Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water Act and Adirondack Water Week in early August, the Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce, Town of Schroon, Schroon Lake Association and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism have partnered to create the Schroon Paddle Challenge. This challenge encourages residents and visitors to undertake excursions on three local waterways that comprise the Schroon Lake watershed: Schroon Lake, the Schroon River to Schroon Lake, and Paradox Lake. Participants can use any type of human-powered vessel such as kayak, canoe or stand-up-paddleboard. Upon completion of the three paddles, finishers will earn the Schroon Paddle Challenge patch. Those who are able to complete all three paddles over a single weekend (Friday-Sunday) will earn an “Ultra” patch, signifying their accomplishment. Challenge participants must register to receive their patch. Additional information can be found on the paddle challenge webpage. A link to register will be active in early August. According to Scott Ireland, president of the Schroon Lake Association, and executive director of the Adirondack Lakes Alliance, the challenge has been established to encourage people to explore our region’s waterways and, perhaps, try a sport that they have never done before. “We know that when people take part in outdoor activity, they tend to develop a love for the natural resources that surround them,” he said. “Encouraging these excursions will shine a light on the importance of the waterways. We are hoping to involve the community in helping to preserve the watershed so that future generations can continue to enjoy this beautiful area.” Watersheds are critical to the health of a region’s ecosystem; along with its social and economic well-being - ensuring that residents and visitors can continue to use the lakes and rivers. A healthy watershed cleans and filters ground water by allowing it to absorb into the ground. This process improves water quality, reduces risk of flooding, reduces risk for invasive species to establish and increases resilience within a changing climate. Ireland explains that one of the most important things that people can learn from this paddle challenge is the importance of ensuring that their boats are clean and dry between paddles or before moving to a different waterway. “‘Clean. Drain. Dry.’ is a simple three-step process that all boaters can follow to stop the spread of invasive species that can upset the delicate balance of our region’s lakes, rivers and streams,” he said. “Boat wash attendants are stationed at many of the lakes in the region this summer - they are a great source of information. I encourage paddlers to have conversations with them whenever possible.” According to Jane Hooper, communications manager at the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, the paddle challenge is a fun way to draw attention to the region’s watersheds and encourage paddlers to do their part to keep our waterways healthy. “The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism supports controlling the impacts of outdoor recreation on the region through education and promotion of educational information to residents and visitors. Ensuring that people understand the importance of our waterways helps control the health of our region’s lakes, rivers and lands; all things that contribute to our quality of life in the Adirondacks,” she said. “The more people who care for the waterways, the better.” The three paddles that comprise the Schroon Paddle Challenge include: Schroon River (South River) This paddle begins at the Horicon boat launch on Glendale Road and ends at the Starbuckville Dam, just over four miles away. Paddlers can enjoy a slow and winding trip downstream. Those completing this paddle for the challenge are only required to paddle one way. Participants should consider spotting a car at the Starbuckville Dam, or plan to take the return paddle to the Horicon boat launch. Do not attempt to paddle past the bridge marked with warning signs. Riverside Pines Campground, near Starbuckville Dam, is allowing one-way trip paddlers to take out at the beach to rest briefly at the campground beach before leaving the area or making the return paddle. Schroon River to Schroon Lake (North River) This paddle begins on the Schroon River on Alder Meadow Road. Enjoy a slow and winding 4.5-mile paddle downstream through a region that feels more like a backcountry paddle. It features beautiful scenery, wildlife, and borders on state land. The paddle ends at the Schroon Lake boat launch on the west side of the lake. Those completing this paddle for the challenge are only required to paddle one way. Participants should consider spotting a car at the Schroon Lake boat launch, or plan to take the return paddle to Alder Meadow Road. Paradox Lake The Paradox Lake paddle encourages participants to undertake an outing on the lake. There is no minimum distance or time requirement, so paddlers can feel free to enjoy a leisurely outing or a full-day adventure. About the Schroon Lake Association The Schroon Lake Association is dedicated to preserving, promoting, and protecting the welfare of Schroon Lake, the Schroon River, and the watershed area. It is devoted to protecting, preserving, testing, and eradicating invasive species, to maintain purity of waters that define the Town of Schroon and neighboring communities. About the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, which includes the Lake Placid region, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York state. ROOST is also a community member of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. ## Contact:Jane Hooper, communications managerRegional Office of Sustainable Tourism518-621-3662518-578-6328 (cell)jane@roostadk.com

The Lake Placid Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism will host a Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games informational session, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022, at 5:30 p.m. The event, being held in the Conference Center at Lake Placid’s Lussi Ballroom, will give area residents and businesses the opportunity to learn more about the preparation leading up to the 11-day, Jan. 12-22, 2023, winter sports and educational festival. Presenters will include Adirondack Sports Council, NYS Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) and the Lake Placid Central School District. The Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games are expected to bring more than 2,500 collegiate athletes and delegates from 50 nations and 600 universities to Lake Placid and the North Country region to compete in 12 sports and 86 events. The Lake Placid region will play host to Alpine Skiing at Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, Men’s and Women’s Curling in Saranac Lake, while ORDA’s Olympic venues in Lake Placid will host Opening and Closing ceremonies, Biathlon, Cross-Country Skiing, Nordic Combined, Ski Jumping, Figure Skating, Speed Skating, Short Track Speed Skating and the medal rounds for Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey. Lake Placid’s Main Street will also host nightly festivals, live music and medal award ceremonies. The event will also highlight School Schedule during Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games/Student Engagement Opportunities. Information about community and student involvement and engagement during the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games will be discussed. Topics will range from how to spectate to volunteer to community, student and guest impacts will be addressed. Two additional information sessions will be scheduled, and dates released at this session. Frequently asked questions regarding the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games can be found by visiting https://www.lakeplacid2023.com/about/faqs. Individuals who would like to email questions and comments prior to the Aug. 30 informational session can do so by emailing info@lakeplacid2023.com. ### Contact: Jon LundinLake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Head of Communications & MediaTel: 518-637-6885email: jlundin@lakeplacid2023.com

The Village of Speculator is celebrating the completion of the newly installed Makomis fire tower with a ribbon cutting event on Thursday, September 1, 2022, from 2-3 p.m., at the Sacandaga Park and River Walk. Event organizers have invited a number of people involved in the project including: Speculator Mayor Jeannette BarrettMike Vilegi - tower installerLaurie Rankin - director of NYS Forest Fire Lookout AssociationEileen Barber - daughter of George Barber, who stored the tower for many years at his homeJonathan Lane and family - his father, Dean, had the original vision to install a fire tower in Speculator many years ago According to Village of Speculator Mayor Jeanette Barrett, this project was galvanized after a great deal of planning and work. “The idea of having a fire tower in Speculator has been a long time coming for many people in the area,” said Mayor Barrett. “Beginning with the vision of longtime Speculator resident Dean Lane. So many people helped make this fire tower project a reality.” According to Dean Lane’s son, Jonathan, the project is an important part of his family’s legacy. “I’m excited to see my father’s dream become a reality. He would be thrilled to see this tower in place.” Dean Lane obtained the Hooker Hill fire tower from Marty Podskoch, author of several books on fire towers, in the mid-90s; he hoped to restore and install the fire tower. Dean Lane has since passed away, but his son Jonathan hoped to make his father’s dream a reality. He hired David Vana, a professional fire tower restorer, to assess its feasibility. Unfortunately, there were not enough viable parts remaining from the Hooker Hill tower to move forward with the project. While disappointing, this setback solidified the Lane family’s commitment to the original vision and kickstarted the current project. In 2019, Mike Vilegi, owner of Excelsior fire towers, purchased the Makomis fire tower from Bruce Vowles, who found it at the home of George Barber where it was stored for over 30 years before being reconstructed in Sacandaga Park. The Makomis fire tower was originally a wooden structure, built near the town of North Hudson in 1911. In 1916, the wooden tower was replaced by a steel structure, making it one of the first 11 steel fire towers built in New York state. The fire tower was eventually closed by the NYS Department of Conservation in 1970. It was dismantled and removed from the mountain top in 1978. Barrett explained that an educational kiosk is also being constructed on site, to highlight the fire tower’s role in the region “This presents an opportunity to educate people about the history of Adirondack fire towers, which will hopefully draw tourists to the area,” she said. The ribbon cutting event will take place at the same time as the Speculator Farmers and Crafters Market, which is held from 2-5pm in the pavilion located adjacent to the fire tower. ### Contact:Sydney Aveson, communications coordinatorRegional Office of Sustainable Tourism518.523.2445sydney@roostadk.com

The Adirondack Sports Council and ORDA presented information about the upcoming World University Games on Tuesday, August 30, 2022. Slideshows from the meeting can be found here.If you have any questions about the FISU event please direct them to info@lakeplacid2023.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IP8T-yVbgQ

The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is seeking feedback from residents and business owners within Essex and Hamilton counties, along with the villages of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake regarding their perception of how tourism affects the region. The survey will capture business owners’ and residents’ perceptions and opinions about a number of topics as they relate to tourism within the region. It seeks to uncover sentiment regarding tourism related activities and impacts that contribute positively to the local economy and social environment within the region, along with topics that may be a source of concern. It will be distributed to business owners and residents through email, through social media, and through local news reports. According to Layne Dowdall, data analyst at the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, overall community sentiment is more easily gauged by a larger sample size. “We are encouraging those who receive the survey link to share it with family and friends in their local community.” The survey will uncover local perception regarding tourism’s role in many local issues including: housing, local employment, sustainable business practices, population, and the impact of marketing to outside regions. Many questions are structured to elicit an “agree” or “disagree” response to gauge overall opinion. The final questions are open-ended, allowing respondents to provide additional information, in their own words. The final survey question offers an opportunity to share important information that may not have been included within the survey. According to Jane Hooper, communications manager at the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, destination management and marketing organizations (DMMOs), such as the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, work to balance the impacts of tourism with the local social and economic needs. “To fulfill our role as a DMMO, it is important that local concerns are clearly identified and understood,” she said. “This survey of residents and business owners will help us identify both positive and negative economic issues, societal and community issues, and overall perceptions and feelings about tourism’s impact on the region. The more we understand about these impacts, the more easily we can help make or suggest improvements and changes within communities.” The 30 question survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. The last day to complete the survey is September 14, 2022. A link to the survey can be found here. Those who take part in the survey will be registered for a chance to win a VISA gift card. All entrants will be added to a drawing, taking place in September for three chances to win VISA gift cards valued at $100, $250 and $500 each. The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism is the destination marketing and management organization for Hamilton and Essex counties, which includes the Lake Placid region, along with the communities of Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, all located within the Adirondacks in New York state. ## Contact:Jane Hooper, communications managerRegional Office of Sustainable Tourism518-621-3662518-578-6328 celljane@janeroostadk.com Take the Survey