The New Journey’s Social Adult Day Program (SDP) is a division of Kee to Independent Growth Inc. and is located at 217 Dix Ave in Glens Falls. This program is a structured, social model day program serving seniors diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and those in need of supervision, monitoring, and assistance with everyday tasks.
The services provided by this program are designed to improve or maintain socialization, community integration, skills, abilities, and interests to live as fully and independently as possible. The environment is fun, caring and supportive! This social program model fills a need in the community for both seniors and their families, and the hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and one Saturday a month.
New Journey’s Social Adult Day Program will be hosting an open house on Friday, June 16th, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
NBT Bank announced Mark P. Sidoti has been promoted to Branch Manager of their Glens Falls office. This branch is located at 86 Glen Street in Glens Falls.
As Branch Manager, Sidoti will be responsible for business development, managing customer relationships, and serving as a financial partner for the Glens Falls region. Sidoti has more than 30 years of business development and sales experience in the banking, telecommunications, payroll, outsourcing, and employee benefits industries, and as an active member of the community, he serves as both the treasurer of the Glens Falls Civic Center Foundation board, and as an ambassador for the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce.
NBT Bank is an independent community bank based in Norwich, New York, whose history stretches back to 1856. NBT has more than 135 banking locations in New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Maine.
The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is currently seeking nominations for their 35th Annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award. This award is the four-county region’s most prestigious community service award, given to recognize and honor an extraordinary individual who has selflessly gone above and beyond by contributing time and energy to help others.
“It is such an honor to recognize a community member every year with the J. Walter Juckett Award. With every nomination, and every honoree, we are reminded of how truly amazing our communities are,” said ARCC President & CEO Tricia Rogers.
The 35th Annual J. Walter Jucket Award will be presented at the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner in March of 2024 at The Sagamore Resort.
To nominate a deserving volunteer, please fill out the nomination form – found on the ARCC’s website at www.adirondackchamber.org – and return to the ARCC by the deadline of June 7th, 2023. Nominations will be kept on file for three years.
Yankee Marine Group’s Vice President of Operations Andrew Brodie and Yankee Marine Group have been awarded a $250,000 tax incentive package for a boat storage expansion project. Yankee Marine Group will be developing 9 acres along Route 9N in Lake George, to expand their boat storage business.
Yankee Marine Group is a second-generation family-owned marine retail and service business. They have been in operation since 1966; building and expanding their business for over 50 years! Yankee Marine offers a full selection of boats, boat rentals, storage, and a fuel dock, as well as boating accessories.
This expansion is estimated to cost $3-million, and will be partially offset by a $22,342 mortgage tax exemption and a $112,695 sales tax incentive from the Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency. There is also a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement that will save the company $117,744 over 10 years.
The Warren-Washington Industrial Development Agency (IDA) provides financial assistance and incentives to the business community. According to their website, this corporation is a public benefits corporation, created to promote, develop, encourage, and assist in the construction, expansion, and equipping of economically sound industrial and commercial facilities.
The Warren-Washington IDA helps to maximize private capital investment in the economy of Warren and Washington County. Their goal is to develop opportunities for both job creation and retention through use of industrial development bonds, tax abatements, and private investment.
The development of the 9-acre lot along route 9N will help Yankee Marine Group free up space at the marina by creating two 11,000 square foot storage buildings that will hold 240 boats, with additional storage for 100 to 110 boats outside.
Currently, Yankee Marine employs a dozen year-round employees, and forty employees throughout the peak summer season. This expansion will increase the number of employees, and streamline the escalation of business leading up to the summer season.
Pay attention for five minutes and you’ll see an Amazon or other delivery truck. This highlights a concern with the continued growth of Amazon and its web of delivery providers: who is responsible when those delivery vehicles are involved in accidents?
Despite the fact that Amazon dictates the routes and schedules of the majority of delivery vehicles – the company is increasingly using delivery providers other than the USPS – Amazon has tried through legal techniques to limit its liability in the event one of the drivers is involved in an accident. The company has done this in part through what are known as hold harmless, or indemnification agreements. These agreements ensure that the delivery companies take responsibility for accidents, even where their drivers are rushing in order to keep to Amazon’s notoriously difficult schedules.
And this is concerning, because with the ubiquity of delivery services, accidents are inevitable.
So, who is responsible?
The answer is the owner/operator of the vehicles, which may be sufficient if that they have adequate insurance. The problem arises where the company does not have adequate insurance to cover damages.
Let’s look at an example: Smithco operates a delivery service. The company’s primary contract is with Amazon to delivery its packages. Smithco maintains a $500,000 liability policy on its vehicles.
John, a Smithco driver, is exhausted, having worked a twelve-hour day delivering for the company, but in order to satisfy Amazon’s requirements, must make one last delivery. Tired and not paying complete attention, John looks down at his phone and doesn’t see Tim, a pedestrian, crossing the street. He hits Tim, causing severe and permanent injuries.
Amazon, of course, claims that it has no responsibility because it does not own the vehicle and does not employ the driver. Smithco’s insurance company will likely pay the entire amount of its insurance policy, but this isn’t enough.
In this case, Tim would, after exhausting the insurance policy of Smithco, look to his own insurance policy’s SUM, or UM coverage. This coverage provides for supplemental benefits where the wrongdoer’s insurance is insufficient to cover the damages. The critical thing here, however, is that Tim must have taken proactive steps to ensure that his SUM/UM limits were high, because if he did not, his carrier would likely have only given him the New York mandated minimum of $25,000.
Assessing and determining liability following an accident can be a complex and confusing process. If you have questions about it, reach out to us today.
The Warren County Board of Supervisors voted Thursday to join the CapitalDistrict Transportation Authority, to allow CDTA to provide public transportation services in Warren County. With upcoming retirements, Greater Glens Falls Transit did not appear viable going forward, and CDTA will replace GGFT to provide bus and trolley service in the Glens Falls area.
“Warren County is looking forward to its new relationship with Capital District Transportation Authority, a well-run and well-respected organization that has been providing public transportation around the Capital District for more than 50 years. We have appreciated the service provided by Greater Glens Falls Transit for the last 40 years, but amid changes that have occurred with the local and national workforces, joining with CDTA is in the best interests of Warren County residents and businesses,” said Kevin Geraghty, Chairman of the Warren County Board of Supervisors.
The new arrangement will require a change to NY Public Authorities Law by the NY State Legislature, which Warren County will seek in light of Thursday’s board vote.
The merger is expected to include expanded bus route offerings, and connections to other CDTA counties, including Saratoga County and other points in the Capital District. It will require Warren County to pay CDTA between $800,000 and $1.5 million annually, depending on Warren County mortgage tax revenue.
Remains of the Building at 22 Main Street in South Glens Falls
The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that deputies were called early Sunday morning to a fully involved structure fire at 22 Main Street in South Glens Falls, which had formerly been the China Buffet restaurant.
The building, which has been vacant for many years, had formerly been a McDonald’s – McDonald’s had vacated the building in 2005, and in 2007, the building was purchased for $475,000 and became the China Buffet restaurant. The vacant 4,500-square-foot restaurant is currently listed for sale for $650,000.
The building was not occupied when the fire broke out, and the cause of the fire has not been determined. No injuries were reported… However, the fire spread to the neighboring Glens Falls Candy Co. and the Wash and Wear Laundry. Both of these structures were visibly damaged from the blaze, and will be closed until further notice.
The World Awareness Children’s Museum – located at 89 Warren Street in Glens Falls – has a mission to “bring our diverse world to children”. This museum was the vision of Dr. Jacquiline Touba, who believed that sharing and exchanging the visions of children around the world would promote appreciation and understanding of cultural diversity. It was started in 1985, and chartered in 1995 by the Board of Regents of the New York State Department of Education.
Bethanie Lawence is the Executive Director of The World Awareness Museum, which is currently home to over 10,000 cultural and historical objects, as well as over 8,000 pieces of international art made by children. These are both educational, and cultural artifacts… The Museum is unique because it is a collecting institution as well as a children’s exploration space. The art is made by kids all over the world from 140 different countries: “It is a great collection all made by kids all over the world. We use it in an educational way. These objects are educational tools to show how the world looks through the eyes of children… We have rudimentary as well as lovely pieces and kids can learn from all levels of the art and we treat the art with the utmost of care,” Bethanie said.
The museum teaches kids to examine art with a critical eye; they can examine art from other cultures, and see what is similar to their experiences and what’s different. This opens up discussions regarding traditions in different cultures, and children can learn to compare and contrast the traditions that they have with the traditions of others. “The culture that children experience at the museum creates an opportunity for the kids to explore diverse cultures in a safe and nurturing place. This way the kids are not fearful… Just curious. This creates a situation where they can celebrate diversity,” Bethanie said.
89 Warren Street, Glens Falls
As an example of the importance of letting children express themselves, Bethanie showcased a set of COVID-19-themed art projects that the museum featured – the museum reached out to ten schools across the country in 2021, and received hundreds of responses from kids in grades K through 12… Out of these submissions, the museum accepted 52 pieces into their permanent collection. This exhibit shows kids’ experiences during the pandemic, and their perception of what the pandemic was like.
“It was therapeutic for the kids to express what they were feeling. It gave teachers an opportunity to talk to the students about their experiences during the pandemic… It created a space where kids felt safe talking about deep and challenging topics, and they were able to do so because they were asked to create something that resonated with them. This project was helpful to the students, the teachers, and the parents because it was a conversation starter, and the adults were able to see what the kids experience through their art… These kids have been dealing with trauma from the pandemic; the trauma of an interrupted social life, interrupted school life, and in a lot of ways, the pandemic is still affecting them,” Bethanie said.
Bethanie is an empathic leader at the museum, but her empathy didn’t start with her career there: “I was an elementary teacher for about five years before coming here… I came here to work as the education coordinator. The former director and I worked closely together, and when she left, I was promoted to the executive director position… The staff is all paid staff. We do have a small and strong volunteer program… We have part-time staff, and I am full-time, and we would like to build up from here. We have 10 of us working here, and we all work collaboratively together… Every aspect of the work we do for the museum is collaborative,” she said.
“Thailand” Exhibit
The Children’s Museum is a part of the Glens Falls Art Community, and is also a member of the Glens Falls Art District… The museum will be participating in International museum day on Thursday, May 18th, 2023, along with The Hyde Museum and The Chapman Museum. The theme of the event this year is “The Power of The Museum”… Having a theme for the day helps to bring harmony to the celebration, and Bethanie believes that the arts community creates a “rising tide lifts all boats” kind of collaborative mentality.
The Children’s Museum consistently has nine or ten exhibitions with the expectation that one exhibition will be rotated each year. The most popular exhibit currently on display is the “Mexican Kitchen and Garden”: “The kids just gravitate toward it. Kids love playing in the kitchen… I work with a volunteer team to put together the exhibits. There is a lot of planning, we get funding from outside sources like LARAC, and sometimes we have to hire a contractor to build the structures for us… These exhibits start out as a dream, and then we add in the logistics. We always bring the concept back to our mission of cultural education. The kids experience cultural education, diversity awareness, pretend play, making their own crafts… Just being in a room, they learn through the textile experiences,” Bethanie said.
“Mexican Kitchen and Garden” Exhibit
In the Fall, the Museum will be installing a new exhibit which will be called “Mountain Tops” that will highlight the people and culture in the Adirondacks – landscapes, mountains, and bodies of water. The age focus of this exhibit will be children 0 to 3 years old.
The museum is visited by anywhere from seven to eight thousand people a year! Most recently, they have seen an increase of visitors from the Albany area… There are programs that the museum features that attract a wide participation, like a kids version of “Paint and Sip” and child-friendly yoga.
The Children’s Museum uses every inch of the space that they have… There are some limitations to the museum’s space, because there is no outside space and there is no parking provided. However, creative solutions and partnerships have made it possible for the museum to overcome these challenges. Over the summer, the museum hosts summer camps from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and the staff walks the kids around the Glens Falls area… This year, the theme of one of the summer camps is the “Amazing Race”, based on the popular TV show: “When the kids arrive, they receive a clue, and the destination of that clue can be anywhere from LARAC, or The Hyde or Chapman museum. When we get there, the kids participate in a challenge that leads to another clue… We are very excited about that camp for the older kids. For the younger kids, we have a ‘Pirate Adventure’ camp. The kids will learn about different ports around the world, and we will have some kind of treasure hunt at the end of the week… We are very excited for our summer camps,” Bethanie said.
One of the most important aspects in the overall running of The Children’s Museum is the board of directors – the board is made up of 11 people, who are very supportive and helpful in both a hand-on and fundraising capacity: “The board oversees the finances while adhering to our mission, to bring the diverse world to children… What that looks like is really the board and the executive director working together to decide and implement changes for the full organization. We work together on fundraising and the finances, as well as running events, and getting our name out there,” Bethanie said.
Children’s Museum Exhibit
Bethanie is looking forward to their Annual Fundraiser on May 21st, 2023! It will be held at The Queensbury Hotel, and is a celebration of the Museum’s 33rd year: “We raise money for all of our programs… Our typical fundraising goal is $50,000. It’s an international cuisine dinner and auction… We have about 200 guests. The event has a live auction and silent auction, there will be live music by local musician Rich Ortiz… This event is really fun,” she said.
The mission of Southern Adirondack Independent Living (SAIL) is to promote independence, equality, and dignity of people with disabilities in all aspects of personal and community life. SAIL provides core services including information services, referrals, peer services, independent living skills, advocacy and provides help with transitions into independent living situations.
Tyler Whitney is the Executive Director of SAIL, and works out of the Queensbury location, which has been located at 71 Glenwood Ave in Queensbury since 1998. The land for the facility was donated by a local family that had first-hand experience being helped by SAIL… SAIL helped a woman who had a memory disorder live independently. This inspired the family to donate the land to SAIL.
SAIL’s mission to “help people live more independently” is broad and basic for a reason… Having a broad mission enhances their ability to offer the expansive services that are needed in the community. In the last five years, SAIL has experienced a tremendous amount of growth, and currently runs 13 different grant programs out of the Queensbury location; these grants are federal, state, and local grants. Each grant adds services to the programs that are offered.
The equipment loan program, which is officially called the Technological Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities (TRAID), is the most forward-facing program that SAIL offers. Every day, dozens of people come to the SAIL offices to borrow medical equipment – the equipment can be loaned out for 30 to 90 days. The people who borrow the equipment have the opportunity to try out the medical equipment at a time when they need it most… People who participate in this program have recently had surgery or an injury, and they need equipment to make their home accessible while they are healing. As part of the service, a specialist will help explain how to adjust and use the equipment correctly.
SAIL also offers health insurance enrollment services to anyone who needs it: “We enroll people in health insurance through the marketplace and through the Affordable Care Act. We have a Medicare specialist on site. That program is usually a ‘gateway for us’. People come in to enroll in benefits and then they become aware of the expansive services that we provide. We want to keep people out of institutionalized care, out of nursing homes, for as long as they can live safely and independently. For each individual that includes different tools and services and each case is different,” Tyler said.
When an individual goes into a nursing home, there is a survey that is provided… One of the questions on the survey is “If you could live safely at home, would you like to?” Many people answer yes to that question, and that triggers a referral to the SAIL office; at that point, a social worker has 10 days to connect with that person and start the process of exploring if a safe discharge from the facility will be possible, and what support that person would need to live independently.
The nature of SAIL is to continue to grow and add programs that are needed in the community. As people transition into independent living, the services that can help them succeed are identified… SAIL now offers technology classes. Technology can open so many doors to help people live independently! The technology classes take place on the second and fourth Thursday of each month; on the second Thursday of the month, the class takes place at 3:00 PM at the Queensbury SAIL office, and on the fourth Thursday of the month, the class takes place at the Saratoga SAIL office at 5:00 PM.
An aspect of offering the technology classes is to provide the skills needed for an individual to enter the workforce: “SAIL is a hiring world for people with disabilities. There are barriers to breakdown when it comes to integrating a person with disabilities into the workforce. These classes are an example of how we provide the support needed for a person with a disability to take the next step and expand their independence. Not only in the workforce but in day to day life,” Tyler said.
The technology classes also broaden the services and reach that SAIL has to offer businesses: “When hiring a person with a disability, there is fear on both sides… The person with the disability may be a qualified candidate but may need support. SAIL can provide that support so that the candidate can accept the job and expand their independence,” Tyler said. SAIL can work with the employer to make reasonable accommodations for the employee. This expands the independence of the individual with the disability and fills a necessary role within a company.
SAIL works to break down barriers that stand between an individual and their independence. For more information about the services that SAIL provides, please visit sailhelps.org
Donna Nichols is the Executive Director of the Moreau Community Center, which is located at 144 Main Street in South Glens Falls, and housed in a building that had previously been a church. The mission of the Moreau Community Center is to meet the intergenerational needs of the community in a compassionate and inclusive environment. The community center has food services available, educational support, and the opportunity for social engagement for both families and individuals. The Moreau Community Center prides itself on being a place that is inclusive, welcoming, and respectful of the inherent dignity of all people.
Founded in 1977, the community center provides numerous valuable programs… To support these programs, they have recently updated the kitchen facility. This upgrade helps to support programs including their “Bulldog Zone Teen Center”, which runs on Tuesdays from 2:15 PM to 6:00 PM. The upgrade to the kitchen facility helps the center feed over 100 kids that come to attend the teen center.
Donna Nichols has been pleased with the attendance each week for the teen center: “This last Tuesday, we had 105 kids come to the teen center. And they love it! We provide arts and crafts, sports, foosball… And we spend time with the kids and work on their communication skills. These kids really need this program,” she said.
Donna has noticed the change in the kids having access to fresh cooked food that they serve since they upgraded the kitchen: “We used to order pizza for the kids and they would mill around and grab a piece here and there, but now that we are working together with the kids and they are cooking for each other, it makes a big difference. They line up at meal time and are excited for what they are going to eat,” she said.
The Upgraded Kitchen Facility
Moreau Community Center uses every available inch of their facility – when The Teen Center was founded in September of 2021, they renovated an under-utilized area in the community center and created “The Bulldog Zone” which has beanbag chairs, games, and the kids’ artwork hanging on the walls. “They come into this space and decompress,” Donna said. “Sometimes this is the quietest area because they will sit here on their phones… They are still interacting with each other, but it is through technology.”
To run the Teen Center it takes a dedicated staff and volunteers: “Between the staff and volunteers, there are usually about eight adults running the program for the kids. This supervision and structure helps the kids… That is often something that they may be lacking at home.”
Because of the popularity of the program, the Moreau Community Center is looking for a way to expand: “We have about 100 kids every Tuesday from about 2:15 to 6:00… There are some kids that would like to stay longer if they could. So, we need to expand the infrastructure and grow the program… The kids love being here. The whole building is full of music, and it is loud and exhausting, and we love it!”
The community center works to provide services for all members of the community, and has recently been able to expand those services due to a grant that they received from Spectrum – specifically, the Spectrum Community Center Assist Program, a philanthropic program that aims to improve conditions in community centers and create job skills programs.
The Moreau Community Center has been able to increase the services that they provide due to a grant that they received through this grant program: “We applied for and received a grant that provides $50,000 a year for five years for us to provide skills for life and work… This grant has enabled me to hire an employment coordinator. The coordinator helps individuals with their resumes, customer service training, and other services that someone may need to enter the workforce,” Donna said. The mission of this program is to provide professional, reliable and impactful life skills and career search training, and connect individuals with potential employers. Moreau Community Center, through this grant from Spectrum, provides access to a free laptop for job searches, life-resource services, assistance with forms and documentation, and access to job board postings.
Amongst the other services that the Moreau Community Center provides is an emergency-use food pantry, which feeds over 90 people a month – people who are in need of the food pantry come in and fill out an application and choice form… The choice form is provided so that the individuals can choose what they need. Then, the program provides 3 or 4 days of food and personal care products to the individual a month!
The Moreau Community Center Food Pantry
The Community Center also provides food for school-aged children through the backpack program – every Friday, food comes up from the regional food bank in Latham, and staff and volunteers help load the bags with food, which are distributed to four area elementary schools. The Community Center reaches out to disabled adults who are invited to come from CWI Community Work & Independence Inc. and volunteer. This program provides food for the weekend for 120 kids who have food insecurity at home.
With all the good work that they do at the community center, they also mix in some fun – in the attic of the community center, there is a thrift store called “Boutique”. People donate their gently-used items, and this is an area that the kids love to spend time at during teen center – they can go up to the thrift store and buy a shirt for a dollar. They have all kinds of donated clothing and accessories that the kids especially love.
There is a space next to the thrift store “Boutique” where ECS Psychological Services has a satellite office; there is a staff member on site one afternoon and evening each week, to provide counseling and therapy services. Donna emphasized that there is a need for accessible counseling in the area.
The “Boutique” Thrift Store
“We use every inch of this building, this is what we have and we make it work for us,” Donna said.
