The Westbrook Board of Selectmen (BOS) is seeking volunteers to serve on a committee tasked with creating a community event to honor the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

In 2022, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont established a commission to help plan ways to recognize the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. The state has asked every municipality to create a community event with the same goal.

At a May 23 BOS meeting, the board decided to ask Westbrook residents to volunteer to help the town devise its event. The BOS said notices would be posted on the town website and given to the school system, the historical society, and the American Legion.

Anyone interested in applying to be on the committee can contact the BOS.

Per the state’s instructions, the towns are being left to figure out what the community event will look like. Additionally, the event does not necessarily have to take place on July 4, just sometime in the calendar year 2026.

Although it is up to each town to figure out what the event will look like, the state has offered some broad guidelines.

In a post on the state 250 Commission website, the group’s vision statement encourages residents to think about the multitude of different people who have contributed to making America what it is today.

“This anniversary encourages us to reflect on our role in the creation of our nation: as individuals, as communities, and as a state. When we commemorate the semi-quincentennial, we must ensure that Americans of all ages and backgrounds and in all places see themselves in history, appreciate its relevance, and understand how the diverse people of the past all contributed to the American story,” the post states.

The post goes on to state that the goal of a successful event is to showcase Connecticut’s history of civic participation aimed at creating positive change for all.

“A successful 250th in Connecticut will be defined by its reach and impact; specifically, the number of opportunities created for civic engagement, and the degree to which those opportunities made all residents of Connecticut feel represented and included,” the post continued.