SYRACUSE — Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce and guests reviewed many plans at the Wednesday, Sept. 2, meeting in the chamber office in uptown Syracuse. President Chad Jonsson presided during the meeting full of information.

A committee of Executive Director Tammy Cotton, Assistant Director Kristi Martin, board member and former president Kathy Boyts, and Syracuse Town Manger Henry DeJulia met and have submitted for bids new banners similar to those uptown.

These will feature the locations of Wawasee Village and Riverfront District in Syracuse. The riverfront is actually Turkey Creek in Syracuse, but it complies with the state designation for water front and adjacent properties.

Board member Sylvia Garget reported on the welcoming sign by Wawasee Middle School. Logos for the local organizations have been approved and will be added soon. There is still no word on the sign in Elkhart County. Contact will be made by Cotton.

Membership renewal is underway and Cotton is meeting with Vicky Howell, The Papers Inc. about the next chamber directory. Also a meeting about the future uses of the current Syracuse Elementary School is being held with a committee of artists and the school district.

Cotton attended the last Indiana Bicentennial meeting in Warsaw. A request has been sent to the state organization asking for the bicentennial torch route to be diverted through Leesburg across Armstrong Road to SR 13 and through North Webster and then Syracuse. No response has been received.

The torch will arrive in Silver Lake Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016, and proceed through Warsaw. The original route went straight up SR 15. The county committee has planned numerous festivities for Sept. 30 through Oct. 3.

Ideas for Syracuse include working with the school district to stage a parade before the Warsaw against Wawasee game Friday, Oct. 1, at Wawasee. A tailgate event before the game was also suggested. There will be a picnic in Syracuse during the weekend as well.

It was decided to add signs to the front door of the chamber and Syracuse-Wawasee Trails Committee office.

During task force reports, Jonsson asked if the chamber wanted to continue the Syracuse-Wawasee Redevelopment Committee since the town has revived the commission of the same name. The general feeling is the chamber would like a couple of representatives on the commission if possible.

The events task force reminded all of the Fall Festival to be held Saturday, Oct. 10, at Lakeside Park. Work is progressing on the Winter Festival to complement the Wawasee Kiwanis Club snowmobile drag races.

Some of the members of the chamber’s Young Entrepreneur Association are attending a webinar. It explains about applying for the statewide Hometown Collaboration Initiative, a step toward being chosen a state stellar city or town.

The chamber ambassadors group has chosen Polywood to be spotlighted for September at the chamber office. An ambassadors meeting is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the chamber office.

Two other events in the works are a marketing workshop Tuesday, Oct. 13, and the upcoming business after hours at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23. There will be refreshments, new information on WACF programs and the trails will be open.