The Adirondacks, New York - The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) in cooperation with the communities of Wilmington, Jay, Upper Jay, and Au Sable Forks, is undergoing a branding study and is looking for stakeholders, residents, and visitors to complete an online survey. The survey is designed to help better understand what motivates people to visit the Whiteface Region in New York’s Adirondack Mountains. Respondents are asked questions about their perception of particular activities, such as hiking, fishing, mountain biking, dining, and visiting area attractions. “The Whiteface Region provides a unique variety of experiences for both residents and travelers,” stated Savannah Doviak, the Whiteface Region Marketing Manager for ROOST. “The survey will help guide us in developing a cohesive marketing message to position the region as a great place to visit, live, and do business.” Results from the survey will be used by ROOST and a committee, made up of business and community members to refine and update the brand for the region. A brand is a unique image and message that increases awareness of the region for both tourism and sustainable economic development. It reflects the customer’s impression of a product, destination, or organization. “We are thrilled to be kicking off the brand development for the region,” states Michelle Preston, Operations Manager of the Whiteface Region Visitors Bureau. “We have pulled together an excellent committee to help guide us through the process, and we look forward to leveraging the results of the survey to advance this initiative.” Both local residents and visitors of the Whiteface Region are encouraged to complete the short survey, which can be found at www.WhitefaceRegion.com/Brand. Respondents to the survey will be entered into a drawing with three chances to win a $50 Visa Gift Card. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York State. ###

ROOST and I Love NY are in the process of reviewing how we approach accessibility and accessible vacation ideas across our sites. To that end, I Love NY has developed a survey to gauge accessibility and highlight accessible features. I Love NY would like to use this info to highlight accessible features on ILoveNY.com. In addition, ROOST will be using this information to develop accessible highlights on our own websites as well as to update your business listing information on VisitAdirondacks.com. Please note, this survey is designed to highlight accessible features for guests who may need them. Your responses will ONLY be used to highlight accessible features. Start the Survey

Adirondacks, U.S.A. - The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) and local leaders are inviting residents to register for the 11th annual Great Adirondack Garage Sale. For 2021, the event is moving back to its historic Memorial Day weekend schedule. The dates this year are May 28 - 30. The garage sale stretches over 200 miles through Adirondack communities, including Old Forge, Inlet, Raquette Lake, Indian Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Long Lake, Tupper Lake, Piercefield, Newcomb, and Speculator. Registration is free online and listings on the website include dates and times for each sale. Each community will also receive paper maps of local sale locations to hand out. To register and find more information, visit www.GreatAdirondackGarageSale.com. The interactive website showcases sale locations and allows unlimited photos of the items for sale to be uploaded. “Finding hidden gems at garage and yard sales is such a fun part of summer,” Christy Wilt, Director of Hamilton County Economic Development and Tourism said. “We look forward to the Great Adirondack Garage Sale every year. The date was pushed to August last year due to COVID-19, but we’re back in May this year and are anticipating a safe and healthy event. It’s a great opportunity to upcycle things we don’t use anymore, connect with our neighbors, and, of course, spend some time outdoors.” Garage and yard sales are permitted in New York State. Masks and social distancing are still required. Shoppers should continue to wash their hands, sanitize, and be respectful during the Garage Sale. For more information, contact ROOST’s Hamilton County and Tupper Lake Marketing Manager Katie LaLonde at katie@roostadk.com. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York State. ###

Lake Placid, New York. - The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) in partnership with the Lake Placid Business Association (LPBA) has developed a “Perfecting Placid” toolkit available for businesses to utilize during the construction on Main Street Lake Placid. This toolkit is a collection of resources that will help promote and share a consistent message, that Main Street is open for business. It also offers support to local businesses through local co-op advertising opportunities. “We encourage our local businesses to use these materials as they communicate with customers and promote their business,” Bethany Valenze, ROOST’s Lake Placid Marketing Manager, said. “It’s important that we all share the same message so residents and travelers receive consistent information. Construction can be a confusing time but we want people to know that Main Street is open; it’s just undergoing some perfecting.” The toolkit provides a variety of materials businesses can use, including images of Milton the Moose donning a hard hat and the message “Pardon the dust. Perfect in progress.” There is also a flyer with a QR code that brings people to the Perfecting Placid website. The website has up-to-date information on road detours, parking, and Main Street upgrade updates. Discounted co-op advertising is available to businesses as part of the toolkit. This was made possible by ROOST in conjunction with the LPBA, the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, the Lake Placid News, WSLP (93.3 fm), and Adirondack 105. Businesses can fill out the sales sheet available in the toolkit to learn more about how to take advantage of this great opportunity to gain exposure at a fraction of the normal cost. All items are available digitally, and some are available physically. Businesses should contact ROOST for window clings and flyers if they’d like them for use during construction. To access toolkit materials, visit www.RoostADK.com/Perfecting. “A message is only successful through its amplification. ‘Perfecting Placid’ is a creative way to show locals and visitors that things might be messy right now, but it’s all about creating a more sustainable Main Street Lake Placid,” Lori Fitzgerald, President of the LPBA, said. “If we can all share the messages behind Perfecting Placid, we’re helping each other navigate through this period of construction and highlighting that the best of Main Street has yet to come.” The construction on Main Street has already begun and will continue through the end of June. July - August will bring a pause to the main street construction and will resume in September. For more information, contact ROOST’s Lake Placid Marketing Manager Bethany Valenze at bethany@lakeplacid.com. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York State. ###

Lake Placid, NY – If you live, work, or volunteer in Lake Placid, you are invited to the third annual Community Day Celebration on Sunday, September 12, 2021, from 1 - 4 p.m. at the North Elba Horse Show Grounds. This event is a celebration of the community and its rich legacy of volunteerism with a picnic and party, including live local music, kids’ games, food, and beverages — all of it free to attendees. “The Community Day Celebration is a wonderful way to highlight the incredible work volunteers do in our region and a way to say ‘thank you’ for their dedication,” Val Rogers, Community Day Committee Chair, said. “In addition to celebrating volunteers, this celebration will also showcase the many opportunities available throughout the area. It truly is an event for volunteers past, present, and future.” Local organizations are invited to showcase their work and inform the public what they’ve been up to. Part of the Community Day Celebration is the presentation of the Distinguished Volunteer of the Year award, given in recognition of a lifetime of activity and effort on behalf of the town of North Elba and/or the village of Lake Placid. This will begin at 3 p.m. on September 12. “Nominating a volunteer is a great way to show someone how much their hard work is appreciated. Volunteers are unpaid, but we want every volunteer to know their contributions to the community do not go unnoticed,” Bethany Valenze, Lake Placid Regional Marketing Manager for the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST), said. “There is even a youth category for the volunteerism award for those who are 18 years of age and under. North Elba is such a magnificent place; it’s great to see so many active volunteers of all ages!” Valenze said. To nominate someone for the North Elba / Lake Placid Distinguished Volunteer of the Year, contact Bethany Valenze by email at bvalenze@lakeplacid.com or phone (518) 621-3662. Nominations are due by July 15, 2021. Any previous candidates may be re-nominated. The committee also retains and reviews all past nominees. The nomination criteria is as follows: Any individual or organization may nominate one or more candidate(s).The organization and the volunteer work must be within the boundaries of North Elba.Previous nomination does not disqualify a person for another year.Please keep nominations confidential. All nominees will not necessarily receive an award.Include as much pertinent information to support your nomination as you can.Please provide at least one contact in support of your nomination. Be sure to include a name and a number where the support person can be reached.Additional letters of support are encouraged. The Community Day Celebration is a joint initiative of the Lake Placid / North Elba Community Development Commission and ROOST. For more information, please visit the Lake Placid Community Celebration Facebook page or email lakeplacidcommunityday@gmail.com. The Lake Placid / North Elba Development Commission facilitates the implementation of the Lake Placid / North Elba Comprehensive Plan, which was developed in 2014. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York State. ###