James Lemons, Executive Director of the Lake Placid Center for the Arts (LPCA) and Jon Donk, LPCA's Managing Director, spoke to our club about the exiting remodel and upgrades planned for the LPCA. Already a core attraction in our community with its performance and educational spaces, gallery and retail presence, the time has arrived to create a world-class facility that will be enjoyed by all. Funded through grants and donations, the LPCA will transform into a modern, fully accessible facility providing entertainment and cultural enrichment for years to come. Here are images of the present day LPCA, a proposed future building and theatre space. Club member Laurie Dudley is flanked by Jon and James after the presentation. For more information about the LPCA, please visit http://lakeplacidarts.org
We welcome as our newest member C J Dates. CJ (2nd from left) is Director of Philanthropic Services at the Adirondack Foundation. From the Foundation's website: He has a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetorical Theory and Psychology from Roberts Wesleyan University and a Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary, focusing on Ancient Semitic languages and culture. Most recently, he managed a certified organic farm in Fair Haven, NY, and a restoration agriculture project in Sterling, NY. CJ enjoys travel, art, music, studying ancient mystic traditions, and learning how people of all kinds make meaning in their lives. Welcome CJ!
The loons have migrated to points south and east for the winter but the dedicated staff at the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation http://www.adkloon.org are working hard to promote loon conservation, providing education about this important species and of course, are on call to rescue stranded or injured birds. Denise Silfee is the ACLC's Director of Education, recently presenting to the club a program which highlights what a healthy loon population means for the lakes we all enjoy. Stop in to the ACLC office in Saranac Lake to see the exhibits and while you're learning some real interesting facts, stop in the gift shop for some unique holiday gifts. And please do consider a donation to help the ACLC bring its message to more visitors and schools and also to enable more research projects which will inform the public about keeping the Adirondacks the natural wonder that it is. Besides highlights of Denise's presentation, the photos include images from the 2024 loon survey where loons are temporarily captured to assess their health, banded for further study and released back into their habitat.
Here are the results from our Halloween Trivia Night. Thanks to all who supported and played. We hope you had a fun-filled evening. Pictures to follow soon.
We had a return visit, via Zoom, from Joe Tastrom of the Beagle Freedom Project. Joe discussed why beagles are frequently chosen for research, subjecting the animals to experimentation leading to physical and developmental problems. Companies are bowing to pressure to halt animal testing due to evidence of cruel and inhumane treatment. The Beagle Freedom Project (http://bfp.org) has rescued many animals and rehomed them to families who will care for animals that have endured months or years of suffering.
Joe showed three short videos about the Project's work. One video describes a recent major rescue event http://bfp.org/summer-of-freedom-rescues). Other videos are https://youtu.be/EdmiODHL_ls?si=JrySow00GAbTtPWk and https://youtu.be/8p__eLTL6n4?si=22w4Bm3qKbSoCRz_. Click to see Joe's presentation and visit their website to learn about how you can help.
We were pleased to have Carolyn Walton visit us again today to provide an update on the successful Woods Program. The Woods Program focuses in the physical, mental and emotional group of the young adults who participate. Carolyn is looking forward to expanding the program via working with the Superintendent of the Lake Placid Central School system and will be presenting to an upcoming meeting of school superintendents from other districts around the state. We invite you to visit https://www.thewoodsprogram.com/ for the latest information. The Rotary Club of Lake Placid is proud to have provided financial assistance to support the fine work that Carolyn and her team is doing and looks forward to hearing more stories about the positive impact the program brings to its participants.
Jenna Audlin is a student in the Saranac Lake system who Zoomed in to a recent meeting. Her love of the outdoors and desire to educate children about the environment they live in has led her to create a series of books that encourage children to understand the Adirondack environment. Jenna's books are full of activities which are done while, for example, on a hike. The goal is to increase observation skills and interpret what certain things mean in the life cycle of a tree or the changing of the seasons. Jenna self-publishes her books and they are sold through Amazon or local stores like The Bookstore Plus. For more about Jenna, please click this link to read a recent story in the Adirondack Explorer: https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/exploring-the-adirondacks-with-a-pencil
Our club welcomed Chadd Cassidy, General Manager of the Olympic Center. With over two decades of experience in daily management and facility operations, Chadd is positioning the Olympic Center for growth as a world class venue for figure skating or ice hockey. Chadd's presentation showed us some of the behind the scenes operations of a facility that has a positive economic impact on the community and as a space for many different kinds of events - soon to be a performance area for shows and other forms of entertainment. From exciting sports events to the nostalgia of an illustrious history, ORDA facilities are a must see for everyone who lives or visits our area. We suspect that under Chadd's leadership, the Olympic Center's presence as an important performance space is in good hands for the future.