Saranac Lake Region

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism has compiled and released the results of its fourth annual tourism impact survey, conducted in late 2025. The survey gathered feedback from residents and business owners in Essex and Hamilton counties, as well as the villages of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, regarding their perceptions of tourism's impact on the local economy and community.The survey was designed to capture business owners’ and residents’ perceptions and opinions on various topics related to tourism in the region. It aims to uncover sentiments regarding tourism-related activities and their impacts which contribute to the local economy and social environment, as well as identify topics that may be sources of concern. Surveys completed by business owners represent 26.6% of total surveys, compared with 73.4% completed by non-business owners. The vast majority of respondents have lived in the region for more than 11 years and 86% are employed full-time or retired.According to ROOST Chief Operating Officer Mary Jane Lawrence, destination management and marketing organizations (DMMOs) like ROOST work to balance economics of the tourism industry and community needs. “To be effective as a DMMO, it’s essential that local sentiment is clearly understood,” Lawrence said. “This survey gives residents and business owners a voice, helping us identify opportunities, address challenges, and shape strategies that support the local economy and quality of life for community members.”Key findings include:The vast majority of respondents (83%) believe that tourism positively impacts their community.More than 95% of respondents believe that tourism has a positive impact on businesses in their local community.The vast majority of respondents indicated that tourism has a positive impact on the region’s economy, the availability of local attractions, retail opportunities, and restaurant options.May and June saw the highest proportion of business owners indicating they could benefit from increased business (64% and 62%, respectively), suggesting opportunity for growth in the late spring/early summer period.The share of respondents who reported working more than one job (39%) increased by 10 percentage points year over year.Each year since 2023, survey respondents believe that the region would benefit most from additional marketing of arts, biking/cycling, and food/restaurants.Traffic and affordable housing remain the top cited negative impacts of tourism. Environmental degradation was cited more often than in past years as a negative consequence.Since 2022, a growing share of residents agree that increasing the number of permanent residents in their community is important to them.Results underscore the importance of recent community initiatives to balance community benefits with the positive impacts of the local tourism economy. These initiatives include the Community Tourism Enhancement Fund, which provides funding to each of the 18 towns in Essex County, to enhance the community for residents and visitors. Additionally, ROOST has collaborated with local officials to establish an event committee to review large-scale events and implement recommendations to mitigate impacts. ROOST also works with the region’s elected representatives to assist with initiatives such as workforce housing, grant applications for community improvement, and other projects designed to benefit Essex County communities. “The resident sentiment survey is an important tool for ROOST - it allows us to monitor and understand the impacts of tourism on local residents year over year,” stated ROOST President and CEO Dan Kelleher. “We appreciate that the vast majority of respondents affirm the overall benefits of tourism in our region, and we also recognize the important and ongoing work to assist our communities with housing, large-event mitigation, and other destination management initiatives.”Business owners and residents were invited to complete the survey via email, social media, news reports, and local notices. A total of 737 surveys from residents and business owners were completed in target regions. The results achieved a 5% margin of error at a 99% confidence level.Respondents were incentivized to take the survey with a chance to win a Visa Gift Card valued at $100.A link to survey results can be found at ROOSTAdk.com/research.

December, 2020Adirondacks, USA - Snowmobilers in the Adirondacks will now have access to an interactive trail map on their phone to better plan their outdoor riding adventures in one of the largest trail networks in New York state. The new, free Adirondacks, USA snowmobile app contains information about the trails in Essex, Franklin and Hamilton counties, and nearby gas stations, stores, restaurants and lodging properties that welcome sledders. More trails in neighboring counties will eventually be added to provide a more comprehensive map.The interactive map gives the sledder’s location with real-time GPS. Plug in a destination and the route will appear, tap on the trails near you to identify your route, or use the search feature to find the trail you are looking for. Backcountry riders will be glad to know that the app was designed with offline functionality, and its new mapping engine was specially created to work in areas with little to no cell service once it has been downloaded. Created by the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), the destination marketing organization for Essex, Franklin and Hamilton counties, the app is available for both iPhone and Android and can be downloaded at the app store. "Our landscape is criss-crossed with hundreds of miles of well-maintained, professionally-groomed and natural trails that are perfect for snowmobile enthusiasts,” said ROOST’s Director of Digital Services Jasen Lawrence. "We want to make it easier for riders to plan their excursions through our beautiful trail network and connect them with the full range of amenities available in our Adirondack communities.”This is the first phase of the ADK Snowmobile app. ROOST is looking to add other features in the future including weather and turn-by-turn directions.###

Contacts: Shannon L. Oborne, chief marketing officer, Paul Smith’s College soborne@paulsmiths.edu Carrie Gentile, communications coordinator, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism cgentile@roostadk.com Public invited to Grand Opening Tasting Event at Moody Farm celebrating the new Adirondack Lakes Cuisine Trail April 2019 Adirondacks, USA - The Adirondack Lakes Cuisine Trail will launch its inaugural season with a local food and beverage tasting event at Moody Tree Farm in Saranac Lake on Tuesday, April 30 from 5 - 8 p.m. The gathering is a preview event for EAT ADK, the Adirondacks’ restaurant week held May 2-9, featuring food and beverages from businesses located along the new trail. Tapping into the locavore food trend, the Adirondacks Lakes Cuisine Trail is designed to highlight some of the best food and beverage producers in the region and is a way to connect local businesses with visitors. "We are excited to get this initiative off the ground, which will enhance our area as a culinary destination,” said Cathy Hohmeyer, executive chef and co-owner of the Lake Clear Lodge & Retreat in Lake Clear. “Our emphasis on local foods is rich in history and we look forward to being a part of telling this flavorful story." Paul Smith’s College faculty and students will present information from a recently-completed strategic study they conducted about the cuisine trail. The Adirondacks Lakes Cuisine Trail is one of six new cuisine-themed trails Governor Andrew Cuomo launched last fall in the North Country, doubling the number of trails across New York. It features 20 businesses located on a scenic route that takes travelers through Tupper Lake, Lake Clear, Paul Smiths and Saranac Lake. The new network of trails, featuring 83 businesses in Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties, is a mechanism to boost the state's growing agritourism sector and spotlight the region's unique farms, food and beverage businesses, the governor said. More about the trail: The Adirondack Lake Cuisine Trails includes: Adk Cavu Café; Campfire Adirondack Grill; Adk Made; The Packbasket at the VIC; The Ganzi at Paul Smith’s College; The Lake Clear Lodge; The Trading Post at Fish Creek Ponds / Adirondack Perk Coffee House; Waterside Café at The Wild Center; The Fiddlehead Bistro; Blue Moon Café; Nori’s Village Market; Donnelly’s Ice Cream; Skyview Springs Farm; Moody Tree Farm; Tucker Farm; The Health Hub; The Well-Dressed Food Company; Big Tupper Brewing and Raquette River Brewing. All participating venues on New York’s cuisine trails are committed to offering consumers locally sourced agricultural products. The trail program is administered by the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets in collaboration with New York State Department of Transportation. The trails are part of the Taste of New York marketing campaign. More info can be found at https://taste.ny.gov/cuisine-and-beverage-trails. ###

April, 2019Saranac Lake, NY - This June, the upstate New York village of Saranac Lake, located smack dab in the center of the Adirondacks’ 30,000 miles of paddling routes, is holding a month long paddling celebration.Local outfitters and guides are organizing Celebrate Paddling — with a full slate of activities including an SUP Festival, long and short-distance races, and much more. With a goal of hosting an event every day during June, the partners — Adirondack Lakes and Trails Outfitters, the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, St. Regis Canoe Outfitters and Mac’s Canoe Livery — are offering demo days, guided canoe, kayak and guide boat trips, races, lectures, clinics on whitewater paddling, kayak strokes and general canoe use.New this year is the Celebrate Paddling Invitational on June 30 — canoe, kayak, guide boat and SUP paddling races for all abilities including youth, novice and marathon. Race distances are 1, 3 and 12 miles and start and finish on Lake Flower."Celebrate Paddling was created to promote paddling in the Saranac Lake area, one of the most scenic places in the northeast," said Mike Lynch, communications director for the Northern Forest Canoe Trail and an Adirondack guide. A schedule of events is listed here, and will continuously be updated as more events are added. About Saranac Lake and the AdirondacksNew York's Adirondack Park is a protected wilderness region larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks combined, encompassing more six million acres. Within its boundaries are 3,000 pristine lakes and ponds and more than 1,200 miles of rivers fed by an estimated 30,000 miles of brooks and streams.When a town has "lake" in its name, it better give off a solid water vibe. Saranac Lake doesn’t disappoint. It’s surrounded by an interconnected mix of scenic lakes, remote ponds and meandering rivers. The Saranac River, Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Saranac lakes and St. Regis Canoe Area are all located within a 20-minute drive from downtown.Saranac Lake has right-out-your-backdoor paddling in abundance. Begin and end your day on the water right from downtown. Lake Flower is the showpiece in the middle of town. It's a result of damming the Saranac River that runs through town and connects to the Saranac Chain of Lakes. In a nutshell, the village itself is a place with an urban, creative vibe, and where the mountains and lakes are as accessible as they are beautiful. Downtown Saranac Lake is full of artsy shops, restaurants, bars, a farmers market and outdoor music concerts. You can begin and end your paddling adventure just a short walk from dining, shopping and nightlife. For more info on paddling and a Saranac Lake vacation, go to SaranacLake.com.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE COMMUNITY INVITED TO NBC BROADCAST FROM THE ICE PALACE SARANAC LAKE, NY - All residents and visitors are invited to a taping of NBC’s The Today Show this Thursday morning at 7 a.m. at Saranac Lake’s ice palace. A crew from The Today Show, including anchor Kerry Sanders, will be there to tape a segment that highlights community spirit and support of our local Adirondack Olympic athletes. A viewing party is scheduled for 7 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, to watch Saranac Lake’s own and Olympic medalist Chris Mazdzer racing in the mixed luge team relay on at 7:30 a.m. Please arrive at the Ice Palace between 7 and 7:15 a.m. and show your support! All Olympic and U.S.A apparel is encouraged, as well as homemade signs to cheer Chris on. Mazdzer won silver in men’s singles luge on Sunday becoming the United States’ first-ever Olympic medalist in men’s singles luge. The segment will air Feb. 27

October 20, 2017 Contact: Aurora Wheeler, Oral History Coordinator HISTORIC SARANAC LAKE 518-891-4606 aurora@historicsaranaclake.org Saranac Lake, NY - Historic Saranac Lake has been awarded major grants to support the implementation of the Cure Porch on Wheels project in 2018. The New York Council on the Arts (NYSCA) has approved a $17,000 grant to support the creation of the mobile oral history booth and pop-up museum. A generous grant from the Cloudsplitter Foundation and additional private donations boost the fundraising total to over 63% of Historic Saranac Lake’s goal. In 2017, a National Endowment for the Arts grant is funding the design of the mobile exhibit space by Melissa Kline and engineer Wiley Lavigne with consultation from Adirondack White Pine Cabins builders Dan and Joe Plumb. In 2018, Historic Saranac Lake will contract with local builder Don Rumble to construct the Cure Porch on Wheels on a 16 foot trailer. The porch will be shared with other organizations and artists in order to host a wide variety of arts and cultural activities in the region. The Cure Porch on Wheels will be fully accessible to persons with disabilities via a platform lift. A collapsible stage will make it a flexible venue for musical performances and other events. “The fundraising campaign to build the porch next year is off to a great start,” said Executive Director, Amy Catania. “We can’t wait to build the porch and put it into use.” Project Director Aurora Wheeler has recently returned from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she gave a presentation about the porch project to an audience at the Oral History Association Annual Meeting. “The porch project is designed to be a model for other organizations to develop their own mobile spaces for arts and culture,” she noted. “It’s very special to be able to share our plans with organizations that are located all over the country.” Planning ahead for the long-term viability of the Cure Porch on Wheels, Historic Saranac Lake recently submitted a major National Endowment for the Arts Our Town grant in partnership with the Village of Saranac Lake and Traditional Arts of Upstate NY to support porch programs in 2019. ####

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) will be holding marketing review meetings in the upcoming months in each of its eight regional destinations. The purpose of these gatherings is to acquaint, or reacquaint community members with their respective regional marketing manager and to give an update on ROOST's progress on the scope of work related to tourism marketing initiatives. Two meetings have been set thus far, and we will inform you when the other regions' have been scheduled. The Saranac Lake region's destination marketing review is scheduled for Thursday, October 26, 2017, from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the Saranac Lake ROOST Office, 193 River Street. All interested Saranac Lake municipal leaders, businesses, organizations, and individuals are invited to attend. The agenda will include a short presentation by ROOST staff, time for Q&A, and a networking opportunity with light refreshments and a cash bar. Contact Kelly Brunette to RSVP, kelly@saranaclake.com. The Lake Champlain region's destination marketing review is scheduled for Thursday, November 2, 2017 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the Westport Hotel, 6691 Main Street, Westport. Contact Suzanne Maye to RSVP, suzanne@roostadk.com.

September 2017 - ROOST has been busy hosting and working with travel writers this summer. As the stories are published, we are sharing them with you. Travel writer Allison Tibaldi wrote a piece about the Adirondack great camps and elegant lodges that appeared on CNN earlier this month. ROOST hosted Allison and provided information and photos for her story entitled Rough it like a Gilded Age millionaire in the Adirondacks. It features lodgings in our region including Great Camp Sagamore, The Point, Lake Placid Lodge, Elk Lake Lodge, White Pine Camp, and the Whiteface Lodge. We worked with writer Sarah Taddeo for her September 2 story in USA Today, New York Road Trips: Top 5 must-see small towns. Lake Placid made the list! To support the golf at par initiative in Franklin County, we hosted Scott McLeod of Flagstick Golf, an Ottawa-based magazine. The result of his visit to the Malone Golf club can be found here. We’ll be sure to share more articles as they are developed!

June 27, 2017 Area businesses please note that the Saranac Lake Visitor Center, which has been located in the North Elba Town Hall on River Street, moved this week to the Harrietstown Town Hall at 39 Main Street. Please direct your guests to this new location for information on the region. The Saranac Lake Welcome Center will serve a dual role of providing information to both visitors and people and businesses looking to relocate to the region. The center is on the first floor of the Town Hall, first office to the left. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Welcome signs indicating the new location are in the works.

June 2017 - The ABC affiliate in Boston, WCVB, published an article on Saranac Lake, calling it a scenic village "where fresh water activities reign supreme, along with great hiking, dining, biking and more. Pull up an Adirondack chair, and ponder the fun you’ll have during your Saranac Lake micro-escape." The article was sponsored by Cape Air, which flies into Lake Clear Adirondack Regional Airport in Lake Clear. ROOST provided photography. View the article

Have you seen the most recent ROOST-produced destination videos? These promotional pieces help to showcase the regions' assets and inspire travel here. Our in-house videographer shoots footage and creates videos on an ongoing basis to augment our marketing efforts. Check out our newest ones! Mount Severance hike Malone Fun Discover Spring in Tupper Lake Wilmington Whiteface MTB On the water!

Saranac Lake, N.Y. - North Country Community College is seeking Essex County business partners who are interested in providing training to new or existing employees. Jane Carpenter, the college's career services coordinator, said workforce development training funds are currently available. The cost would be shared between the employer and a NCCC grant. Examples of training include but are not limited to computer instruction and customer service courses. All training must occur before June 30, 2017. For more information, please contact Jane at 518-354-5210 or jcarpenter@nccc.edu.

SARANAC LAKE - Area businesses, including some of the Adirondacks’ biggest employers, will be looking for qualified employees for a variety of full-time, part-time and seasonal positions at the Adirondack Daily Enterprise's Tri-Lakes Job Fair from noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, at North Country Community College in Saranac Lake. In its second year at the college, the fair has been moved to the gym (the Sparks Sports Complex) to accommodate more participants. Industries that will be represented include include the hospitality sector and medical field, along with other businesses and agencies. Job seekers can actively engage with the employers to apply for positions, learn about career opportunities and build relationships with North Country employers. “It is a great opportunity for high school and college students, as well as adults looking for a new career, to apply to the numerous positions available,” said Catherine Moore, publisher of the Enterprise Newspaper. Saranac Lake Rotary Club members will be available to review and offer tips on resumes, as well as to help prepare job seekers for interviews with potential employers. Event organizers strongly suggest job seekers bring copies of their resume for review by rotary club members and to hand to recruiters. Immediately following the fair, the Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce will host a networking mixer in the gym. “It’s an opportunity to meet and greet area business owners and employers,” said event organizer Lindsay Munn of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Employers are encouraged to register now by calling Lindsay at 518-891-2600 ext. 20. The Tri-Lakes Job Fair is sponsored by North Country Community College, Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Saranac Lake Rotary Club, Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce and ROOST (Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism). ###

One of the most powerful marketing tools ROOST has for communities and businesses across the North Country are our regional events calendars. Every one of our destination sites offers any public event the opportunity to have its very own page on the site. Any event that is local and open to the public can be submitted for an event listing. We will review and create a page that posts to the appropriate website's events page. Our events pages are some of the most trafficked on each of our sites. The events listing is also a quick and easy way to boost your event in Google searches for things to do in your region. Not only does an event listing help you get in front of thousands of travelers visiting our sites, it also makes it easier for us to incorporate your event into other marketing efforts. These listings are one place our photographer, videographer, bloggers, communications staff, and marketing staff monitor to help plan our marketing calendars. So mark your calendars to get event info up on our calendars! Here's a list of links for event submissions: Lake Placid (LakePlacid.com) Lake Champlain Region (LakeChamplainRegion.com) Saranac Lake (SaranacLake.com) Tupper Lake (TupperLake.com) Hamilton County (AdirondackExperience.com) Schroon Lake (SchroonLakeRegion.com) Franklin County/Malone (VisitMalone.com)

The North Country Chamber of Commerce and its licensed health insurance agency, the Plattsburgh-North Country Service Corp., are actively assisting small businesses and individuals throughout the region with their health insurance needs during the current open season. This includes reviewing current coverage in light of rate increases scheduled for January 1st and assisting with the identification of options, whether a different plan structure with the same insurance company or a possible move to another company's plan. Changes for January 1st need to be made by Dec. 15. The chamber and its health insurance subsidiary can serve businesses and employers of all kinds, non-profits, self-employed people and individuals, and can assist clients with coverage on either the "N.Y. State of Health" exchange or off the exchange. Its services are available throughout Clinton, Franklin, Essex, Hamilton, Warren and adjacent counties as well as Akwesasne. Access is offered to all major plans in the market including Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield, Blue Shield of Northeastern N.Y., Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, Fidelis and MVP, with availability varying by county. Access to the Healthy New York Program is also available, as are group rates on stand alone vision and dental plans. The chamber's health insurance professionals are licensed and trained, and advisory and enrollment services are without cost to the clients. The Plattsburgh-North Country Service Corp. is the official provider of health insurance services for the North Country, Malone, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Akwesasne, Schroon Lake, Ticonderoga, North Warren, Gore Mountain, Stony Creek, Indian Lake and Adirondack Speculator Chambers as well as ROOST, the Whiteface Visitors Bureau and the Inlet Business Association. For more information or to make an appointment to review coverage, contact Lisa Bedard Dupee at 518-563-1000.

ROOST helped coordinate Adirondack Day, an annual event aimed at educating Albany stakeholders about the Adirondacks. This year's event, held Wednesday, June 1, included booths featuring local colleges, attractions and other Adirondack organizations. [gallery size="medium" ids="19068,19067,19066,19065,19064,19063,19062,19061,19060,19059,19058,19057,19056,19055,19053,19052,19051,19050" orderby="rand"]

ESWG in the news Plattsburgh's Press-Republican published this great story by ROOST Content Developer Shaun Kittle about Titus Mountain's Empire State Winter Games events. READ THE ARTICLE

The North Country Chamber of Commerce and its licensed health insurance service, the Plattsburgh-North Country Service Corp., are reminding all employers and households in the North Country of the need to review updated health insurance options and to enroll in new plans or make changes in coverage soon, in time for the new year. The Plattsburgh-North Country Service Corp. is a fully licensed health insurance agency with trained and licensed professionals available to review all options available and then to enroll in new coverage or make changes in existing coverage. Their professional services are free and are available throughout northern New York including Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Warren, St. Lawrence and adjacent counties as well as Akwesasne. The Chamber and its Service Corp. offer access to a number of plans and options, both on the state's health insurance exchange, New York State of Health, as well as off the exchange. Advice and assistance is available for employers of all kinds including businesses, non-profits, government entities and self-employed persons, as well as for individuals and their families. Depending on the county, available options include a variety of health insurance plans through Excellus, Blue Shield of Northeastern New York, Fidelis, and MVP, including Healthy New York options, as well as stand alone dental and vision plans. The North Country Chamber of Commerce is the official provider of health insurance services to ROOST, and the Saranac Lake Area, Tupper Lake, Malone, Akwesasne, Ticonderoga Area, Schroon Lake, Indian Lake, Adirondack Speculator, Gore Mountain Region, North Warren and Stony Creek Chambers of Commerce as well as the Whiteface Visitors Bureau and the Inlet Business Association. For more information or assistance, contact Lisa Bedard Dupee at the North Country Chamber at 518-563-1000.

Assemblywoman’s occupancy tax legislation becomes law Assemblywoman Janet Duprey is pleased to announce that her legislation (A.6313) to strengthen Franklin County’s economic development was signed into law by Gov. Cuomo today. The legislation imposes a 5-percent motel and hotel tax for Franklin County that will generate essential revenue to help support and promote tourism within the county. “I’m thrilled that Franklin County will finally be given critical resources to compete with the rest of New York State,” said Duprey. “The occupancy tax will not only bolster economic development and tourism throughout the entire county, it will also help generate much-needed revenue and enhance marketing services through the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST). I’m happy to support legislation that will give Franklin County the resources it needs and deserves to thrive economically and to provide tourists with a chance to see all that this beautiful county has to offer.” The legislation has garnered support from the North Country business community and several municipalities, including Garry Douglas, President of the North County Chamber of Commerce and Co-Chair of the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, and Franklin County Legislature. “This is a major advance for the entire future economy of Franklin County,” said Douglas. “Following the model of Clinton and Essex Counties, the proceeds will be dedicated to tourism marketing and development, thereby sustaining and creating jobs, attracting new investment and benefiting every county resident through the generation of additional county sales taxes. Without this tool, Franklin County was being left at a competitive disadvantage, which is why the North Country Chamber and the REDC both identified passage of this legislation as a top priority this year. Our thanks to Governor Cuomo, Assemblywoman Duprey and Senator Little for getting it enacted, and to Franklin County, its Tourism Advisory Committee and our partner chambers in Malone, Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake for all of their work toward this positive conclusion.” ###

SARANAC LAKE — The Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce plans to host a series of workshops to train business owners and front-line staff on the ins and outs of great hospitality. The Chamber has recently applied for and received funding through the Workforce Development Institute to create the curriculum for the first Saranac Lake Community Hospitality Excellence Experience (CHEX) series of workshops for our typical and atypical hospitality staff. Business owners and front-line staff attending the program will bring back valuable knowledge to help train their co-workers and employees. The CHEX Series will be offered in three half-day sessions from 8:30 a.m. to noon April 17, May 8 and May 22 at the Best Western Conference Room in Saranac Lake. While the CHEX series is intended for participants to attend all sessions for a price of $60, participants may attend separate sessions for a fee of $25 per session. Who are typical and atypical hospitality staffs? A visitor's first conversations arriving in the area may very well be with an atypical hospitality employee — a gas station attendant, coffee shop barista, liquor store employee — not the typical hospitality front desk personnel at a hotel. The Chamber hopes to create a warm, welcoming first impression to visitors as we all tell the “Saranac Lake Story,” encourage repeat visitations and great word-of-mouth publicity for the area. The CHEX workshops, offered to front-line workers, business owners, volunteers, and other interested community members, will increase the economic and community benefits of tourism. CHEX will foster regional collaboration and enhance Saranac Lake’s image as an Adirondack destination. To achieve these goals, each interactive half-day session will develop different skills in two key areas: Community Connections–shared knowledge, sources of information, and familiarization with local and regional historic, recreation, wellness, and arts and crafts experiences and events, as well as resources for shopping and personal needs. Quality Hospitality and Service—key components of superior hospitality and communications skills that help improve connections and interactions with visitors, and within work environments. To develop the Saranac Lake CHEX program components, Susan Day Fuller, president of Fuller Communications, met with a focus group of Chamber members and other community leaders. Fuller will facilitate the three interactive training sessions.

ROOST in the news The Press-Republican of Plattsburgh details the boost the local economy gets from the Empire State Winter Games.

Paddle Sport Event Management Workshop Hosted by the Adirondack Watershed Alliance At the Paul Smith’s College VIC 8023 State Route 30, Paul Smiths, NY 12970 February 28, 2015 – Noon – 4 PM The Adirondack Watershed Alliance (AWA) is working with New York State and regional tourism agencies to coordinate a canoe and kayak paddling promotion as part of a larger tourism promotion project funded through an award to the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. The AWA will assist in the development of several paddle oriented promotional tools involving social media, events, destination and trip planning, and a website to encourage more paddlers to discover the diversity of paddling opportunities in the North Country Region (the area including the Thousand Islands, the Adirondacks, St. Lawrence, Clinton, Hamilton and Oswego Counties). The leaders of the discussion will be Brian & Grace McDonnell, coordinators of the Adirondack Watershed Race Series and the Adirondack Canoe Classic for the past 16 years, and Chuck Bolesh, director of the Canton Canoe Weekend for the past 25 years. The conversation will be designed to provide specific information to new and seasoned event organizers; encourage new events; and provide the basic tool box for a successful race. TOPICS WILL INCLUDE: The Basics of event administration – scheduling, permits, promotion, volunteers, advertising, entry forms, registration, boat numbers, timing, insurance, finance. Event Management – Course design, safety, order of start, timing of start, weather and cancellation policy, class specifications, communication, tents and facilities (bathrooms, port a johns, pavilion), Pit stops or First aid on course. Amenities – Sponsors, T-shirts, food, prizes, plaques, activities, Pro vs Amateur event, recreational class, results, awards, involvement in race series, and spectator friendly information and visibility. Advertising and Promotion - Social media, local media, NYMCRA, event calendars For more information or to RSVP – please contact Brian McDonnell at brian@macscanoe.com or call 518 891- 2744.

Empire State Winter Games in the news Feb. 7, 2o15: Press-Republican, "Empire State Winter Games boost local economy" Kim Dedam overviews the economic boost the Tri-Lakes area sees each year due to the Empire State Winter Games. READ THE ARTICLE

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will host its Annual Children’s Holiday Party from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, in the lobby of the DEC Regional Office in Ray Brook. This event is held for the enjoyment of children in the community. Santa Claus and Smokey Bear will be featured at the festivities. Santa will listen to wishes and give out presents to area children. Santa’s elves will give out treats and do face painting. All will be entertained by live and recorded performances of holiday music. If you have any questions or would like additional information, call the DEC at 518-897-1213.