Events and committees topped the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce board meeting today as members continued to lessen the burden on Executive Director Tammy Cotton.

Cotton read over a list of her involvements before asking board members to take part in committees for certain events and functions of the chamber.

One committee formed was for the chamber’s annual dinner banquet, tentatively scheduled for Jan. 29, with board members Sylvia Gargett, Tricia Welk, Richard Owen, Kathy Boyts and Larry Biller all participating in it. Their role will involve getting bids for catering, securing a location and working on awards.

A membership committee will be formed in the future to work on the directory, gaining new members and member retention, directory delivery and working with Spectra Print. Boyts expressed interest in helping with the artistic part of the committee. Cotton also called for a finance committee to be set up, which other chambers have.

Cotton noted she would like to be able to put more emphasis on personally visiting chamber members and putting on more networking events, something she cannot currently do. She also stressed the board needed to reach out to members. She noted committee positions could go to people who are not members of the board.

Cotton’s position, along with certain bylines, will be addressed and cleaned up during the board’s annual retreat, which has not been set yet.

Future chamber events mentioned during the meeting were Fall Harvest Festival, Oct. 13, and Holiday Magic, Nov. 17. Board member and event task force chair Chad Jonsson along with Cotton stressed both events were in need of volunteers.

The annual banquet also received much discussion with board members deciding to return to the more formal dinner  style. The dinner committee will begin looking for bids for catering.

A previous event, the Liberty Bike Ride, proved to be a success with approximately 106 cyclists from three different states turning out for the event. Cotton stated she had received good feedback from many of the cyclists with one stating he could see ridership doubling next year. Cotton noted they hoped to get Kosciusko County Velo Bicycle Club and avid bicyclists involved with the project for next year so it could stand on its own.

In other chamber news, two new members were accepted to the chamber, namely Applied Thermal Technologies, Warsaw, and Universal Advertising Association, Cincinnati, Ohio. Board members also voted to switch to Omega Computer Solutions to maintain the chamber’s website.

Next meeting will be at noon Sept. 5 at the chamber’s office. It will be a bring your own lunch.