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.

I Love New York Shopping Promotion The Retail Council and I Love NY are partnering on a short-term promotional effort encouraging Canadians to visit New York State for a shopping getaway from March 15-31, 2015. This is an opportunity for you to bring more shoppers into your store AND boost the New York State retail industry. The promotion will include a coupon with a discount of at least 10%, downloadable from www.iloveny.com. Each participating retailer will have the opportunity to decide if they would like to honor the minimum 10% discount or offer a higher percentage discount. The coupons would be valid for brick-and-mortar stores only and not for online purchases. I Love NY will promote the program in Montreal and Toronto with a television commercial, paid media, and digital content. Although the program will be promoted in Canada, it will not be limited to Canadians. NYS and out of state residents will be eligible to use the coupon as well. This is the first time I Love NY will designate advertising dollars for retail promotion. It is a rare opportunity to get a concentrated effort on the part of a state agency dedicated to promoting shopping. In order to demonstrate the success of the program and ROI, we are asking participating retailers to track coupon sales where possible and provide the percentage of increased sales from the same period in 2014. An out-of-the-gate success story for this first foray clearly would pave the way to further collaborations. Our statistics show that more than 75% of Canadians surveyed indicate shopping as their top activity when traveling into New York. Our goal is to increase awareness of New York State as a great shopping destination for Canadian citizens. In order to accomplish this goal we need as much participation as possible from our members. Please let Michelle Bruck know as quickly as possible that your store(s) will participate in the promotion. Michelle can be reached at mbruck@retailcouncilnys.com or (800) 442-3589. Participating retailers who would like their property featured in the commercials promoting the program should send any high resolution stills or footage to Rick Machung at this website: https://www.hightail.com/u/RickMachung489161 In addition they should sign the photo release at the following link: ILNYRetailPermissionPhotography and email it to Lisa.Soto@esd.ny.gov

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Our destinations in the mediaTravel writer Loren Christie, who ROOST hosted in Lake Placid early February, talks about the great time he had learning to backcountry ski with Brian Delaney of High Peaks Mountain Adventures. READ THE ARTICLE (page 22)

Our destinations in the media Laura Paquet, who ROOST hosted in Lake Placid in February and previously in Saranac Lake, talks to the CTV Morning News about the Adirondacks as a great road trip destination for those who live in Ottawa. She discusses Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, plus The Wild Center, shopping, relaxation, hiking and the 48? 47? Nope, it's the 46 High Peaks! :) WATCH THE VIDEO