By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Cassopolis Vigilant
CASSOPOLIS - The Cassopolis/Vandalia Chamber of Commerce is busy organizing committees and making plans to ensure a fun filled weekend in June.
Wanting to continue the tradition of a downtown festival, the chamber members have changed its name for 2005, to reflect its new direction.
The Cassopolis Arts and Music Fest will be held the weekend of June 24-26. The Gospel Fest, always popular, according to the new chamber president, Leonard Kanczuzewski, will still be held on Sunday.
New this year will be a magic show, along with the traditional arts and crafts, singing contests, and Farmers' Market.
Kanczuzewski praised the outgoing chamber president, Fred Stein of Neighbors and Marcello's Pizzeria, for all of the popular activites which the chamber has sponsored during his reign, including turkey give-aways, and last year's Cassopolis Days.
One very successful activity started by Stein, which has brought many people to visit the community, have been the fishing tournaments.
Winners included Andy Kruger of Dowagiac, who caught a 13 and a half inch crappie; Joshua Reinoehl of Cassopolis with a 13 and 1/16th perch, and Eill Beachy of Middlebury, Ind., with the first place bluegill at nine and 4/8 inches.
In its first year there were 72 fishermen. Stein also organized a kid's fishing day which brought out children and their parents to Stone Lake.
The chamber also helped secure a low-interest loan for Andacy Products of Cassopolis for $10,000.
Volunteers are still needed to help with the preparations for the community celebration in June. Everyone in the community is invited to the Chamber meetings at Midwest Energy in Cassopolis at 5:30 p.m., on the third Wednesday of the month.