North Country Janitorial Inc. is located at 188 Dix Avenue in Glens Falls. It was founded in 1974, by Ron and Rosemary Montesi… It’s now a second-generation family-owned business, currently run by Ron and Rosemary’s son, Matt Montesi, as the President and Owner; while Chris Barden is the Chief Operating Officer, and has been part of the North Country family for almost 12 years. North Country Janitorial Inc. has about 230 employees, and over the last few years has found new and innovative ways to fulfill their employment needs, build community, and provide opportunities and services to their employees.
North Country Janitorial has continued to grow over its almost 50 years in business: “When I started, we didn’t have clients above Warrensburg, and now we go to the Canadian border… However, the majority of our customers are 15 to 20 miles from our offices here in Glens Falls,” Chris said.
North Country Janitorial has recently expanded into cleaning healthcare facilities and medical manufacturing plants: “Here in Glens Falls, we’re in the center of it… There are medical manufacturing facilities all around us, and it has taken hard work and opportunities to build those relationships,” Chris said.
Chris is aware of the importance of a reliable workforce to fulfill the needs of their clients: “We are a business that lives and dies by the availability of labor. Finding labor, retaining labor and training labor is key,” he said.
It was with this aspect of their business in mind that they kept working to expand their labor pool… About three years ago, the labor expansion that they had been looking for became a reality! The addition of a bilingual territory manager to the North Country family was the catalyst for this change – the ability to communicate with a new group of potential employees has helped bridge the gap between North Country Janitorial, and the hispanic labor market.
“The work is not easy. Finding people was a challenge, and about three years ago, we hired our first bilingual manager. That opened up the opportunity to recruit and talk to folks that we had previously not had access to. These folks are Spanish-speaking… They have gotten here legally to work, and to live and to support their families. So that opened up the ability to start recruiting from a larger demographic than we had been able to before… For us, that is huge, and has grown and has been part of our success. We have been able to work and take on more work and staff properly,” Chris said.
To support this new workforce, North Country Janitorial had to create infrastructure – the pool of labor that they would be drawing from mostly lived in Albany, and therefore, transportation was an issue: “Living in Albany and working in Glens Falls created some logistical challenges for a lot of these folks. Transportation was an issue. A lot of these folks didn’t have cars… Getting them from point A to point B was something that we had to figure out. Getting them to come up from Albany made us get creative and create systems for housing and transportation. We spent a lot of money on Uber for many months transporting our workforce. We needed to get our employees where they needed to go to support our customers. We went out and bought a minivan a little over a year ago, and we use that to shuttle people to some of the larger accounts. That’s worked well,” Chris said.
To help support their employees, North Country Janitorial has used innovative thinking to create real world solutions for their work force – they have reached out into the community and helped their employees find housing and services in the area. They have provided simple solutions like translating the bus schedule into Spanish… They have also relied on technology to translate information when needed: “The phones are great. They translate information so that everyone can communicate,” Chris said.
However, as they hire and support this new labor market, human interactions are important as well. The HR team at North Country Janitorial are enrolled in Spanish language classes, so that they can more effectively communicate with employees: “The HR team is the underpinning of the program. We really only wish we had done it sooner! Our customers are happy to have competent people, and that has helped strengthen some relationships,” Chris said.
Kyle D. Wagner sold property at 77 W. Notre Dame to Emily & Daniel J. Casolaro for $265,000
Peter D., & Kelly R. Vance sold property at 5 Big Cross street to Mandi Lee Easton for $195,597
James G. Hartwyk III sold property at 92 montcalm street to Kailyn Renee Ridenour for $215,000
John J. Endieveri sold property at 3 Carleton Ct. to Mary Utter for $236,000
James Atherton-Ely sold property at 9 Jefferson Street to Ryan & Angelica James for $256,000
786 AZS Realty, Inc. sold property at 22 Clendon Ave to Leah T. Phillips-Fahey & Scott A Dolman for $165,000
Johnsburg
Connie Mahoney, Gordon, Laura & Victoria J. Smith sold property at 4621 State Route 28 to APIF-New York LLC for $185,000
Michael & Jennifer Adams sold property at 36 Mountain Path North Creek to Kushtrim Shala for $43,500
Estate of Kyle A. Dunkley sold property at 70 Edwards Hill Road to Bret Dunkley for $84,000
Brian S. & Martha Goodsell sold property at 361 Bartman Road to Mary Beth H. Hofmeister (a.ka. Mary Elizabeth Hofmiester) & Thomas Hofmiesterfor $50,500
Lake Luzerne
Richard, Jeffery J., & Joseph Giebelhaus sold property at 33 Woodward Drive to Brian Juliano for $200,000
Lake George
Ari Investor Strategies, LLC sold property at 1802 Route 9 to Mag Realty Holdings Lake George,LLC for $1.35-million
Lake George Self Storage, LLC. sold property at 526 Canada street to 526 Canada Street LLC. for $400,000
Queensbury
Lawrence A. & Mariann N. Knox sold property at 75 Peggy Ann Lane to Luis & Rosa Minerva Polanco for $415,000
The Laguardia Family Irrevocable Only Trust dated Oct. 23, 2017 sold property at 45 Sara-Jen Dr. to Stephen & Antonia Loschiave for $400,000
Matthew C. Lewis , & Christine C. Lewis (f.k.a Christine C. Sciver) sold property at 111 Richmond Hill Drive for $505,000
Dreamland Solutions, LLC. sold property at 29 Stonehurst Dr. to Daniel Lee Bureau & Bethany Bureau for $458,500
Linda G. Rizzi sold property at 5 Schoolhouse road to Matthew & Lauren Vosganian for $224,000
Jeffery J. Lapell & Tina Lungren sold property at 5 PineCrest Dr. to Joan & James DIkeman for $460,000
The Estate of William E. Harrison sold property at 8 Cobblestone Dr. to Cobble Ridge LLC. for $90,000
Peter Shabat sold property at 179 Montray Road to DKC Holding Inc. for $56,000
Queensbury & Glens Falls Adjacent Parcels
Linda C Casse sold property at 318 Ridge Street & adjacent parcel to 318 Ridge LLC for $295,000
Stony Creek
3HO Foundation, Inc. sold property at Harrisburg Road to Christien Shangraw $7,000
Chester
Russell A. & Sandra M. Crounse sold property at 16 Marina Road to Vickie Cleveland & Ralph Bovee for $100,000
Washington County
Argyle
Gordon Bodkin, Mary Scala & Betty Webster sold property at 326 Dutchtown Road to Karen A. Mattison and Steven D. Mattison, III for $16,520
Cambridge
Kenneth F. Weliczka, Esq., ref.,Robert & Karen Skellie sold property at 994 Chestnut HIl Road to US Bank Trust National Association as Owner Trustee for VRMTG Asset Trust for $165,000
Dresden
Krystel Kent, Exec. for the last will of George E. Shattuck, Jr. sold property at 79 Dresden Road to James S. & Kim M. Brown for $38,000
Granville
Joseph R. & Lynette M. Polvin sold property at 19 Dayton Hill Rd. to Adrianne Elizabeth Polvin & Kenneth Thompson for $130,000
Mad Mat Realty, LLC. sold property at upper Turnpike Road to Daniel J. Morse for $20,000
Sheri R. & Gregory K. Bourn sold property at 54 East Main Street to Wesley Barlow for $47,000
Greenwich
Gordon Bodkin & Mary Scala & Betty Webster by Atty, in Fact Gordon Bodkin sold property at 298 Ferguson Road to Daniel S. & Eric K. Richards for $176,000
Rosalie Fitzgerald, Brenda Ann Critelli & Jerry W. Sargent,Sr.as Admin os Estate of LAura J. Sargent sold property at 14 Academy Street to Trecenti Holdings LLC for $83,500
Hartford
Samuel J. Nolan & Abigail A. Matuszak sold property at 3603 State Route 196 to Samuel J. Nolan for $8,000
Hebron
Kathrine J. Skinner, as trustee of the Robert G. Skinner & Elizabeth Debarto Skinner Family Trust sold property at 3154 County Route 30 to Patrick M., Edward F.,& Carol R. Peltier for $315,000
Jackson
Robert L. Dufty, Jr. & Alicia A. Dufty sold property at 562 Alyssa Way to Kevin G. & Deanna Ann Konopka for $79,999
Lisa Villafuerte Watt & Felimar I. Villafuerte sold property at 70 Stanton Rd. to Michael John Romack, Irene Calimag Romack, & Michael Andrew Romack for $45,000
Fort Ann
Adam M. Wright sold property at 5259 Pillar Way to Mark C. & Trudy E. Shlosser for $128,000
US Bank Trust NA as Trustee for LSF9 Master Participation Trust sold property at 5244 Pillar Way to Krystal Audette and Kimberly McKinney for $32,400
Kris & Susan Jackson sold property at 24 Mountain View to Katie M. & Jessica S. Moses for $186,500
Fort Edward
Brian & Moriah Mathis sold property at 98 East Street to 98 East Street, LLC. for $190,000
D and T Creative Properties, LLC sold property at 4 Marion Street to Eric Rose for $179,000
Salem
Margaret H. Bain as Exec. of Last Will of Mary H. Stewart sold property at 253 Main Street to Deborah Abenmoha for $165,000
White Creek
James H. Goslin sold property at Dinny Rd to Peter & Russell Saville for $20,000
David Smith Untitled (Home of the Welder), 1946 Gouache on paper 23 x 29 ¼ in. (58.4 x 74.3 cm) The Estate of David Smith, New York
GLENS FALLS, NY – In honor of its sixtieth anniversary, the Hyde Collection is pleased to announce the exhibition Songs of the Horizon: David Smith, Music, and Dance. Curated by Dr. Jennifer Field, Executive Director of the Estate of David Smith, this is the first museum exhibition to focus exclusively on the indelible influence of music and dance on Smith’s work in painting, drawing, and sculpture. The exhibition features thirty-five pieces loaned by major private and public collections, including Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Harvard Art Museums, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the Estate of David Smith, in addition to archival materials from the Estate and works from the Hyde’s permanent collection. The Hyde aims to draw scholars, collectors, and enthusiasts to celebrate Smith’s legacy as well as the enduring traditions of dance and music in the southern Adirondack region.
David Smith (1906-1965; b. Decatur, IN) is recognized as one of the great sculptors of the twentieth century. Smith began spending summers in Bolton Landing, New York, in the late 1920s and settled there permanently in 1940. “The Adirondack region that encompasses Bolton Landing and Glens Falls was inseparable from Smith’s artistic practice,” says Field. “A dialogue with nature—the mountain landscape, the change of seasons, the flight of birds—is reflected in his artwork in every medium.” In the 1940s, inspired by performances in the region and in New York City, Smith initiated an exploration of dancers and musicians rapt in song.
Jason Ward, Hyde Collection Board of Trustees Chair, notes, “As part of his commitment to the area, Smith became deeply involved with the foundation of The Hyde Collection before his premature death in 1965. Charlotte Hyde, the founder of the Museum, was a friend of David Smith and fond of his artistic creations. David Smith was one of the Collection’s earliest trustees and curated The Hyde’s very first summer exhibition, installing his own sculptures on the lawn. In the spirit of that inaugural event, Songs of the Horizon: David Smith, Music, and Dance will feature two graceful, vertical sculptures from later in Smith’s career, measuring up to twelve feet tall that poetically evokes the essence of music, dance, and nature. This intimate association with David Smith,” Ward continues, “is what the museum seeks to highlight with this anniversary exhibition.”
In 1926, Smith moved from the Midwest to New York City. There he met artist Dorothy Dehner; they married the following year. Beginning in the mid-1930s, Smith photographed Dehner in dance poses. These images, along with photographs by Barbara Morgan of Martha Graham, spurred Smith’s sustained study of the female figure in motion. Songs of the Horizon features Smith’s sculpture Boaz Dancing School (1945; Private collection)—a stylistically radical interpretation of Franziska Boaz’s Bolton Landing dance studio, and a rare example of Smith explicitly referencing a particular historical and autobiographical moment. This sculpture has been publicly displayed only once since 1947.
Smith cited music as essential to his life and work, particularly classical and jazz from his radio: “I use music as company in the manual labor part of sculpture, of which there is much.” He regularly traveled to New York City to attend concerts and jazz clubs. Locally, he enjoyed the lively summer concert season in Lake George. A trio of drawings depicts a 1946 performance by harpsichordist Sylvia Marlow, reunited here for the first time. These works in turn, engendered an ambitious group of drawings, paintings and sculpture inspired by the two ancient Greek muses of music and dance, represented here by the innovative, abstract sculptures Euterpe and Terpsichore (1946; the Estate of David Smith) and Terpsichore and Euterpe (1947; Harvard Art Museums).
Concurrently, Smith created a series centered on renowned cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, who briefly settled in the Adirondacks in the 1940s. Smith captured the psychological intensity and geometry of the cellist and his instrument in a painting series and in the sculpture Cello Player (1945; Private collection). These works, reunited in the exhibition for the first time in nearly 20 years, are accomplished examples of the complex, abstract direction in which Smith took his paintings and sculptures in the mid-1940s.
Of this exhibition, David Smith’s daughters, Rebecca and Candida Smith, state:
“We are thrilled to see our father’s work back at the Hyde Collection. Our father wanted his sculptures to be experienced in relation to nature, to changing light, weather, and seasons. He always said that an artist is a person of their time. There was a vibrant community of artists and performers in the southern Adirondacks, and our father’s work responded to contemporaneous performing arts and music and was inspired by the wild beauty of the mountains and the lakes.”
– Rebecca and Candida Smith
Additional Information Regarding David Smith
David Smith married artist Dorothy Dehner in 1927. Dehner encouraged Smith to enroll at the Art Students League and introduced him to modern dance. In acknowledgment of the vital role Dehner played in Smith’s early career and his life in the Adirondacks, Songs of the Horizon: David Smith, Music, and Dance include a selection of artworks by Dehner. She left the marriage in 1950, returning to New York City. Smith’s works became increasingly large and inventive, his sculptures spreading into the fields of his mountain home.
Accompanying Educational Program Offerings
June 24, 11 AM: Exhibition Tour with Guest Curator Jennifer Field
June 24, 4 PM: Conversation with the Daughters of David Smith
July 2, 6:30 PM: The Sculptor and the Musician: European Baroque Chamber Music
July 20, 5:30-7:30 PM: Adult Workshop: Modern Dance with Ginny Martin & Dana Yager
July 22, 7:30 PM: “A Tribute to David Smith” with Hub New Music
July 25, 27 & August 1, 3, 10-11:15 AM: Youth Workshop: Earth Movement with Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company
July 27 & 28, 12-4 PM: Youth Workshop: Modern Dance with Ginny Martin & Dana Yager
July 28, 5:30 PM: Performance: Modern Dance with Ginny Martin & Dana Yager
August 6, 10 AM-5 PM: Community Day
August 17, 6 PM: Lecture: David Smith, Music, Dance and Community with Paula Wisotzki
September 8-10, 9 AM-4 PM: Welding Workshop with Salem Art Works: Inspired by David Smith
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Special thank you to: The Charles R. Wood Foundation and The Hoopes Family Foundation
Leading Sponsors: The Glens Falls Foundation, Anne and George Morris, Francine and Robert Nemer, Franklin and Mary Renz, Charnell H. Thompson, and Jason C. Ward and Heather M. Ward
Major Sponsors: Mr. Mark Behan, Tenée and James Casaccio, The Chateau On The Lake, Ellen-Deane Cummins, D.A. Collins, Carl and Terry DeBrule, Tom and Sally Hoy, The Robert Lehman Foundation, J.M. McDonald Foundation, and Wilmington Trust
Supporting Sponsors: India and Benjamin Adams, Atherton Painting & Renovations, Giorgio and Maureen DeRosa, KEENA Staffing Inc., Mrs. Joan Lapham, Mr. John J. Nigro, Dennis J. Phillips and Patricia Smith Phillips, The Queensbury Hotel, Chelsea and Joshua Silver, StoredTech IT Consulting, Sarah Parker Ward and Chris Ward, Warren County Bar Association, and Domenique and Dmitriy Yermolayev
A SECOND EXHIBITION OPENING
The 1960s: Beyond Op and Pop
The 1960s are understood as the dawn of widespread progressive social views, from the civil rights movement to war protests and the sexual revolution. The visual arts as well experienced the advent of radical styles, including Op Art, Pop Art, and countless new approaches to what it meant to work abstractly.
Notwithstanding the allure of novelty, not all artists shunned the “real world”—and the sixties also saw the development of the painting style known as Photorealism. The 1960s: Beyond Op and Pop draws from The Hyde’s permanent collection of 1960s painting, sculpture, and works on paper in a wide range of styles.
About David Smith
Widely regarded as one of the most innovative sculptors of his generation, David Smith (1906-1965) was pioneering in his ability to fuse Surrealist and Cubist influences, redefining what sculpture could be for the modern world. David Smith’s sculptures, paintings, and drawings have been exhibited internationally since the 1950s. Smith represented the United States at La Biennale di Venezia in 1954 and 1958. Numerous solo exhibitions of his work have been mounted in the decades since, including at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1965, 2011), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York (1969, 2006); the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC (1982); Sezon Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan (1994); MNCA, Reina Sofia, Madrid (1996); Tate Modern, London (2006); Storm King Art Center, Mountainville, NY (1997-99, 2017), and Yorkshire Sculpture Park (2019-20), among many other venues.
About The Hyde Collection
The Hyde is one of the Northeast’s exceptional small art museums with distinguished European and American art collections. The core collection, acquired by Museum founders Louis and Charlotte Hyde, includes works by such artists as Sandro Botticelli, El Greco, Rembrandt, Peter Paul Rubens, Edgar Degas, Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and American artists Thomas Eakins, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, and James McNeill Whistler. The Museum’s Modern and Contemporary art collection features works by artists including Josef Albers, Dorothy Dehner, Sam Gilliam, Adolph Gottlieb, Grace Hartigan, Ellsworth Kelly, Sol LeWitt, George McNeil, Robert Motherwell, Ben Nicholson, Robert Rauschenberg, and Bridget Riley. Today, The Hyde offers significant national and international exhibitions and a packed schedule of events that help visitors experience art in new ways. Visit www.hydecollection.org.
The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library is 30 years old and we’re celebrating with a free Festival in City Park, outside the Library, Tuesday, July 25th, 10 am to 5 pm.
Over 50 folk artists will fill the park demonstrating their crafts and traditions. Up close and personal, festival goers will be able to witness first hand the skill, and to talk directly with the experts. Many of the artists will also have a hands-on component.
The list of traditions is far reaching: Afghanistan kites, black ash and birch bark basketry, barn quilts, blacksmithing, chainsaw carving, chair caning, drumming, fiber arts, fly fishing flies and casting, hammer dulcimer, henna art, iconography painting, Irish stick fighting, nature garden sculpture, painted floor cloths, paper art, photographic portraits, plasma cut metal work, primitive weaving on a peg loom, rough edge bowl turning, sculptures of found objects, stringed instrument making, stonework, timber framing, tintype photography, torah scribing, ukulele club, wood carving birds.
There’ll be live music all day at the Bandstand. The morning will showcase Adirondack music, with Dan Berggren, Dan Duggan, Josh Clevenstine (10 am), followed by John Kirk and Trish Miller with Cedar Stanistreet and Greg Anderson (11 am). At noon, The McKrells will join us with Irish music. The Desi Trio will take the stage with Pakistani music at 1:30 pm, followed a by Alex Torres and his Latin Orchestra at 2:30 pm). We’ll wind up the day with a country music reunion 4-5 pm, featuring Marty Wendell, Al and Kathy Bain, and the legendary Smokey Greene & Sons.
We’re also scheduling food demonstrations in front of the Library (homestead cheeses, Congolese recipes, local soul food dinner, etc), a selection of food trucks along Maple Street, and other participatory activities.
Thanks to our major partners, New York Folklore (Schenectady) and Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (Canton) for helping organize the event, to the Friends of Crandall Public Library for additional funds, and to the many local organizations joining us for a day of fun for the entire family.
Looking for something to do this weekend? On Saturday, June 24th, and Sunday, June 25th, the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival will return to Lake George! This event is located at the Festival Commons in the Charles R. Wood park, located at 17 West Brook Road in Lake George. The Charles R. Wood Park is 12.5 acres, and features a 2.5-acre festival space. This festival space was designed to host a variety of events, as an economic engine for the park and the region. The Adirondack Wine & Food Festival is one such event!
With admission, event-goers receive a commemorative wine glass for the event! They can use the commemorative wine glass to sample beverages before they buy them, and then take it home as a souvenir. This event will host 120 craft beverage and artisan food vendors, including, wineries, breweries, distilleries, artisanal food vendors, local crafts, and food trucks from the Adirondack region. Adirondack Winery and Warren County Tourism have teamed up to present this event with help from many generous sponsors!
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Southern Adirondacks is the official Festival Beneficiary. Volunteers from their organization will be on hand to provide water to help visitors stay hydrated.
Lake George, known as a family-friendly destination, encourages families to bring kids to this event. Kids 15 and under are free! There are also designated driver tickets, and underage tickets available as well. Saturday and Sunday general full-day admission is $49.99, plus a $2.28 undisclosed fee. VIP Tickets are also available!
Luxury! Power! Prestige! These are some of the words that come to mind when looking at a Pierce-Arrow. Although the opportunities are generally few and far between, this week Glens Falls has been the host city of The Pierce-Arrow Society 65th Annual meet. The Queensbury Hotel has provided an elegant backdrop for the Pierce-Arrow Society automobiles… Just a glimpse of one can remind us of a time gone by, and a lifestyle afforded by few and sought after by many. The Pierce-Arrow embodies the grandeur of the golden age of automobiles.
The Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company was an American vehicle manufacturer from 1901 to 1938, based in Buffalo, New York. The Pierce-Arrow Society is dedicated to the preservation of Pierce-Arrow Motor Cars and Trucks, as well as the history associated with the Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company.
From 1901 to 1938, Pierce-Arrow produced approximately 80,000 automobiles, of which 3,000 still exist. Their 1933 Silver Arrow is still one of the most recognizable and influential automobile designs of all time… Only five were made, and only three have survived.
If you would like to see the cars up close, on Saturday, June 24th, there will be a Pierce-Arrow Society car show at Glens Falls City Park from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. So, until then, if you’re around Glens Falls, pass by the Queensbury Hotel and catch a glimpse of one of these breathtaking, eye-catching automobiles.
The Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls is in its 98th year of service, having operated since its founding in 1915… In 1989, The Glens Falls Kiwanis Foundation was newly incorporated to provide funding for the club’s Youth Civil Leadership Program. Each year, the Foundation awards two four-year scholarships, in honor of two of their members… This year, those honorees were John Doty and Andy Lemery, and this year, the foundation also had sufficient funds to award a runner-up, one-year scholarship in the memory of Tony Palangi… On June 7th, at the Queensbury Hotel, The Glens Falls Kiwanis Foundation awarded a total of $21,000 in scholarships!
This year, a four-year scholarship was presented to Nora MacInnis in honor of John Doty… John proudly served our country for 13 years in the US Navy. He joined Kiwanis in 1976, and has been warmly greeting members and guests as they arrive at their luncheon meetings ever since. He is affectionately known as “Mr. Raffle” and “Mr. Perfect Attendance” as a dedicated member of what was once known as the house committee.
Foundation President Craig Seybolt, Honoree John Doty, Scholarship Recipient Nora MacInnis, and Foundation Immediate Past President Larry Weaver
John is also very passionate about model railroading – in addition to being a proud member of the Upstate Model Railroaders Club, for many years, John also chaired The Model Train Show fundraiser. John can often be found at community events, setting up train displays at the YMCA, Armory, and the Queensbury Hotel that have entertained and brought joy to children and families for years within our community!
John and his wife Mary Ann have been married for 61 years! Together, John and Mary Ann owned and operated U Rent All for 27 years – which was located on Glen Street in Queensbury – where they provided equipment for all the Kiwanis events, like LARAC, Americade, Taste of the North Country, and going back to the Adirondack Balloon Festival. They also have two sons and four grandchildren, who will carry on a legacy of faithful service to our country, club and community.
Nora MacInnis was the recipient of the Honorary John Doty Scholarship. She is a senior at Bolton Central School, and is involved in a variety of extracurriculars, including volleyball, drama club, band, and student council. She has been an active member in her school’s Key Club chapter since eighth grade, and served as the president since her junior year; in this position, she facilitates club events, runs weekly meetings, and assists with the school’s backpack program. For the past 3 years, she was appointed by each Youth Governor to assist in advising legislation that impacts our state, and has received awards for most outstanding debate… It has also been her honor to be selected to represent New York State on a national platform as a delegate at the Conference on National Affairs, both last summer and this upcoming summer! She’s also served as a representative of her class since freshman year, and acted as the Student Council President this school year. Beginning in the fall, she will further her education at SUNY Cortland, to obtain her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications to become a Public Relations specialist; particularly for non-profit organizations.
The Honorary Andy Lemery four year scholarship was presented to Aliza DeMattos. Andy graduated from Bentley University in 1955 with a degree in Finance, and was immediately hired as the fourth employee at a newly formed company known as Kamyr. Andy worked at Kamyr and its seven subsidiaries for 38 years in numerous capacities within the finance division, including controller, treasurer and corporate secretary. He joined Kiwanis in 1978 and had many years of perfect attendance. He worked tirelessly for over 20 years, supervising the cash drawer at LARAC and training many Key Clubbers how to count money and serve as a cashier.
Andy and his wife June have been married for 65 years. They have 2 daughters, 3 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Andy and June spent many winters in Florida, but after 29 years, sold their house in Florida and spent this past winter back in Glens Falls. Andy loves to garden and swim, and is an avid bike rider. He is also very patriotic, marching (and now riding in a convertible) with Kiwanis in the Memorial Day Parade; and he hopes you will join him!
Foundation President Craig Seybolt, Scholarship Recipient Aliza DeMattos, Honoree Andy Lemery, Foundation Immediate Past President Larry Weaver
Aliza DeMattos is a graduating Senior from Queensbury High School, who has been a member of the Queensbury Varsity Field Hockey and Lacrosse teams… Aliza has been involved in numerous clubs and organizations, including FBLA, Yearbook, Media Arts Production, National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, LEAT, and others. During her tenure at QHS, she has served as the Key Club’s President, and in addition to her school involvement, Aliza has long volunteered for the Double H Ranch, for children ages six to 16 who are dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Aliza will attend Bentley University – Andy’s alma mater – in the Fall, majoring in Finance and Economics, as well as playing lacrosse for the Falcons! Her ultimate goal is to be heavily entrenched in the business world.
There was also a one-year scholarship given out in memory of Tony Palangi, AKA “Mr. Kiwanis”… His faithful service to the Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls, NY, and his commitment to Kiwanis youth will never be forgotten. Tony founded the first Kiwanis Club of Glens Falls-sponsored Key Club at Glens Falls High School in 1976, and went on to serve as the Kiwanis Club’s Youth Service Leadership Chair from 1976 to 2007. During his tenure, the Key Club program grew to 10 clubs in our area high schools, a Builders Club at Glens Falls Middle School, and a Circle K Club at SUNY Adirondack.
Tony Palangi Memorial Scholarship Recipient Jane Trowbridge, and Foundation President Craig Seybolt
Jane Trowbridge was awarded the scholarship in memory of Tony Palangi. She has been an active member of the Bolton Key Club throughout her high school career, and has also enjoyed helping out at her school’s fall carnival, book fairs, and the “Pancakes and Pajamas” event. She has especially loved volunteering as the assistant coach of both the Elementary basketball and softball teams… In the Fall, she will be attending Dutchess Community College, majoring in Aviation Science. Jane is excited to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a pilot!
One of the other ways that Kiwanis International makes a positive impact on the lives of children is through Key Club… Key Club members learn how to lead, and stand for what’s right through service and volunteerism. Through Key Club, high school students are making a difference in their schools and communities.
The mission of Key Club – as an international student-led organization – is to give members opportunities to provide service, build character, and develop leadership. The core values of Key Club are leadership, character building, caring, and inclusiveness… Key Club International has supported the transformation of high school students as they graduate and become the world’s next class of leaders. This aim is achieved with the cooperation of school principals and teachers, to prepare the students to become useful citizens.
The Double H Ranch is a non-profit organization, providing specialized programs and year-round support for children dealing with life-threatening illnesses… They have recently announced the hiring of Alison Wilcox as CEO! Alison will be following in the footsteps of Max Yurenda, who retired after 30 years of leading the organization. Double H Ranch was founded by actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, and businessman and philanthropist Charley Wood.
“Alison has a wonderful passion for the mission of the Double H Ranch and a respect for our culture. Her experience developing leadership skills for young girls, financial management, and organizational development will inspire the Double H Ranch to grow upon its reputation of excellence as one of the premier non-profits in the Capital District and North Country. By working with our great Double H Ranch team, I am confident Alison will bring great enthusiasm, energy, and engagement in her new role,” said Charlie Crew, Board Chairman.
Ms. Wilcox has over 20 years of global experience in non-profit leadership and board governance – she has also been the CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York for the past 4 years, and she was COO for 3 years. Prior to that, she was a Senior Strategy Advisor to Girl Scouts of USA, Lead Development Specialist at Delaware North Companies, and the Senior VP of Program and Membership of Girls Scouts of Western New York.
Double H’s Board of Directors retained the executive search firm Lindauer to conduct a nationwide search following the announcement of Max Yurenda’s retirement in June of 2022… The process was detailed, thorough, and thoughtful, resulting in an outstanding outcome for Double H, an organization that has served over 80,000 children from around the world dealing with a serious or life-threatening illness.
Alison Wilcox
“I am so excited to join the team at Double H Ranch. The mission of Double H is near and dear to my heart because of my own family background, and I am inspired by the powerful impact Double H has on children and their families,” said Ms. Wilcox. “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as the next CEO for this wonderful organization, which has such a strong history and legacy, and obvious commitment and dedication from the entire staff, volunteer, camper, and alumni community.”
Ms. Wilcox will officially assume the role of CEO in August 2023, and plans to relocate to New York’s Adirondack Park, where the Double H Ranch is located.
The Double H Ranch, co-founded by Charles R. Wood and Paul Newman, provides specialized programs and year-round support for children and their families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Their purpose is to enrich their lives, and provide camp experiences that are memorable, exciting, fun, empowering, physically safe, and medically sound. All programs are FREE of charge, and capture the magic of the Adirondacks.
Construction on Quaker Road in Queensbury began on Monday, June 19th, and is expected to last all summer… The stretch of road that will be affected by the construction is just under four miles long. Drivers should be prepared for lane closures and delays as a result of this project; it is suggested that alternative routes be used during construction, as it will be occurring both day and night.
The construction will involve the rehabilitation or replacement of 18 culverts (which are drains or covered channels that cross under a road way), the rehabilitation of pavement, replacement of signs, and additional work.
The construction will take place on Quaker Road, from Route 9 to Lower Warren Street. Drivers are reminded to slow down in construction zones – this is especially important when some of the work is being done at night. Fines double when you’re speeding in a work zone!
Quaker Road carries a high volume of traffic between Queensbury, Glens Falls, Lake George, and the Adirondack Northway.
Beginning on June 24th, in honor of the Hyde Collection’s 60th anniversary, the museum will be featuring an exhibition focused on the influence of music and dance on David Smith’s paintings, drawings, and sculptures. This exhibition features works of art from both the private and public collection, and the Estate of David Smith, in addition to a selection of rare archival materials!
This exhibition – curated by Dr. Jennifer Field, Executive Director of The Estate of David Smith – is organized to commemorate The Hyde Collection’s 60th anniversary as a public museum. It features approximately thirty loans from major private and public collections, including Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Harvard Art Museums, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, and the Estate of David Smith; along with a selection of archival materials from the Estate, and works from The Hyde’s permanent collection.
David Smith (1906-1965) settled permanently in Bolton Landing, New York, in 1940, with the artist Dorothy Dehner. The Adirondack region that encompasses Bolton Landing and Glens Falls became inseparable from Smith’s artistic practice… A dialogue with nature – the mountain landscape, the change of seasons, the flight of birds – is reflected in his artwork in every medium. In the 1940s, inspired by modern dance and concerts held both locally and in New York City, he made inventive works of art that depict dancing figures and musicians playing instruments. Music was intrinsic to Smith’s life and work: “I use the music as company in the manual labor part of a sculpture,” he later explained.
As part of Smith’s commitment to the area, he became deeply involved with the foundation of The Hyde Collection prior to his death in 1965… Mrs. Charlotte Hyde, founder of the Museum, was a friend of David Smith. There were very close bonds between the sculptor and Mrs. Hyde’s curators – Otto Wittman and Jerry Dodge – as well as her longtime friend and Chair of her trustees, artist and experimental filmmaker Douglass Crockwell. Smith was one of the Collection’s earliest trustees – he curated The Hyde’s very first summer exhibition, installing his own sculptures on the lawn. In the spirit of that inaugural event, Songs of the Horizon: David Smith, Music, and Dance will feature two graceful, vertical sculptures from later in Smith’s career… Measuring up to twelve feet tall, they poetically evoke the essence of music, dance, and nature.
This exhibition also includes a selection of works by Dorothy Dehner, in acknowledgment of the vital role she played in Smith’s early career and his life in the Adirondacks… Dehner and Smith married on Christmas Eve, 1927, and bought a farm in Bolton Landing, where they spent much of their married life. Dehner’s subject matter consisted of natural forms, such as shells and aquatic life, while her style was influenced by cubism. The couple divorced after over two decades of a tumultuous marriage… However, the twenty-three year marriage still contributed to each of the artists’ work.
