SYRACUSE — With the new year just around the corner, the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce sought to get 2016 events, budgets, membership packets and more in order at its regular board meeting Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Planning continues on the Winter Carnival, Jan. 30. In her update, Assistant Director Kristi Martin stated a logo has been created for the event, and currently they are working on lining up food trucks. Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation is also planning several events on its SR 13 property, including snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

The chamber will be working with the police department on traffic control for the carnival’s 5K run, plus a partial closing of East Main Street for ice sculpture viewing. The chamber continues to seek sponsors for the event.

Everything is falling into place for the annual awards banquet, Jan. 26, at Oakwood’s Event Center. Nominations for awards have come in from chamber members, and the banquet committee will begin tallying them up. Sponsors, including for awards and tables, continue to be sought in addition to items for the silent auction. In line with the banquet, board members will be putting together nominees to fill two vacant board seats; chamber members will then vote on those nominees.

For 2016, chamber ambassadors will be personally handing out membership renewal packets during the next few days. Packets that cannot be personally delivered will be mailed with a personal note, letting the member know who their ambassador will be.

Board members also reviewed a preliminary 2016 budget and discussed methods of creating new revenue. The final budget will be presented to board members at the January meeting.

In other chamber news:

• Mistletoe Market continues from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 12 and 19, offering unique, local gift ideas for the holidays.
• Chamber Executive Director Tammy Cotton will be getting more information about possibly bringing a Biggest Loser program to Syracuse. It is a program Warsaw has participated in.
• The chamber had two guests speak: Mike Hawkins, the new supervisor for the Syracuse Post Office; and Jim Layne, new Syracuse police chief.

The next chamber meeting is at noon Wednesday, Jan. 6, in the chamber office, located on East Main Street, Syracuse