“We urge all members to be sure and do two things this month: RSVP for the chamber awards dinner, March 4, and get in your membership application by this Friday, Feb. 15,” explained Sue Ward, president of the North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce, during the general membership meeting held at the North Webster American Legion 253 today.

It is important to renew or get a new membership by Feb. 15 to be included in the chamber’s promotional book, The North Webster Community Guide for 2013. Applications can be accessed online.

Fees to enjoy membership benefits are $65 for renewal of businesses with nine or less employees and non-profit memberships. Businesses with more 10 or more employees pay $90 while first time business groups pay just $35. Individuals can join for $20. The form and check for the proper amount need to be returned to NWTT Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 19, North Webster, IN 46555.

The annual awards dinner will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, March 4, at North Webster Community Center, 301 N. Main St. (SR 13). Price of the ticket includes dinner and the program. There will be a social hour with a cash bar from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. with dinner at 6 p.m.

Phil Metcalf will be the speaker and 2012 awards for person of the year, small business and large business will be announced and presented. There is also a silent auction with winners being revealed at 7:45 p.m. Catering will be done by Ye Olde Pub, North Webster.

RSVP with by Thursday, Feb. 20, with checks made payable to the NWTT Chamber of Commerce. Ashley Ward, Emilie Judy and Richard Owen are the awards dinner committee.

It was announced that the chamber office will be moving from the community center to the Tippecanoe Township Building, 102 S. Morton St. around March 1. Help moving would be appreciated. Contact Ward at (574) 834-4323 if you’d like to volunteer. Call after Feb. 18.

North Webster-Tippecanoe Township Fire Chief Jeremy Likens reported that the new north siren is operational and the south one is being worked on. Installation of others will follow. The department will announce siren testing about a week before it happens through the newspapers and other media.

Board members and others who will serve as committee chairmen for 2013 are as follows: community guide, Stacey Cox and Karilyn Metcalf; Dixie Days, Sue Ward, Tonya Bowser and Tammy Kratzer; Fall Festival, Julie DuBois and Jen Ducey; signs-scholarships and plants, Linda Land, Ducey and Dave Colquitt; Membership, Colquitt and Martha Stoelting; finance-audit, Brenda Peterson, Stacey Cox and Emilie Judy, Indiana Festival Book, Sue Ward and Cox; and advertising and public relations, Stoelting.

In other business, it was learned that the cookbook is almost ready to send to the publishers and another source for a concrete nativity set is being looked at.

The board held a strategic planning session for the year last week.

The next general chamber meeting will be noon, Monday, April 8, at the Legion. The membership is encouraged to attend the awards dinner March