The Pines at Glens Falls Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation is hosting their annual Drive-Thru Food Drive with The Veterans & Community Housing Coalition (VCHC) on Friday, April 21st, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. This drive-thru event is accepting both non-perishable food donations and monetary donations – the drop-off location is the Pines at 170 Warren Street in Glens Falls.

The Pines at Glens Falls has a dedicated staff… Their principles of kindness, compassion, service and excellence create an environment where individuality and dignity are valued, and provide both the residents and their families physical as well as emotional care.

The VCHC Veterans & Community Housing Coalition provides housing and support services to all homeless military veterans and their families. Their mission is to advocate on behalf of all military veterans and to provide housing opportunities for low income households.

The Glens Falls Kiwanis Club will be on hand to help collect the food donations, and they will be making a cash donation from the club as well.

Ashley Campbell – owner of Coral & Blue Children’s Stationery and non-profit, Coral & Blue Burundi – is hosting a gratitude workshop entitled “Arms Around The World” on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the World Awareness Children’s Museum in Glens Falls.

During the event, Ashley will show photos of children in Burundi, Africa, which is ranked the poorest country in the world. The children will see what their everyday lives and homes look like, and where Burundi is on the map… She’ll also share pictures of children’s personal letters and artwork with her audience to explain what children in Burundi are thankful for.

Then, the children have a chance to get creative! Children will have the opportunity to color and write their own gratitude letters. Elementary-lined cards with space for artwork will be provided.

“I bring in art supplies for the kids, I usually have a white board and we talk about what they are grateful for, just to jog their memories before they go ahead and write their own thank you notes, so that they have reference points. I also bring a book with me about gratitude, so I read that and that helps get them in the right frame of mind,” Ashley said.

Ashley has a mission to encourage gratitude, thoughtfulness and creativity, and to help bring back Thank-You Notes! Ashley started her own company because of a need for kid-friendly stationary in her own family: “I’m focused on helping kids understand the importance of gratitude… Not only on the receiving end, but (also) how it affects the child who writes the note. When kids de-screen, put pencil to paper and slow down, they are able to process what they’re grateful for. It can be really therapeutic for kids.” 

The Gratitude Workshop: Arms Around The World is a free event on Saturday April 22, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, hosted at The Children’s Museum located at 89 Warren Street, Glens Falls. For more information about the event, visit worldchildrensmuseum.org. For more information about Ashley Campbell and Coral and Blue Stationary, visit Coral & Blue Children’s Stationery

The Lake George Community Band will be performing their spring concert at the SUNY Adirondack Theater on Sunday April 23rd, 2023! Doors open at 2:30 PM, and the concert begins at 3:00 PM. Tickets for the concert are $10.00 for adults – children and students are free! The SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts Program will also offer light refreshments in the lobby during intermission. 

Lake George Community Band provides the community with musical programs throughout the summer and holiday season. This group helps to preserve the traditions of American band music and the hometown American band, and provides local musicians a place to share and nurture their talents. Their home venue is the Shepard Park amphitheater in Lake George!

This event is sponsored by the Village of Lake George, the town of Lake George, the Warren County department of Tourism, and SUNY Adirondack. For more information, visit info@lgcb.org or www.lgcb.org.

Beginning Monday, April 17th, Greater Glens Falls Transit (GGFT) will change the Route 11, Route 12, and Route 19 weekday bus routes until further notice. GGFT has alerted the other municipalities that will be affected by these changes… These changes are being made because of a shortage of bus drivers.

The Route 11 and Route 12 weekday bus route – which runs along Upper Glen Street to Aviation Mall and the Wal-Mart on Route 9 in Queensbury – will be replaced by the Route 19 weekday bus. The Route 19 weekday bus, which typically runs along Bay Street and Quaker Road, will now run along Glen Street, while also servicing Upper Glen Street, the Wal-Mart on Route 9 in Queensbury, and the Montcalm Apartments.

Not only will be the Route 11 and Route 12 weekday bus route be different, but also, the times of the new Route 19 weekday bus route will change:

• Route 11, Route 12 bus – normally at 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM – replaced by Route 19 bus at 9:30 AM
• Route 11, Route 12 bus – normally at 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM – replaced by Route 19 bus at 10:30 AM
• Route 11, Route 12 bus – normally at 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM – replaced by Route 19 bus at 12:30 PM
• Route 11, Route 12 bus – normally at 2:30 PM, 3:00 PM – replaced by Route 19 bus at 2:30 PM
• Route 11, Route 12 bus – normally at 3:30 PM – replaced by Route 19 bus at 3:30 PM

“Throughout the state, from the largest to the smallest communities, public transit ensures the basic level of mobility for the local population and for the economy,” stated Scott Sopczyk, the long-time GGFT Transportation Director who is due to retire at the end of May. “Without public transportation, there would be many residents who would be at a severe disadvantage.”

“Scott and his entire crew have done a phenomenal job keeping our GGFT bus schedule running at ‘full capacity’,” said Bill Collins, the Mayor of Glens Falls.  “And I can’t thank the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) enough for all of the help with loaning drivers and other personnel to GGFT over the last 24 months.”

“The challenges GGFT continues to have in hiring and retaining drivers and mechanics is no different than what any other industry is facing,” continued Collins.  “It’s a difficult decision to consolidate these bus routes now, as we know how much the region counts on our city’s transportation system.  Unfortunately, we’re looking at the potential of consolidating additional bus routes by month’s end. It is the real-life evidence as to why the merger with CDTA needs to come to fruition.”

“We’re facing these challenges when we’re heading into the busiest time of the public transportation year,” continued Collins.  “We’re doing everything we can to ensure our buses are running, because we understand they are a critical part in the summer economy in the area.”

For more information regarding this or any other issue, please reach out via e-mail at communicationsdirector@cityofglensfalls.com or tdrawbridge@cityofglensfalls.com.  If your issue is urgent or if you’re looking to speak with Mayor Collins regarding a formal comment, please call (518) 920-4884.

The sister-city relationship established in 1988 between Glens Falls, New York, and Saga City, Japan, will be celebrated next week as a delegation of nineteen people from Saga City, led by Mayor Hidetaka Sakai, will commemorate the 35-year relationship in Glens Falls.  It will be the first such commemoration since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The delegation will arrive Thursday evening, April 20th, for the 35^th Anniversary Celebration at the Queensbury Hotel, which will begin at 6:00 PM.  There’s a full schedule on Friday for the delegation, with a tour of City Hall and the Glens Falls Business District, including a stop at the Crandall Public Library.  After lunch at Davidson’s and a trolley bus ride to the Warren County Municipal Center, the delegation will be hosted by the Koh family for dinner. Members of the delegation will have a “free day” Saturday with their respective host families before meeting up at 5:00 PM on Saturday evening for the Farewell (Sayonara) Dinner at Morgan & Company.  The delegation will leave early Sunday morning.

“For the first time since 2019, Saga City will be visiting Glens Falls,” says Mayor Bill Collins, “and the support from our local community is fantastic.  Over the years, we have seen college students from SUNY Adirondack as well as high school and middle school students from Glens Falls, Queensbury, Lake George and Hadley-Luzerne who have participated in the exchange program.”

“Our cities have many things in common,” continues Collins.  “Both cities have similar industries, like paper mills, and our economies have experienced growth.  Both cities have an appreciation for history as well as education, both cities host high school sports tournaments, and of course, both cities are involved with Balloon Festivals.”

“Awareness is so important,” states Milly Koh, who moved to Glens Falls with her husband in 1978, and is part of the Sister Cities Committee of Glens Falls & Warren County. “We are giving everyone a chance to understand that we are not the only ones living in this world… We all live in different ways.”

“As you may know, a person who lived in Glens Falls was a crew member for a hot-air balloon team that was invited to Saga City’s International Balloon Fiesta in 1986,” continued Koh.  “The team had a fantastic time and were struck by the kindness of those who attended the Fiesta. And I’ll always be eternally grateful to former Mayor Frank O’Keefe, who agreed to developing the sister-city relationship with Saga City.”

For more information regarding this or any other issue, please reach out via e-mail at communicationsdirector@cityofglensfalls.com or tdrawbridge@cityofglensfalls.com.  If your issue is urgent or if you’re looking to speak with Mayor Collins regarding a formal comment, please call (518) 920-4884.