Gary & Dylan discuss the Special Olympics New York Fall Games held on Saturday. Also discussed: the “Malloween” trick-or-treating event coming to the Aviation Mall, SPoT Coffee raising money in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Warren County Municipal Center’s participation in Operation Green Light, and a local gun store broken into and burglarized.
00:02 – Intro 00:33 – Ad Break 1 01:12 – Story 1: “Malloween” At Aviation Mall 02:01 – Story 2: Special Olympics Fall Games 03:40 – Ad Break 2 04:00 – Story 3: SPoT Coffee Raising Money for Breast Cancer Awareness 05:02 – Story 4: Operation Green Light 05:55 – Story 5: Local Gun Store Burglarized 06:47 – Outro
After spending 15 years in the nonprofit sector, Lisa Munter has first-hand experience with the difficulties of finding and connecting with supporters. Now, she’s looking to change that with the launch of Knitt, a website to help nonprofit organizations and businesses connect with each other.
“Regardless of who I was volunteering for, I was still hearing the same level of frustration,” said Munter. “‘Where’s our next level of support going to come from?’”
Munter said many nonprofits do not have the time or funds to seek out necessary supporters, while saying that on the other side, business owners can become “inundated with responses.”
“Even though they want to do their due diligence, it’s reactionary, because a lot of times they’re just trying to keep up with the requests. They’re busy focusing on their job,” Munter said. “So a lot of times, you hear the pain point of frustration of getting inundated with requests, not really having a real mindfulness about who they’re giving to and why they’re giving.
“I just was like, ‘OK, how do we simplify this and bridge the gap?”
That is where Knitt comes in. Munter described Knitt as a “web-based platform that mindfully connects nonprofits and business owners in a time-efficient and sustainable way.”
“We call it the Match.com for philanthropy, because it really is just that,” said Munter.
Nonprofit organizations and businesses can fill out a profile on the site, and will be matched with organizations who share similar interests and values.
“What it does is it allows you to get out of the hamster wheel of the time that it takes in order to find the right relationships,” said Munter. “It’s like the ultimate networking platform.”
Knitt simplifies the process of connecting for nonprofits and businesses, but also ensures they are being connected with organizations that are strong fits.
“Giving should not be transactional,” Munter said. “It’s supposed to be purposeful, and it’s about sustainability, it’s about the relationship behind that.”
This can help businesses and nonprofits cut back on the time spent sending or receiving requests for support, Munter said.
“If you’re giving to multiple organizations, or you’re getting inundated with requests, or if you’re spending several hours a month filtering through all of the mailings and email and text requests, try Knitt,” said Munter. “Because it will simplify and streamline that process, and it will weed out those relationships that you have a hard time saying no to.”
Munter said that businesses can select which specific types of organizations they want to be matched with, helping avoid requests that may not be a good fit.
“It’s kind of a polite way of the ‘no solicitations’ sign, which can be negative,” Munter said.
Before launching, the Knitt website went through a long process, with Munter saying they went through a year and a half of customer discovery and launched a beta phase for businesses and nonprofits to test out.
“I met with local nonprofits and business owners, hearing all of the things that frustrate them, and how they would prefer it to be, and then built it into the platform,” said Munter.
And organizations were even finding matches in the beta phase, with Munter saying one nonprofit had been “trying for years” to connect with a potential donor before the two matched on Knitt during the beta phase.
“They happened to match on Knitt, during beta, and because of that fictitious relationship, it opened the door for an actual, real relationship,” Munter said. “Now that donor was going to help support their next fundraiser.”
Munter said she is proud of Knitt for helping organizations understand the reasons behind specific donations and support, which she referred to as “the why.”
“I feel like we are the only thing out there right now that really is a true understanding of the ‘why’. The why of the mission, and an understanding of the why of the donor, why they give,” said Munter. “Why not use Knitt, and you’re linked instantly. You know why you are matched, and then you can continue that journey of a conversation and a relationship.”
Knitt also has a decline feature for matched organizations, which requires the declining side to input a reason why the match was turned down.
“Sometimes the understanding of the no is just as valuable as the understanding of the yes,” said Munter, noting that it can allow organizations to see where their message could improve.
The site also has a suggestion box, allowing users to send in notes and comments on possible ways to improve the service.
Knitt operates on a subscription-based model, with Munter saying it is set up as a tiered system. Nonprofits pay a $50 signup fee, which Munter said helps Knitt vet the organizations. Nonprofits can then utilize the site for free until they receive $5,000 in donations, then are moved to a $40 per month plan according to the Knitt website.
It is similar for businesses, beginning as a free service until $2,500 is donated, at which point the donor is moved to a $20 per month plan, the website shows. The plans for both nonprofits and businesses continue to increase in price once other donation points are reached. Yearly payment plans are also offered.
“If you know you give to multiple organizations, or if you’re a new business to an area and you’re looking to get involved, sign up for Knitt,” said Munter. “Fill out your profile, and see who comes into your inbox.”
GLENS FALLS — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and SPoT Coffee is offering a chance to ‘get a shake and make a difference,’ through Halloween.
In collaboration with Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks, SPoT will donate $1 from each sale of their Protein Power Shakes at their Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls locations to Making Strides from Oct. 18 to Oct. 31.
Bill Dingman, district operations manager for SPoT’s Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls locations, said the promotion is “a great opportunity for us to get involved with a great cause.”
“They just reached out and asked if there was something we could do to support Breast Cancer Awareness month, and also their particular walk,” Dingman said. “We’re calling it a ‘Power in Pink’ promo, donating $1 for every Protein Power Shake throughout the end of the month.”
The promotion coincides with the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of the Adirondacks’ ‘Making Strides Walk,’ taking place at the Glens Falls City Park on Sunday. The event begins at 9 a.m. with ‘Shake & Strides,’ featuring a local fitness instructor leading group exercises, with the walk route opening at 9:30 a.m. and the walk itself beginning at 10 a.m., according to the organization’s Facebook page.
“SPoT, in general, wants to be a part of the communities that their cafes are in,” said Dingman. “We like to support organizations that are established in the community, and doing great work for great causes.”
Dingman said the fundraiser is a chance to bring the community together, and raise money and awareness for a good cause.
“On a personal level, it’s always nice to create a sense of community and to have that sense of community. I think that events like this help that cause,” Dingman said. “We all find something to rally behind, and bring us together. We need that, I think, more now than ever. Community and being brought together. This is just a perfect opportunity to do that.”
Dingman noted that the walk will pass directly past SPoT’s Glens Falls location on Glen Street, saying this was even more of a reason for the company to get involved.
“We still want to give back, and be truly your neighborhood cafe and truly be a member of the community,” said Dingman.
The Making Strides walk will run from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday. Registration for the walk is still open, and more information is available at makingstrideswalk.org/adirondacks.
Gary & Dylan discuss the annual “Petal it Forward” campaign celebrated in Downtown Glens Falls. Also discussed: country singer Billy Gilman coming to the Charles R. Wood Theatre, North Creek approves the creation of a sewer district, three people accused of possessing counterfeit money, and The Strand Theatre’s upcoming Halloween-themed film screenings.
00:02 – Intro 00:34 – Ad Break 1 01:13 – Story 1: Strand Theatre Spooky Screenings 02:17 – Story 2: “Petal it Forward” Campaign 03:41 – Ad Break 2 04:00 – Story 3: North Creek Approves Sewer District 05:13 – Story 4: Three People Accused of Having Counterfeit Money 06:13 – Story 5: Billy Gilman Coming to Charles R. Wood Theatre 07:25 – Outro
Business owners and community members visit displays by local businesses at the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Business Expo at the Queensbury Hotel on Wednesday. (Photo by ARCC marketing director Amanda Blanton)
GLENS FALLS — The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce hosted its 2022 Business Expo on Wednesday, with over 70 local businesses showcasing their offerings at The Queensbury Hotel.
ARCC President and CEO Tricia Rogers said the Expo was “just an exciting feel,” noting the event had 33 new businesses attend this year.
“So there’s a nice new mix of people that are here,” said Rogers. “We’re excited about that.”
The Expo, which saw 72 businesses attend in total, offers a valuable opportunity for local businesses to network and inform the community of their offerings. Rolly Merrill of GTM Payroll Services said the Expo is “very exciting” every year.
“The Adirondack Chamber does a great job,” said Merrill. “This year, especially after kind of going through COVID the last couple years, it’s really great to be back and have it in this brand-new ballroom here at The Queensbury Hotel.”
Tom Lyons of The Landing at Queensbury said the Expo is “an awesome opportunity.”
“For general awareness and networking, it’s always an awesome opportunity to connect with people and learn more about each other’s businesses,” said Lyons. “It’s just great to be here, answer questions, and learn more about each other’s industry.”
Merrill said the Expo offers a chance to meet new people, and reunite with others.
“When you come to something like this, you see old friends, but you meet new ones, and you make new relationships,” Merrill said. “That’s the positive about the Chamber in general, but this event in particular.”
The Expo ran from 4 to 7 p.m., spread across three rooms of The Queensbury Hotel including the new Adirondack Ballroom. Rogers said the Expo wouldn’t be possible without the support of The Queensbury.
“It really is something special,” Rogers said. “We do a lot of events with them, and they have absolutely set this up. It’s beautiful in here.”
Rogers also gave thanks to the Expo’s sponsors, saying “the support is truly overwhelming and appreciated.”
“We also live in a really great community,” added Rogers.
This sentiment was echoed by several businesses in attendance, with Lyons saying the Glens Falls area “has a super supportive community.”
“You can see that just by how busy this is, and engaged all these business owners and companies are,” said Lyons. “There’s a great value just in connecting again with everybody here and learning more. This particular community, in general, is very close-knit, very tight. So it’s always fun to be a part of it.”
Joshua Koons of Tech II said it is “great to see” everyone working together at the Expo.
“I think, especially in the Glens Falls region, there’s a very strong support structure,” Koons said. “It’s a tight-knit community, so I feel like all of the businesses are supporting each other.”
Lisa Munter of Knitt LLC said the Expo was a great experience, saying “everybody’s been really receptive and energetic.”
“I see this as a real synergetic opportunity for everybody to come together. It really shows the heart of the community here in the Glens Falls area,” said Munter. “Actually, one person came here and I said, ‘What do you do?’ They were like, ‘Oh, we’re just here to support a friend who has a booth.’ … That was really telling, and super exciting, that level of support.”
Rogers emphasized the support between businesses, saying she feels “that people want to lift each other up.”
“We’re all here, as businesses, supporting one another,” Rogers said. “We want to work through this interesting, coming out of this pandemic time, and that’s what I feel. I feel a sense of camaraderie and a sense of coming together. That’s really great.”
Premier sponsors for the 2022 Business Expo were Adirondack Technical Solutions, Hilltop Construction Company, and TD Bank. Presenting sponsors were National Grid, Phinney Design Group, and OrbitalFire Cybersecurity.
Gold sponsors for the Business Expo include Adirondack Trust Company, Berkshire Bank, Capital Bank, Fidelis Care, INOC Data Centers, KEENA, NBT Bank, Paula Traina State Farm, Pilot Knob Marina & Powersports, Quick Response Restoration, The Sagamore Resort, and Seeley Office Systems.
Gary & Dylan discuss the Warren-Washington Association for Mental Health’s new Law Enforcement Addictions and Mental Health Referral System. Also discussed: the Agricultural Stewardship Association accepting pre-applications for the state farmland protection program, preparations for Lake George’s Ice Castle winter attraction, a Greenfield woman pleaded guilty in connection with a fatal car crash, and a Cambridge restaurant closed as it seeks out new ownership.
00:02 – Intro 00:39 – Ad Break 1 01:18 – Story 1: Farmland Protection Applications 02:03 – Story 2: Lake George Ice Castles 03:20 – Ad Break 2 03:39 – Story 3: LEAMHRS Program 05:13 – Story 4: Greenfield Woman Pleads Guilty in Fatal Crash 06:22 – Story 5: Cambridge Restaurant Seeks New Owner 07:18 – Outro
GLENS FALLS — Singer Billy Gilman will be performing at the Charles R. Wood Theater in Glens Falls on Jan. 28, 2023, part of Kevin Richards’ Country Concerts ‘Close Up’.
Gilman’s debut album, ‘One Voice’, was released in 2000 and was certified double-platinum in the United States behind a Billboard Top 40 single of the same name. Gilman, who was 11 years old at the time of the album’s release, was included in the Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest singer to reach #1 on the Billboard Top Country Album charts.
Gilman has sold over 10 million records worldwide, and has received awards and nods from the Grammys, the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association, the American Music Association, and more, according to a press release.
The singer is “eager to share his new music, and his new sound, with his fans,” after finishing as the runner-up in the 11th season of NBC’s ‘The Voice’ in 2016.
Kevin Richards, a seven-time Country Music Awards nominee & winner, began the Country Concerts ‘Close Up’ series in September with two shows by Randy Travis.
“Richards’ mission is to put talented throwback singers and songwriters back in the spotlight, up close and personal, in a charming hometown atmosphere, where you can see and hear every note,” the press release says.
See below for a list of scheduled ‘Country Concert Close Up’ performances. For more information, visit www.woodtheater.org.
Saturday, Nov. 26: ‘Christmas with Liberace and Elvis”
Featuring David Maiocco as Liberace and Drew Polsun as Elvis, the performance is “a fun Christmas show for your friends and family to kick off the holiday season,” the release says. Polsun is a popular Northeast Elvis performer who originated in Glens Falls, while Maiocco has been honored with multiple awards for musical direction.
Sunday, Nov. 27: ‘Ty Herndon: Grammy-Nominated and Dove Award Winning Artists with 17 Billboard Hits’
Herndon is a Grammy-nominated and Dove Award winning artist, and will perform hits such as ‘Living in a Moment,’ ‘A Man Holdin’ On (To a Woman Letting Go),’ ‘Loved Too Much,’ and more, including new hit ‘’Till You Get There.’ Mike-Bear, a “regional favorite,” will be the show’s opening act.
Saturday, Jan. 28: ‘Billy Gilman: Grammy Nominee, American Music Award Winner, and Runner-Up of NBC’s ‘The Voice’’
Gilman’s hits include ‘One Voice,’ ‘Oklahoma,’ ‘There’s a Hero’, ‘When We Were Young,’ and more. The show will be opened by Glens Falls family trio Bravely.
Sunday, March 12: TBA
Saturday, April 22: ‘Suzy Bogguss: Grammy, CMA, & ACM Winner’
Bogguss will perform songs such as ‘Hey Cinderella,’ ‘Aces,’ ‘Drive South,’ ‘Letting Go’, and more. Bogguss will be supported by North Country favorite Ryan Clark as an opening act.
Sunday, May 14: ‘Conway Twitty Tribute, featuring son Michael Twitty’
A tribute to legendary CMA winner, and member of the Country Music and Rockabilly Hall of Fames. Including hits such as ‘Hello Darlin’’, ‘Tight Fittin’ Jeans,’ ‘It’s Only Make Believe,’ ‘Slow Hand,’ and more. Marty Wendell, a Thomas Edison Hall of Fame inductee, will open the show.
There is no such thing as a “wrongful termination.”
Getting fired is one of the hardest things that can happen to someone. Especially if it’s a surprise or happens under unfair circumstances. And one of the hardest conversations we have with people who have been fired, is telling them that there’s not much they can do from a legal standpoint.
Why is that? Well, in New York, there is no such thing as a wrongful termination in an abstract sense. There is only a termination that violates a particular law, or that violates someone’s employment agreement. Since many employees do not have employment agreements, today we are focusing on what we call “at will” employees – employees who can be fired at any time for any reason, assuming that reason is not discriminatory or in retaliation for making a complaint that the law protects.
So, let’s talk about the two main categories of true illegal terminations: discrimination and retaliation.
What is a discriminatory termination? Discrimination means that you were fired because of your protected status. State and federal law protect all sorts of statuses like your sex, race, national origin, age, pregnancy, if you have a disability, your military service, and others. All of us have a protected status, but discrimination is when an action is taken against you because of that status.
What is a retaliatory termination? Retaliation can be a little bit trickier. Not all complaints are protected from retaliation. For a complaint to be protected from retaliation, you have to be complaining about something that the law protects. It can’t just be a general grievance or that your boss mistreated you or that a coworker is acting unprofessionally. It has to be a complaint of otherwise illegal conduct, such as harassment because of a protected status (like sexual harassment), or illegal activity protected by a whistleblower law (like a workplace safety law). You can also be retaliated against for other types of activity the law protects, like requesting a reasonable accommodation of a disability, using your FMLA leave or, if you are a public employee, exercising your First Amendment rights.
There are countless circumstances where a termination is incredibly unfair but the circumstances when there is legal recourse – usually meaning the ability to recoup your lost wages in a lawsuit or through an administrative proceeding – are few and far between. If you believe your termination falls within that second scenario, you should call a lawyer as soon as possible because there are strict time deadlines in all employment cases, and the clock starts ticking on the date of the action you are complaining about.
Gary & Dylan discuss secrets uncovered during renovations of a 200-year-old building in Glens Falls. Also discussed: a ski gear swap coming to West Mountain, an upcoming blood drive at the Aviation Mall, Fort William Henry’s Veterans Day ceremony, and a new art project in Downtown Glens Falls.
00:02 – Intro 00:30 – Ad Break 1 01:10 – Story 1: West Mountain Gear Swap 02:09 – Story 2: Aviation Mall Blood Drive 03:16 – Ad Break 2 03:37 – Story 3: Secrets Found in 200-Year-Old Building 05:11 – Story 4: Fort William Henry Veterans Day Ceremony 06:33 – Story 5: Downtown Glens Falls Art Project 07:55 – Outro
A photograph of a veteran from the ‘Faces of Veterans’ project (Photo by Stephen Willette/Faces of Veterans)
QUEENSBURY — Every veteran has a story, and Stephen Willette is determined to share as many of those stories as he can.
Willette is the founder and CEO of Patriot Images, a photography company that began the ‘Faces of Veterans’ series in 2019. The project displays photographs of veterans, providing a glimpse into the lives of those who have served.
“There’s so many stories that are left untold,” said Willette. “They’re stories of inspiration, they’re stories of patriotism. … I think that America, or the general populace, needs to hear those.”
Willette first began photographing veterans in 2018 for the Saratoga County Veterans Peer to Peer Mentoring Program. He said this opportunity led him to begin the Faces of Veterans project.
“When I was done with that, I said, ‘Well, I think I’m just going to continue this across all of New York State,” said Willette.
Willette, a Schuylerville native, served in the Air Force for 16 years, from April 2001 to January 2017. He said the Faces of Veterans allows the opportunity for veterans to connect and share their stories.
He said it is important to share photographs and stories of veterans of wars such as World War II.
“The Vietnam-era veterans, they’re getting older as well. There’s a number of them that I have photographed that are no longer alive,” said Willette. “I’ve interviewed and I’ve photographed World War II veterans, and they’ve shared their stories with me, and I’ve been able to take the pictures and the stories that they’ve shared with me, and I’ve been able, in turn, after they died, to give it to their families.”
And the photos have also helped veterans open up and share their own stories with family, as Willette recounted a 2019 visit he made to the American Legion in Granville.
“It was just a regular photoshoot like any other one,” Willette said. “I had photographed a Vietnam-era veteran there, he was there with some of his family.”
A month later, Willette received a phone call from the veteran’s daughter.
“He went home afterwards, and he began sharing about his experiences,” said Willette. “His daughter just called me to say how thankful she was that he had that experience, and that he was able to come home and begin talking about his experiences there, that he’s never shared with his own kids.”
Faces of Veterans began as just a photography project, but expanded this fall with the launch of the ‘Faces of Veterans’ podcast.
The podcast is owned by Glens Falls Today’s parent company Spa City Digital, and is a separate entity from the photo series, allowing veterans the opportunity to openly discuss their experiences.
“The podcast is important because it is an outlet and it is an avenue, where veterans can get on there and they can share that,” said Willette. “And maybe it will open up the door for them to heal a little bit, to share more. Or maybe it will encourage a veteran that’s listening.
“Maybe not even in New York, maybe not even in the United States. But it might encourage them to share something, and to just begin healing from past wounds.”
This is in contrast to the photography series, which typically does not contain names or additional information besides the photos themselves, Willette said.
“When I photograph them, I don’t include names. I don’t include branch of service, time in service, anything like that,” said Willette. “I’ve always opened it up to where, if you want to get together at a later time, and you want to kind of share your story, then let’s meet, let’s talk. I’ve opened it up like that, and then I would share, obviously, their name, and more about them.”
Willette also said the podcast and photography series “fills the void” of camaraderie left once he was discharged. He said he asks every veteran on the podcast what they miss most about their service, with one common response.
“This will be a common answer if you asked any veteran what they missed the most, and that’s the camaraderie. They miss the camaraderie of the service,” Willette said. “For 16 years, I had the camaraderie, and then it was gone and I haven’t been able to find it elsewhere. This Faces of Veterans project fills that, but it also provides a way for me to continue to serve the veteran community.”
Willette’s goal is to travel to all 62 counties in New York State to photograph veterans, saying that he has visited 10 to this point. Willette, who currently resides in Queensbury, takes the photos free of charge, relying on donations to help assist in keeping the project alive.
“It’s completely done out of pocket, and through donations, hopefully, of people that feel it to be equally as important,” said Willette. “We need those donations, because without the donations, the next photoshoot doesn’t happen.”
And those photoshoots will help Willette continue to “serve the veteran community,” one of the reasons he believes the project is so important.
“It’s the camaraderie, and it’s really just continuing to serve the veteran community,” said Willette. “Because I feel it’s important, and I feel it’s needed.”
