Taking a moment to feel grateful.
On October 29th we threw a party in the name of toasting the community, celebrating the achievements over the past year and raising funds for projects and improvements in 2025. It was a interesting mix of the annual dinner event combined with an upscale spooky cocktail party - and it was a lot of fun!
As many of you know, The Greater Cazenovia-Area Chamber of Commerce (GCACC) has endured some significant changes over the past few years, including a complete branding overhaul.
The GCACC is still the behind-the-scenes engine that powers this operation, however we now have...
Caz Life the consumer-facing events committee. This group focuses on tourism within the community and the creation and promotion of many large-scale events including but not limited to The Christmas Walk, Fall Fest, Winter Fest, The Annual Dinner, Summer Fest, 4th of July Celebration and more!
Caz Life Business aims to be a resource for local companies to help them thrive within our community. It is your one-stop-shop for networking events, business collaborations, classes, webinars, marketing tools and more!
In a complete break from tradition, this annual meeting event leaned into upscale spooky vibes being just a few days from Halloween! Tickets sold out quickly and included food stations, a cash bar, live music from Jess Novak, a tarot card reader, a photo booth, raffle baskets and a LIVE auction.
After the obligatory meeting details were set to rest, the centerpiece of the event unfolded with the first annual Ezra Greenleaf Awards going to Kurt Wheeler, Dan Kuper and Jen Wong. As the first of their kind, they honored forward thinking community members who diligently crusade toward positive change on a local level. The award recipients were toasted and received one-of-a-kind art pieces in commemoration of their efforts courtesy of Cazenovia Artisans.
The mood was festive and fun with this cocktail style party. Guests mixed and mingled all night moving from one room to the next to enjoy the evening. Raffle entries were accepted until 8pm when the winners were announced and the LIVE auction began. Raffle items included incredible donations from The Village of Cazenovia, Cazenovia Preservation Foundation, realtor -Tom Tait, realtor – Chary Griffin, Morse kayak rentals, Meier’s Creek Brewing Company and more!
The theme of the auction was focusing on memorable experiences and priceless events. Items included horse-drawn carriage rides and lake side picnics, boat tours, incredible artwork, diamond earrings - and even a private dinner with local Olympian Beezie Madden. Whether is was the jovial mood of the night or the delicious cocktails - the crowd was eager to make this fundraiser a success! Each item was lovingly referred to as “an opportunity of a lifetime” - and there was much banter back and forth for the chance to win each. We even had a husband and wife unknowingly bidding against each other!
On a whole this event was an incredible success and the funds raised will be put directly into action to support the planning and promotion of local events and community initiatives.
And boy oh boy do we have events and initiatives coming up!
We are currently working on the following…
The Giving Tree 11/4 - 12/4
Caz Night Out: 11/21
The Christmas Walk & Tree Lighting: 12/6
Flannel Friday 11/29
Small Business Saturday 11/30
Winter Fest 2/7 & 2/8
Dining Week 2/16 - 2/28
… and that’s just the next few months!
Thanks again to all those who come out to the event, your support meant the world to us. Everyday we feel honored that we have been entrusted to enact positive change within this community we so love. Thank you!
