sponsor island special events that promote the community image and at the same time be fun for its citizens and guests.
- To serve as a networking forum for its members where they can exchange ideas and develop mutually beneficial relationships.
- To work with state and local governments as well as regional and local organizations to provide educational opportunities to member businesses and advance our shared interest in a sustainable island economy.
2013 Chamber Board Members
Henry Borntraeger, President
Christina Shipps, Vice President
Karen Galella
Walt Reed
Kelly Kolysher, Secretary, Treasurer & Administrative Assistant