Three Lions Club dignitaries visit Tupper club

About two dozen members of the Tupper Lake Lions Club entertained special guests on April 18 when the current district governor, the last district governor and the next district governor came to town. The meeting was held at Allison Hollingsworth spacious staff room above Hollingsworth Construction on High Street. Flanking Lions Club President Stuart Nichols were at right DG Priscilla Laurin of Chazy and her husband, Rickey, was district governor last year and at immediate left, Holly McConcie of Galway, incoming district governor and Margot Warlrath, another Lion from the Galway club who accompanied her that evening.

An amazing prime rib supper with all the fixin’s was prepared by the club’s culinary pros- Lions Kurt and Mark Garrelts, Paul LaMere and Rick Skiff. Carrott cake fresh from the oven of Lion Cindy Lewis crowned off a meal fit for Lions. Club members raved about the main course and the dessert.

In her address to the local Lions DG Laurin encouraged the club to donate to the Lions Club International Foundation, which performs major acts of disaster relief around the world. Through LCIF local clubs can apply for generous matching grants to help fund local civic projects and she encouraged the hometown club to apply.

Last year the club embraced the Tupper Lake Varsity Hockey Team and purchased new special team uniforms as well as publicly feting the successful team and its top players.

DG Laurin said those expenditures would have been great candidates for LCIF grants.

Donations of $250 a year for four years qualifies the club for a Melvin Jones Award to recognize outstanding Lions and community members.

She applauded the club for its recent boost in membership, noting the club has grown by over ten members since last year. Such growth makes the local club eligible for an award from Lions International, she announced.

DG Laurin also encouraged Lions to bring their children and grandchildren along with them as they work on community civic projects. She said it instills in them community pride early in their lives by working on projects that help this community. Those young folks, learning the ways of Lionism early, make them excellent candidates for Lions membership when they become adults.

She also urged the local Lions to consider starting a teenage Leo Club here.

Amazingly, Don Smith’s tenants could be back home within weeks

A few of the cots that Ray Bigrow and Stacy Button at the Adirondack Adult Center set up for 13 Don Smith’s residents last Monday night in a shelter-style arrangement were awaiting disassembly Tuesday morning after everyone was moved to local motels. (Dan McClelland photo)

by Dan McClelland

Amazing as it sounds, many of the tenants of Don Smith’s Apartments who were displaced last Monday due to a major water line break could be back home in several weeks.

That good news came Monday from Debbie Reil, who manages the complex on Wawbeek Ave.

There are several key reasons for the rapid return of tenants to the water-soaked building. The first was quick action by the disaster remediation company that were engaged. A crew from Servicemaster was on the scene Monday with some of its clean-up equipment only hours after a main sprinkler system valve cracked open on the third floor. A second reason was how fast the building’s maintenance man got the water shut off. Another reason, according to Ms. Reil was the prompt attention of the downstate company that owns the building. -And the final, and perhaps most important reason was that the contracting company that had been renovating the building since June, was still on the scene.

When the sprinkler system valve erupted about mid-day last Monday water rained down on the three floors of apartments.

All tenants were evacuated almost immediately in an operation directed by the volunteers of the Tupper Lake Fire Department, in conjunction with local Emergency Coordinator Carl Steffen and others.

Many of the occupants of the 50 apartments were collected by families here and many are still there.

Ms. Reil said that 16 of the apartments did not receive water damage and the residents of those units have returned. Three other residents whose apartments were damaged are staying with their neighbors in their apartments.

Thirteen residents were bussed to the town’s Aaron Maddox Hall where they stayed Monday night, sleeping on cots that had been set up there in a shelter-style arrangement by Adirondack Adult Center Director Stacy Button and past director, Ray Bigrow.

Eleven of those people were moved into local motels last Tuesday and are still staying there. Their temporary lodging is being paid for by the company that owns the building. Most are staying at the Schuller family’s Tupper Lake Motel. One is staying at the Park Motel and one is at Faust Motel, where they asked to stay.

One of the displaced resident, Mary Lou Andre was back at the Aaron Maddox Hall Wednesday to collect her cats.

Renovations were expected to start in a big way yesterday.

In preparation for the rebuilding effort, the third floor apartments have already been stripped. All flooring was removed to expose the sub-floor plywood. Any cabinets touched by water will be removed.

“Each apartment has been assessed individually for water damage,” Ms. Reil explained. All carpeting has been removed. She said the plan is to remove all the sheetrock on the walls of the third floor apartments, stripping those units to the studs.

Some of that same work will also be done on the second floor units, depending on the amount of damage they saw from the flooding.

Servicemaster technicians with their squeegees and other water extraction tools “had to dry out the entire building before all the damage could be determined,” she explained.

“Considering when the event happened that company was wonderful. Because of our emergency situation, I immediately called several companies last Monday and Servicemaster was the first one that responded.” She said it had an inspection crew on site later that same afternoon.

Its crews worked through the evening until about 9p.m. doing the initial mopping up of all the water. It installed de-humidifiers that first evening once all the water was removed to continue the drying out process.

Village Code Enforcement Officer Pete Edwards was inspecting the building late Monday along with the Servicemaster crews.

The 16 apartments on what he called “the outer wings” of all three floors were the apartments that escaped the damage.

He noted that flooding is a particularly troubling kind of damage to a building “as there is often a lot of hidden damage that isn’t found right away.” He predicted the building will require extensive remediation.

He said the renovation project this summer was extensive. “The apartments, which saw some of the bathrooms reconfigured along with the other renovations, were beautiful!”

The apartment complex was purchased earlier this year by a company called Ogden Realty, which is owned by the Carbone family, who live in the New York City area. The family and its companies also own the Greenwood building in Lake Placid, as well as other North Country businesses.

“I called both corporate offices and my district manager immediately after this happened, and the severity of what we were facing. I sent to them 42 photographs showing the extent of the damage.”

“My district manager who lives in the Saratoga area came up immediately. Tom Carbone, one of the owners, was here first thing Tuesday morning and walked the entire building to look at everything,” Ms. Reil noted.

She said once all the water was removed from the building- it showed a lot of damage, but it also showed it could have been much worse.

“I definitely credit the work of our maintenance man and all the fire department volunteers who responded. They did a fantastic job!”

She said Jon Depuy, who heads maintenance at the complex had just left the building when the calls from tenants began. He was on his way home to Saranac Lake and was out of cell service for some minutes. As he neared Saranac Lake his cell service returned, his phone started ringing and he immediately returned to Tupper to shut of the water.

“He got back here as fast he could to shut off the main lines.”

Ms. Reil said the community “has been wonderful about helping people. I cannot say enough good about the Tupper Lake community. Many people pulled together in a very unique crisis situation.” She said they have received donations of towels, blankets, food to feed tenants who have been displaced, etc.

There was insurance on the building, but it is not known at this point how that will all work out, she told the Free Press.

“We’ve documented everything with photographs and incidents reports,” she said which should help with any and all insurance adjustments.

She said surprisingly that tenants could be moving back to the building within two weeks.

“Our contractors are already in place” from the complete restoration and renovation of the building that began in early summer. That work involved a new roof, new masonry exterior work, new windows and doors and the complete renovation of each apartment, including new flooring, new cabinets and appliances. “We still have workmen on site.”

“They already know all the square footages in the building, how much tile and other flooring is needed for each apartment, etc.,” she explained.

Before that project began in June, the last two years under the previous owners saw extensive electrical and plumbing upgrades in the building, Ms. Reil stated.

She said the contractors “already know the complete scope of the building and all the dimensions.

ECT Contractors, whose crew boss lives in New Jersey, is the name of the company that tackled the entire renovation and some of its workers were finishing up projects when the flood occurred last Monday.

She said the building has been almost totally renovated with Monday’s disaster happened. “It’s a major undertaking but we’re ready for it,” she concluded.

Mayor Paul Maroun applauded the broad community effort to help the 50 or more displaced residents of Don Smith’s.

Although he was on vacation in Minnesota visiting his sister, Cindy, over Christmas, he was on the telephone with local agencies and groups the minute he was told of the disaster last Monday.

He said he was in contact with Emergency Coordinator Carl Steffen every day for the past week, and with Ms. Reil and her people.

“This was a real tragedy for the people of Don Smith’s. The village and town really stepped in to help!”

He said there was expected to be a meeting yesterday with the owners of the building and with some of the local emergency officials and town and village officials. He said he expected to be briefed on it by Village Clerk Mary Casagrain, who would be there.

“Some of those recently renovated apartments saw major damage, unfortunately.”

“The village will continue to assist in every way we can.”

He said he contacted Kim Higgins, the campus director at Sunmount, who furnished new pillows and pillow cases for those 13 who stayed that first night at the Aaron Maddox Hall.

The 911 Emergency Services Center in Malone helped with the evacuation process last Monday.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the building owners to get those residents back home as soon as possible!”

“The Tupper Lake community really pitched in. It always does when there’s a disaster...we always will!”

“The VFW Post has helped, as has the food pantry, the adult center, Ray Bigrow and Stacy Button...many people and groups have stepped forward to help.”

“I know that village and town officials will help anyway they can to help these people get through this!”

“-And this was a real shame...those remodeled units were all very nice. I’m confident they will be again!”

“I’ve met with the owners from New York City and they want to keep Don Smith’s up to snuff and very nice in the years ahead!”

“Their manager Debbie has done a nice job during this event. -And I talk with Carl Steffen every day! Carl did a good job through all of this as did our firefighters!”

Tupper Lake Red & Black Players present two one-act plays that explore identity: “Hoodie” and “Discovering Rogue”

The Red and Black Players of the Tupper Lake Middle/High School will present two one-act plays that explore identity, Hoodie and Discovering Rogue, on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 9 and 10, in the TLMHS auditorium. Both performances start at 7 p.m., and admission at the door is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, with 5 and under free.

Middle schoolers face a tornado of questions every day. “What do I wear? What if I wear the wrong thing? What is she wearing? What do I look like? Stop looking at me!”

Hoodie, by Lindsay Price, examines image and appearance in the vignette style and poses what may be the most difficult question of all: “Do I stay in the clump or do I stand alone?”

This play features a group of 29 middle schoolers. Cast members are Ash Barber, Kianda Boudreau, Jeevika Branchaud, Eliza Bujold, Sawyer Clark, Erin Collins, Brittany Curry, Scout Ellis, John Fallon, Gabby Frenette, Lucy Frenette, Odessa Holmes, Raegan Hudak, Charlie Kavanagh, Yana Kucipak, Dean LaVigne, Aubrey Nadeau, Lacey Pickering, Rylee Preston, Jackson Rice, Bryce Richer, Lyla Robillard, Oliver Roberts, Lawrence Sears, Rain Skiff, Noah Switzer, Blake Wagner, Lily Wilber, and Mariah Young. Crew members are Jackson Dukette, Kaileigh Dukette, Ava Facteau, Rylee Kennedy, Nicholas LaPlante, and Claire Snye.

In Discovering Rogue by Christian Kiley, Rogue lives in a cardboard box but she doesn’t mind. Others want Rogue to leave but she isn’t budging. It's a showdown of stereotypes and self-identity. This play features a group of 18 high schoolers. Cast members are Meika Nadeau, Raegan Fritts, Hannah Barber, Sophia Staves, Robert Paige, Ayden Rabideau, Nevaeh Toohey, Dane O’Connor, Ghost Switzer, Haylee Callaghan, and Antwon Gachowski. Crew members are Genna Carmichael, Alliyah Lawrence, Michael Baker, Jack LaQuay, Allison Richer, Hannah Callaghan, and Vivian Allen.

Discovering Rogue is directed by George Cordes and Hoodie is directed by TLMHS Choral Director Elizabeth Cordes and Danielle LaMere, with lighting by David Naone. Both plays are presented through a special arrangement with Theatrefolk. There will be a short intermission between these one-acts.

The TLMHS auditorium is located at 25 Chaney Avenue in Tupper Lake.

Opening of Thrifty & Nifty at new location greeted with big crowd rush

by Dan McClelland

The long-awaited opening of Tupper Lake's popular Thrifty and Nifty department store happened Wednesday. There were as many people through the front door of the former Grand Union and Rite Aid stores after the 10a.m. opening, as there were over 40 years ago when Tupper Lake's Ames Department Store opened in the Demars Blvd. Plaza.

Ironically, that's exactly where the thrift store has been situated for years. From narrow quarters one spot in from the west end, with permission later from the plaza owners, Thrifty and Nifty expanded in phases into the former Ames space, eventually filling the entire space.

That first day on Park St. saw hundreds of shoppers. The volunteers to assist them were out in force.

A tired but still enthusiastic Phyllis Crate, who owns and directs the not-for-profit thrift store operation, was pleased to see the big turn-out for their first day at the corner of Wawbeek Ave. and Park Street.

Phyllis started her community-minded business about eight years and it has become a retail place many here, particularly the low-income, have come to depend on.

Phyllis and her small, but dedicated band of volunteers, have been moving for weeks- loading their thousands of pieces of merchandise into private pick-up truck and hauling it from The Boulevard to the new uptown business district.

Don Bennett and his contracting team extensively renovated the white concrete block building this past year, to prepare for Don's new tenant and the only department store Tupper Lake has now.

The building has been vacant in recent years and considerable decay took place in the unheated quarters before Mr. Bennett bought it.

The walls of the interior of the building were taken right down to the studs and all ceiling materials were removed and replaced, as part of the ambitious renovations by the Bennett company.

All new plumbing and electric systems were installed, as were four new, independent propane-fuelled furnaces in the full basement of the place sufficient to heat the store in the winters ahead. Large metal vents from the furnaces extend up into the main floor. Considerable insulating improvements were also done by Don and his crew.

Part of the roof of the building now has a new rubber membrane. New air conditioners are awaiting installation and should be in place soon.

The spacious ground level quarters also now feature new restrooms for both the public and the staff, as well as a staff room with kitchen and table and fitting rooms. All are found in the rear of the building.

“Everything is brand new!” exuded consummate Thrifty & Nifty volunteer Shelly Brown. Shelly and her sisters are some of the mainstays of the place.

A new check-out counter has been installed along the front of the store, with lots of room in front of it for shoppers to maneuver and prepare to check out.

Shelly took us downstairs into the basement into what is the new staging area for the operation. That's where the volunteers in charge of each department- clothing, footwear, furniture, etc.- now organize their donated products and plan for their arrangement on the retail shelves on the main floor.

The large basement quarters is not quite as large as the main floor, but it offers the department heads lots of rooms to spread out their goods and plan for their trip upstairs.

A section of the basement has been leased to Dawn Sauve and Holly Sauve Clark to operate their craft business, according to Shelly.

Much of the merchandise that is still arriving daily from the old quarters is first moved into the basement for sortation.

A huge pile of hangers, for example, stands ready for the clothing that will be hung on them for display up stairs.

One section of the basement is set up to organize boxes and boxes of children's clothing and toys. That department is directed by volunteer Serena Clement.

The Christmas and holiday section is directed by Shelly's sisters, Ann Martin and Jane Denis. A part of the basement is devoted to their colorful items for sortation and preparation for their holiday shelves upstairs.

Shelly has a number of tables in the basement too for her bedding products, footwear and winter wear which she oversees. Another volunteer, Maria Twyman of Wanakena, helps Shelly in that department.

Right now all of Shelly's summer shoes are on display upstairs and will be switched as the seasons do. Dozens of yellow boxes on tables in the basement is how the merchandise is moved between floors.

On some of the boxes are written the words, “Shelly's Shoes,” and that means “Don't touch them,” she said only half joking. She admits she's bossy.

“Now we have room to organize everything,” she said of the staging area in the basement. Before volunteers had to use the unheated, unloading space with its 20-foot high ceiling in the rear of the former Ames Department Store to try to organize the various types of goods.

Products also come to the store's shelves from storage rooms on the main floor.

Mike Sparks recently gave her a hand organizing and setting up dozens of dozens of tables in the staging area, she noted on opening morning.

The Boushie girls- Rita, Shelly, Ann and Jane- know what's good and what isn't from years of patronizing local garage sales and auctions. So they know what people want at the local store and they know the value of merchandise.

Shelly admitted last week that when she finds a gem among the goods donated, she never buys it and takes it home. “There is nothing here that spins me, because I see so much of it. I might see ten pairs of nice boots, but so what? How many can I wear? I don't bring anything here home, because I'm just not that type. I don't need a lot of things!”

“People come into the store and say they need this and they need that. That's not how I fly!”

So why does she go to so many garage sales? “Because I tag along with those sisters...it's an outing I guess!”

She said the sisters go to Albany shopping three days each year and this year she told them she had to stop. “I don't buy anything...the only thing I buy is lunch!”

Shelly and Ann Martin showed us the store's new handicapped section, with a full line of crutches and things to assist people with disabilities.

It's not uncommon for Ann to work double shifts at Sunmount and then stop at the store to volunteer her time.

Several other volunteers maintain the book department in the store, from where novels and periodicals are sold and replenished with donated ones.

Ann made all the attractive signs above the doorways to the various rooms which tell people what's inside.

The volunteers that help Phyllis at the thrift shop have been moving merchandise for over three months, and for much of that time the new quarters were unheated. To say many are worn out is an understatement.

Right now too the old quarters are still open, as the volunteers look to sell some of the old inventory, rather than move it.

Don Bennett plans to install new rubber floors in the many aisles of the new space this fall to make it comfortable for shoppers to stroll and shop there.

Thrifty & Nifty now occupies 10,000 square feet of space on the main floor and 7,000 square feet in the basement. The front part of the main floor is built on a slab. The former Ames store was much larger- about 35,000 square feet of space. The staging area in the basement has made the retail operation more fluid and more efficient now.

“We had a lot of wasted space before,” noted Ann Martin.

The store in its new location now features all kinds of household goods, furniture, men's, women's and children's clothing of all types and sizes, sports apparel, bedding goods, footwear, and just about anything you might find in a for-profit retail department store. Some of the older style goods on the shelves take us back to an earlier time and frequently trigger memories.

-And browsing those shelves in those many departments, can be just plain fun! Stop by today!

The summer hours are 10a.m. to 5p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays. The store is closed Monday and Tuesday, to give the volunteers a break.

The store is starting to receive donated goods again this week but Mrs. Crate reminds supporters to please drop them off only when the store is open and asks that people do not leave merchandise outside when the store is closed.

For information contact (518) 359-5222.

Riverpigs season ends after heartbreaking wild card loss to Plattsburgh

by Rich Rosentreter

It was a good run but it’s over! Fans will have to wait until next year to see their hometown team play ball again. The Tupper Lake Riverpigs on August 4 dropped a one-game wild card playoff game 7-6 to the Plattsburgh Thunderbirds.

The game was a see-saw battle in which Tupper Lake fell behind and tied the game twice before falling behind again and making a final valiant comeback effort that fell just fell short as the tying and winning runs were in scoring position when the last out was made and the quest for a championship ended.

Edward Salcedo was the star of the game for the Riverpigs going 5 for 5 including a double and three RBIs - but it wasn’t enough.

The Thunderbirds got going in the first inning with a run to take the 1-0 lead and from there, the Riverpigs were constantly fighting their way back. They did so in the bottom of the third. Khalyd Cox led off with a single and after Robert Antunez flied out to deep left, Salcedo got his second hit, narrowly missing a home run by inches, as the ball careened off the fence - Cox, who was running on the pitch, scored all the way from first, but Salcedo was thrown out trying to stretch the hit to a double.

With the score tied 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth, the Thunderbirds threatened as Tupper Lake’s starting pitcher Sungmin Choi lost the strike zone after giving up a double to Liam McArthur. Choi walked two batters to load the bases with two outs. Malvin Matos got a big hit for Plattsburgh to score two runs and give the Thunderbirds a 3-1 edge.

In the home fifth, the Riverpigs showed the grit they’ve demonstrated all season by fighting right back. Jose Zacarias ripped the ball down the third-base line for a leadoff single and Cox hit into a fielder’s choice putting a runner in scoring position - then Salcedo struck again as his crushed a double to score Zacarias. John Lantigua, who was with the New Hampshire Wild all season but was claimed by Tupper Lake in the end-of-season player draft, smacked a huge single to drive home Salcedo and knot the score at 3-3 as the home fans went wild.

The crowd’s frenzy would be quieted in the top of the seventh, however, when a leadoff walk and error on a sacrifice attempt was followed by a three-run homer by Alex Rodriguez (not the former Yankee) to give the Thunderbirds a 6-3 lead - and a silent, stunned crowd that filled Municipal Park.

Still, the Riverpigs would not go down without a fight. Down three runs and time running out in the bottom of the eighth, Salcedo rose to the occasion with a leadoff single. After a walk by Yordi Francisco, who was also claimed from the Wild, and a single by Miguel Molina all the pressure was on Drew Thomas as the bases were now loaded with two outs - he banged a clutch single to drive home two runs and narrow the score to 6-5 and again the home crowd was loud and boisterous.

In the top of the ninth, Plattsburgh scored their biggest tally of the season as Tupper Lake pitcher Daniel Rojas surrendered a run to give the Thunderbirds what would be a crucial insurance run.

The Riverpgis came to bat in the bottom of the ninth, down 7-5 and the season on the line - and would not go down quietly. Khalyd Cox led off with a four-pitch walk and promptly stole second. After Antunez uncharacteristically failed in a big moment and struck out, Salcedo once again stood tall - ripping a single to score Cox and make the score 7-6.

There would be no storybook ending, however, as Lantigua grounded out to second and Francisco struck out looking at a close pitch on a 3-2 count - and the season was over for the Riverpigs.

As the Tupper Lake players walked off the field dejected, the home base of fans quickly acknowledged the Riverpigs' effort all season and erupted in a loud chant of “THANK YOU RIVERPIGS!!!”

Aftermath

After Riverpigs Manager Jonathan Albaladejo addressed the team in the outfield grass, players spoke to the Free Press about the loss and the season and the manager said he was pleased with the fight.

“I liked it. It was a great game,” he told the Free Press. “We came back, and came back again. They showed a lot of heart, it was a great game, I’m very proud of them. We were in first most of the season, then we had a rough stretch and it hurt us, that’s how we wound up in this game with this result.”

Several of the Riverpigs shared their dejection over losing, but some still relished in the success of the season - and were uplifted by the fans chants at the end of the game.

“It was a really tough loss, especially because we had such a good start to the season,” Joey Skov said.

“We were coming off a really hot start and we got a little cold. I think we were finding our way back these last few weeks and allow could ask for was a hard-fought game and I honestly think that we put it all out there it obviously wasn’t the result we wanted, we wanted to try to win it all. I’m glad everybody put their heart into it in the last game we played,” Drew Thomas said.

“It was a really tough game and it wasn’t a great way to end the season,” Miguel Molina said. “It didn’t happen like we wanted, but we’ll be fine next year,”

“We came here to win and get to the finals and I played hard and think I did my best,” said a dejected Edward Salcedo, who tried hard to carry the team with his bat. “It was a tremendous season, I feel like that is what I need, to continue to play baseball to keep in shape. It was a good season because it’s a developmental league and everybody had a chance to get better to the next level. I think I need to make a few adjustments to get to the next level, so we’ll see what happens.”

Ronald Krsolovic told the Free Press that he truly appreciated the crowd’s final chants.

“It was awesome. I’m glad that they did. It definitely made us feel a little better, I just wish we could have won it for them,” he said. “They cared a lot about we cared a lot too, but that’s the way it goes. Hopefully next year!”

More work

Before the players left the field to start making plans to travel home, Eddie Gonzalez, the president and director of the Empire Baseball League, huddled the players together to give them “a message he gives to all the players at the end of the season.”

“Just because the season comes to an end, it doesn’t mean the goals do. In this league we focus on preparing guys for the next level, so when the season ends, they go home, rest a little bit, get some time with family, but right after that we get back to work with our programs to improve,” Mr. Gonzalez told the Free Press after the game. “This is all year round, we keep going. We prepare for winter leagues that happen internationally - Valenzuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, it helps them prepare for the season and be scouted - so these guys go home for a break but start training in November. We start putting a plan in place for all of this, so in our close-out meeting, we talk about when to look forward to getting back to work and planning what we’re going to do next.”

Mr. Gonzalez was also impressed and appreciative of the fans chanting their support after the season ended for the Riverpigs.

“It’s great to know that we are appreciated, not just for providing some good family entertainment of baseball, but we’re doing such a positive influential thing for the players and the community. For the players, we’re helping them achieve their pro baseball goals, for the community we’re providing great entertainment, a great family environment, we’re making an impact socially and economically,” he said. “I hope the community loves and appreciates us just as much as we love and appreciate them.”

Brock Gonyea moving to Nashville this month in time for debut of first album

by Dan McClelland

Brock Gonyea is headed back to Nashville in coming days to be there for the release of his first album. Brock also has a new manager.

Before heading to the country and western capital of the world, he gave a private concert on a recent Sunday for a big fan here- his 92 year old great aunt Beulah Gonyea at her Sunset Ave. home. Beulah's daughters Tina Baldwin and Terry Whitman joined her for the exclusive concert.

The local gig also featured Brock's dad, Bruce, who sang and harmonized with the rising star, as they performed country classics from the 1940s and 1950s.

Brock recorded the five songs on his album on his most recent visit to Nashville late last fall.

This month he’s relocating there permanently, after just finding an apartment.

In early 2020 Brock signed with Big Machine Records, one of the biggest names in country and western music today. Company officials helped him find his new apartment.

Big Machine Records is an American independent record label, which is distributed by Universal Music Group. The company was founded in September 2005 by former Dream Works record executive Scott Borchetta and became a joint venture between Mr. Borchetta and country singer Toby Keith.

It's the record label of such country performers as Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Sheryl Crow, Lady A., Carly Pearce, Dan Smalley, Callista Clark, Rascall Flatts, Sugarland and now Brock Gonyea.

Brock's road to Nashville began several years ago when he sang a song “Hello Walls,” written by Willie Nelson and made famous by old-time country star Faron Young.

Mr. Young was an American country music singer and songwriter from the early 1950s into the mid-1980s and one of the industry's most colorful stars. The honky-tonk singer was known as the Hillbilly Heartthrob and the Young Sheriff. His singles, which also included “It's Four in the Morning” were on the charts for more than 30 years. Many of Brock's fans believe he sounds very much like Faron Young.

Brock's video of his performance of “Hello Walls” went viral and managed over 3.7 million hits in the days after he uploaded it, according to a story we published about Brock last summer.

Brock's trips to Nashville began when a singer and performer named Brynn Arens saw and heard the “Hello Walls” video on the internet and called him. Mr. Arens is also a part-time manager of performers.

“The reason Brynn clicked on the video to begin with was because I supposedly look exactly like his youngest son, Felix. Then he listened to it and said: 'wow, this is awesome.'”

“He tried to get in touch with me and at the time I was working with other management and heading in completely different direction.” He noted that arrangement went by the way side.

Eventually Mr. Arens reached him. Mr. Arens had contacts with several record companies and together he and Brock headed out. There’s been several trips to Nashville and one to the west coast.

One of their first stops was Big Machine Records in Nashville. They also flew to Los Angeles, California to meet officials with another record company Brynn has worked with there.

“Then we heard back from Big Machine and they told us they were very, very interested in me.”

The president of Big Machine Records, Scott Borchetta, always personally listens to all new artists. Some times he listens to one song, sometimes two. If he listens to only one, his company is probably not going to sign the artist. If the artist is asked to play two in the audition, there’s a chance he or she will be signed. In Brock’s case he asked him play seven songs.

“Scott seemed to like me right off the bat!” Brock admitted in an interview last year.

Brock recently secured a new manager, Danny Nozell, who is also Dolly Parton's manager.

Brock's new album- his first one- is due to be released the end of this month. Its title is “Where My Heart Is!” It's also the name of the song that is the title track.

Big Machine Records is in the process of forming a band for Brock. His long-time friend and fellow musician Mark Pratico of Tupper Lake, who is now teaching in California, has been asked to audition for the new band.

Brock expects to eventually tour with his new band. But until the pandemic ends, he may just go on the road with another musician and perform acoustically in small, well-spaced venues.

Bruce said that for the new album the band members were all professional musicians, well known in Nashville. One of the performers was flown in from California for the recording sessions.

“Not only are these guys amazing musicians, many have written many of their own songs which have been hits and some are also music producers,” said Brock.

“They just know the music inside and out!”

Brock sang all the five songs on the album.

“They are calling it a collection,” he said of his new album.

Once the album is out, Big Machine promoters will be pushing for lots of radio play on country stations across the nation.

Did your dad sing on the album? the Free Press asked Brock in jest.

“No, but we're working on that,” the young performer said with a grin.

Brock and his dad harmonize well together. They have been singing and playing guitar together since Brock was a teenager.

Two of the songs on the new album are what Brock calls “completely his.” They are entitled “Where My Heart Is” and “My World Turns to Silver.” A third song was co-written by Brock and a musician named Larry McCoy.

“Where My Heart Is” is a song about Brock working with his dad on the family's wood pile behind their Park Street house.

“It's basically about me growing up there,” Brock explains.

One of the lines of the song refers to a place where the “chainsaws are running and the guitars are strumming,” his dad adds. “When they first heard that song they (the Nashville people) wanted to come up here this winter and film us cutting wood. Brock told them if they come to New York they were going to be quarantined for 14 days. It was also very cold. So they cancelled that right away.”

Brock last month played with Larry McCoy over the computer application Zoom in a song-writing session. “We had Google document pulled up on the side of the computer screen and we were both adding lyrics.” Brock called it a “real collaboration.”

On his last trip to Nashville, the record-makers there spent a lot of time with Brock developing “content” for the album cover and detailing his life growing up in Tupper Lake.

“That's all we did. We were in one of Danny's offices, and there was a film crew there taping from the time I got there until the time I left each day. The cameras were always rolling!”

He said there was a large wardrobe on site and he was steadily changing suits during the recordings, the interviews and the photo sessions.

“I don't know if the rumor was true or not, but apparently one of those suits was once worn by the legendary Earl Scruggs.”

Brock said that he changed managers because it was a normal progression in the business.

Bruce explained when they were talking to Brynn Arens on a conference call last summer out on the family's woodpile, he admitted that because of Brock's talent, in Brynn's words, “he is going to go so big, so fast,” it would soon be out of his hands and new management would follow.

“We didn't believe him. We said 'you are going to be his manager forever'. He was right, however.”

On the next trip to Nashville, the executives at Big Machine suggested Brock needed a bigger management team, said Bruce, and hence the decision to engage Mr. Nozell.

Brock will be presented to the world from Nashville in the style of “old country,” says Bruce, who has sang and performed many of those songs from the 1940s and 1950s with Brock and before him with his brother Rick, with their father, Richard, and with many in their Gonyea uncles here.

He said the music experts at Big Machine want to show how Brock got into old country and it's “because our family all played it.”

Brock in recent months has been trying to revive some of the family's old audio tapes that his grandfather Richard (“Puell”) once recorded.

“There's a couple of songs he recorded we can't even find who the artist was,” the young musician told the Free Press that afternoon.

Brock's life has started to change and there promises to be many more changes ahead for him as he pursues his musical career in Nashville. -And when he's home for a visit in the years ahead his bosses at Big Machine have made one thing very clear: no more working with his dad on the wood pile any more. Those guitar-playing hands are too valuable to risk injuring.

“They asked me in one of our conversations if I had ever been hurt cutting firewood. I told them: no! I know what I'm doing with a chainsaw. You have to respect it.”

His dad chimed in: “I made the mistake of telling them that running a chainsaw isn't bad, but when you are splitting and piling you smash your fingers a lot. Once I told them that, they said no more wood pile for Brock!” He laughed.

Brock is not sure when his band will be formed. The intent is to create a group he can tour the country with, to popularize and promote his music.

He says that's still on hold for now, given the restrictions of the pandemic.

“Once I get back down there I know it's going to be another whirlwind!” If past visits to Nashville are any indication, they may be 12 to 14-hour days in the recording studio. “I'm not sure how the process will unfold this time!”

He anticipates he and his new band will rehearse in one of his manager's many “rehearsal spaces. He has a ton of them around Nashville.” Once the band is polished and the pandemic ends, the plan is for them to hit the road touring.

There's a possibility too that some of the shows that will be booked for Brock and his new band may take them to Europe and Asia. “These are all some of the discussions we're having...my manager is looking for a touring agent “to go international.”

Brock noted that there are several agents overseas who have heard his music and would be interested in developing some touring and engagements for him there.

Bruce notes that “old country” is seeing a growth in interest among Europeans, according to what they have been told.

That afternoon in March in Great Aunt Beulah's living room Brock played a number of those old country songs by Hank Williams and others that she grew up with. Bruce sang and harmonized with his son.

Bruce sings a number of Charlie Pride songs. “After years of listening to me play them when Brock first heard Charlie play those songs, he said 'oh my, he's playing them all wrong'!” Lots more laugher.

“Pick Me Up On Your Way Down” was one old song Bruce and Brock sang that day. Hank Williams' “Cold Cold Heart” was another.

“A Fool Such as I” by Hank Snow, later performed by Elvis, was our favorite. The Gonyea ladies were undecided on which of the half dozen songs they liked the best.

It was, unanimous, however, that Brock, with his wonderful warbling and vibrato-style of singing, nailed every one!

As Brock re-locates permanently to Nashville in the days ahead, we at the Free Press wish him much luck in his musical career. Make Tupper Lake proud of you, Brock!

Incidentally Brock was the guest of honor Saturday evening at a going away party of family members and friends at his sister Amanda's Ohana's 1950s Diner on Park Street.

Archivist working at Goff-Nelson Library to organize historical collection

Conor holds a photograph that will be filed in the cabinet.

Archivist Conor Snow holds up a map he wrapped in mylar. (Rich Rosentreter photos)

Just some of the materials that have been organized by Conor sit on a table.

Maps are being filed away into this drawer.

A cabinet full of filed photographs regarding Tupper Lake history.

Conor cuts mylar to the size of a map so it will be preserved and protected.

by Rich Rosentreter

The Goff-Nelson Memorial Library was recently awarded a grant that allowed it to bring in an archivist to organize its significant historical collection of maps, photographs and other material and then make it more accessible to the public.

Library Director Ben Gocker last week told the Free Press that he now has archivist Conor Snow working with the library’s historical collection thanks to a $10,000 special collections grant opportunity provided by the Northern New York Library Network.

“Something I wanted to do when I took over as director is to get this local history collection organized. It a hadn’t been organized in a while. So we applied for the grant and we got the full $10,000,” Mr. Gocker said, adding that following the award of the grant money, Ellen Maroun, who overseas the Aseel Legacy Fund, offered the library a matching $10,000 that would help support the temporary project and archivist position that the grant was written for.

“Conor is going to be here for about four months. He is first processing all of the collection, which are our maps, photographs and ephemera to get physical control over it, and then as time allows, we are going to digitize as many of the photos as we can. But the first step is doing inventory, creating finding aids, process plans - all the real archival work that hadn’t been done,” Ben said.

The library director said he is more than happy to have Conor on board to work on such an important project.

“It’s been amazing. He came in here with a full head of steam and he’s been a real blessing. We are very fortunate to have him here,” he said. “What I think it means for the library is that when Conor leaves, he’ll also leave us with plans moving forward. Plans how to add collections to our local history collection. He’ll give us recommendations and advice on accessioning collections. Because he’s a trained archivist, everything that he is doing is just going to clarify the processes at the library that it hasn’t been equipped to take because we don’t have an archivist on staff,” Mr. Gocker said. “For the community what that means is resources that were formerly invisible because they haven’t been processed will now be findable.”

“A large amount of the photographed actually came in from the Tupper Lake Free Press, we have probably about 2,500 to 3,000 photos. So that’s one thing. We have maps that haven’t even been inventoried, so we didn’t even know what maps we have. We have ephemera, which can be everything from programs from picnics held by the OWD in the 1930s to a LP recording from the Holy Ghost Academy choir. So all kinds of things that people might find interesting and relevant to their own experiences in Tupper Lake,” he added. “What we’ll have as an end product are these finding aids that people will be able to access on our website and that will show very clearly the extent of these collections. Conor recently completed the findings for the photograph collection and that is a 26-page document and it lists by subject heading all the kinds of photos you will find here. Part of his project will be rehousing these in mylar sleeves which are archival quality but they also allow for a researcher or community members, with the supervision of staff, to come in and actually look at these historic photos without the risk of damaging them.”

The archivist

Conor is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and has a degree history and German. He eventually moved to New York City to attend New York University to pursue a Masters’ degree in archives and public history. He started the project in Tupper Lake on January 11.

“I’ve worked with different archives throughout the city, the New York Philharmonic archives, the NYU archives, the Brooklyn Historical Society. I really enjoy working with historic records, processing them, describing them, creating finding aids, working as a reference archivist and assisting researchers with the process of locating, handling and interpreting historic materials,” he said, adding that he found this job online on an archival job site. “I applied, came up and visited Tupper Lake and went from there. I really enjoy the job, it’s been great. It’s going very smoothly. So far, it’s been pretty incredible.”

Conor recently finished the first phase of going through the photographs and organizing them – and he came across many fascinating images.

“As an archivist, it can be very tempting, especially when I’m working with photographs, is to just look at each photograph for a long time and be fascinated by it, because there’s a lot of great photographs that we have here. But it is important when you’re on a timeline, because this processing of the maps, the photographs and ephemera is only about seven weeks, so I really have to make sure I keep moving,” he said, although he does get to take a little break from his methodical work processes. “I do have some times to sit back and enjoy looking at the photographs and maps and study them. I’ve been able to see a lot of stuff. There’s great photos of different students from different schools over the years, there are sports teams and bands that go all the way back to the 1880s. There’s different photographs of the loggers, the railroads going back to the 1870s.”

It is part of Conor’s job to look at each photograph to determine how to file it, but he has to pay attention to time spent.

“Sometimes if I’m not really sure what the photograph is, and there is no identifying information, either on the back or the front, sometimes I’ll ask Ben. But most of the time, I’m just happy to say this is what I think it is and just keep moving. I can’t just take ten minutes per photograph when there are more than two thousand photographs. I have to keep moving,” he said. “I’ll go back through to make sure I do a quality check of my work of course. It can be tempting to look at them for a long time.”

Many of the historical photographs at the library have been donated – a lot coming from the Tupper Lake Free Press in 2019 and that were taken by Kathleen Bigrow. Others came from a variety of sources and cover a plethora of categories. That along with the fact the collection was not organized to a particular standard made Conor’s job more challenging.

“We have a lot from different independent photograph studios from over the years and a lot individuals citizens come in to donate photographs, because we have everything from high school photographs to family reunions to stuff that came in from the Free Press and the Sunmount State School had their own photographer who donated a lot of material,” he said. “So when I came in, the collection really had not been managed for the most part. I kept on finding photos in different places, there were photos in albums that weren’t even photo albums but they were like binders with sheets of paper and sometimes I would find a photo that would fall out, or a group of photos.”

“I believe the previous library director had tried to bring some sense of order to the collection, using interns, students and volunteers who tried to organize them based on loose categories, but they really weren’t accessible because you had all these different really cool businesses and bars and restaurants, that were put under the heading of ‘Structures,’and that really doesn’t help if I’m trying to find something,” Conor explained. “My first step was just to try to get a handle of what was in here, what we call an initial survey. I survey the material, take a bunch of notes, I create an Excel spreadsheet, I have everything from what’s in this file draw to what is the condition of it, are there any duplicates, are there rusty paper clips, is there mold, is there water, are they fragile, are they tearing. I sort of analyze all those characteristics of the collection, get an idea of what’s in there and get a loose date range.”

“After that, I create what is known in our profession as a processing plan, so it’s the initial plan of getting all of the steps that are taken on paper so that I can look back at it and ask ‘what was my original plan.’ Like if I noted the rusty paper clips, I know I have to take them out.”

Conor said that phase took him three days as he continued to organize the photos.

“I was really chugging along, and then after the processing plan, I went through and I started to divide photos up in series. A certain series would be ‘Emergency Services,’ we had a lot of photos of firemen and policemen. We had another series for ‘Lumber,’ ‘Railroad,’ and ‘The Arts,’ for so any musical groups or theater programs,” he said. “So that was really up to me to determine what the series were going to be, and then I’d go through and within those series decide what items should be put in folders together and then rehouse everything in new folders. We house the series alphabetically, we house the folders alphabetically, find a new storage place for them and get starting on the finding aid, which is really just a fancy name for a guide. It’s something that we use that lists out all of the background information on the collection.”

Conor said there is also some administrative information listed such as how the collection is going to be used, who owns the rights to things, whether it can be reproduced and where it came from. He said this is meant to provide researchers as much context as possible to allow them to how they can use the material and a better sense of how to interpret the collection.

“This whole process involves preserving the physical integrity of the records and also preserving the intellectual integrity of the records, because we don’t want to just preserve the physical pieces and then to lose the background of how these pieces got here, who took care of them. All of that information is important. Provenance is something that is very important to us,” he said.

Now that the photographs are organized, Conor is now starting the same process with the library’s map collection.

“With this collection in particular, we had a lot of duplicates that I think we are going to save for preservation copies. The ones I am encasing in mylar right now, will be for access copies. This way when people come see the map they can look at them, they can hold them and also see all the information on the back. It (mylar) preserves the physical characteristics of the map,” he said. “We’re doing this for all the photographs as well, which is going to take a long time, and then they’ll be digitized to be put on the New York Digital Heritage website.”

So far with the maps, Conor has done the survey, the processing plan and all the organization as far as where he is going to place the different flat piles and what needs to go into folders.

“Right now I’m doing all the mylar sheets for the maps and then I’ll go back and finish the finding aid,” he said. “So far I haven’t touched any of the ephemera, but I have an idea of what’s there because I’ve seen some of it, but that going to be the last step in the next couple of weeks before the first part of the grant ends and we get into the digitization part of the process.”

To date, Conor is moving along well and he said he expects to have the entire job done by the time he leaves around the end of April or early May.

“Everything is going really smoothly. I think the photographs went by a lot quicker than I thought. Some of that might have been helped by some of the previous work done by the interns and volunteers by going through some of the photos and putting some of them together,” he said, adding he didn’t mind all the work. “I’m a very organizational person, I like to have my own system, so it was really nice to have the option of moving things.”

Ongoing job

Since there are thousands of photographs in the library collection, Conor said not all the people or places could be identified, but it is still something that is possible in the future.

“I think with the time I have here, that’s not going to be my number one priority. But I do know that the former library director was doing those type of events by inviting people to come in and ID people. There were a lot of photos with sticky notes attached identifying some of the people in the photos,” he said. “There were also a lot of cases in which we just didn’t know who the people were. For me, that’s not going to be the best use of my time. I do the basic things such as what is the photograph, what date was it taken, what size is the photograph.”

When things are organized and the project is done, then there will still be opportunities for the library to hold events in which people can help identify people and places in the photographs. Conor said the process doesn’t really stop.

“I think with collections, there’s always things to be done, I don’t think the work is ever actually finished,” he said. “A lot of times we’ll have additions as people continue to add to the collections.”

Goals and lessons

Conor explained what exactly the role of an archivist is and some of the things he’s learned about this village.

“To bring chaos into order. To organize, to arrange. All of these words that an archivist likes to use. That’s basically what the project is and I’m really enjoying it. It’s been really great to live in Tupper Lake and be able to drive and say ‘I know what that building is.’ I know the history behind it. I keep on learning, every day it’s something else, like Who is Alberta Moody? Why is all this named after this person or who was Goff-Nelson? Just being able to put knowledge to a name is pretty impressive,” he said. “I think that over time, especially with the photographs being digitized and made available online, people will be able to have more ease of access to say, ‘Oh, this is that person or this building is here.’”

“A lot of it, such as the photographs so far, I’ve learned a lot about the lumber industry and the history and importance of that field here. All the railroads that came through, the importance of the OWD factory. All the different churches that were around and seeing the religious history, the schools and the students, the hunting the special events that the village has like Woodsmen’s Days, Tinman Triathlon, the different festivals, the clubs and organizations, even things like disasters like the fire that happened in 1899, and even the political history and what Tupper Lake was like in the early days. You really do learn a lot about,” he said. “The type of place like this when you’re doing such a large photograph collection, it’s local history, it’s community history and that’s something that I think is very important. I am documenting and preserving and making accessible the history of Tupper Lake.”

Conor said plans to write a weekly blog post to highlight the collection.

“Maybe once a week I can take a photo of an item I’ve been working with and give a caption,” he said.

Feedback

Conor said he does get feedback from Ben and the library staff who appreciate what is being done, but most people in the community do not know about the project.

“I do go to the local restaurants and bars and churches. I am an unfamiliar face, I have a Pennsylvania license plate. They do wonder why I am here. They ask me why I’m in town and I love explaining it. Whenever I talked about their history, their ears perked up. First of all, I don’t think they really knew that this stuff existed and then the fact that it can be made accessible to them, it won’t be just at the library and they won’t be able to see it, and they can come in to see it, it’s really cool. So they welcome me with open arms in that sense,” he said. “Even though I’m an outsider, I’m not treated like one, and everyone is very friendly.”

Conor said he is very mindful of the benefits this project will bring to the community.

“Something I really want to do with this project, is benefit the people of Tupper Lake. Archives are not meant to be dust collectors. Archives are really there for accessibility that people can see. As archivists we want to make sure that records are as accessible as possible. One thing that we hate is to make some things restrictive. I always think when I am designing a finding aid is who is the audience. I really try to do all the work that I do with extra care with the audience in mind because it’s for them. It’s not just something for me to put on my resume that I did this job. It’s about how am I going to benefit the people of Tupper Lake,” he said.

And for now, this is his home too.

“I am also living in the community. I like to consider it my home away from home right now. I know people will have a strong and emotional attachments to these things and there’s nothing like seeing your history up close and personal,” he said, adding his message to the community.

“I just hope that if they see me, they’ll say hello or ask about the project because I love to explain it. I’ve really been just enjoying my time here at the library. The people and staff have been great, the town is awesome. I’m trying not to think about when it’s done, I’m trying to just enjoy every single day and every single moment that I can.”

Conor also said he appreciates Tupper Lake’s unique qualities.

“I think there are just some things that I don’t get back home. Seeing ice-fishing all the time and seeing people riding their snowmobiles around. I think it’s so cool. Every time I see it, I get really excited. To go to the Woodsmens' bar down the block and see ten snowmobiles outside, I just get a real kick out of it. I do like to go to the Woodsmens', so if you see me out, say hello.”

Knights and friends again treat community to delicious Thanksgiving dinner

by Dan McClelland

The Tupper Lake Knights of Columbus Council again made the Thanksgiving holiday a little brighter for Tupper Lake residents who were alone or without the means to prepare a festive dinner for themselves last week.

The community dinner is a tradition by the local council that goes back decades here.

In all about 450 dinners were prepared by volunteers in the K.of C. kitchen on High Street and either picked up or delivered to residents around the community on Thanksgiving Day between 11:30a.m. and 1p.m.

Each year the local knights and their families get help from the members of the Tupper Lake Kiwanis Club and unaffiliated folks who just come out to help each year. This year's event was different, as there were no in-person dinners served in the hall.

A big assist came this year again from pie-makers around the community who produced nearly 40 assorted pies- many of them the traditional pumpkin- and donated them to the event to add a little sweetness to finish the traditional and delicious Thanksgiving turkey dinner.

This year with the pandemic in full bloom the dinner organizers fashioned an expanded pick-up area in front of the hall to make it easier for the deliverers and those coming to pick up their own meals. At times the cars were backed up a hundred feet or more, but things moved quickly as volunteers shuttled the meals to the awaiting vehicles.

Kudos this week to our local knights and their many friends and supporters here on another very generous and welcomed endeavor to help their neighbors.

Rail removal, track restoration projects began yesterday

by Dan McClelland

Two companies with completely different purposes are in town this week beginning to work on two projects on the Adirondack Railroad.

National Salvage & Service of Bloomington, Indiana won the state Department of Transportation contract to remove the tracks and ties from here to Lake Placid.

According to Bill Dauber, who is heading the operations here for the company, said some machinery has arrived and more is coming this week.

The company has rented office space from Tenielle and Carlos Gonzalez in the basement of the former Holy Name Church, as its local headquarters.

Mr. Dauber said his crew will work on the removal of the rails and ties into the winter months and as long as the weather permits. The supervisor has directed many of his company's railroad salvaging projects over the years.

The company was established in 1980 as a railroad dismantling company and in the last 40 years it has grown to be an industry leader in demolition, asset recovery and environmental services. It is also a leading wholesaler of new and used railroad ties, according to its web page.

National has about 150 employees.

In the photos above a piece of heavy machinery was pulling rails from the tracks from the line just east of the station, at a point about 100 feet from where McCarthy Street bends. Just before that is where the rails will end, 300 or 400 feet past the station. In front of the machine is a laborer picking rail plates and spikes from where they have been pulled from the old ties.

The photo below shows red marks on the rails where new ties will be installed.

The company will also be building a yard off the tracks in that area where ties will be temporarily stored.

The other company in town this week is Tartaglia Railroad Services, a Syracuse-based company that has been a railroad builder for over a century. It won the other piece of the DOT contract- to restore the rails and ties between here and Big Moose. It specializes in the design, construction, and project management of rail projects of all sizes. It also operates a modern-day shop that is fully equipped to build or fabricate all types of railroad equipment.

Yesterday one of the company's machines appropriately called a spiker, as it pounds railroad spikes into ties, was placed on the tracks in front of the Tupper Lake train station, ready to head south and begin to start work on the reconstruction of the rail line between here and Big Moose. See photo above.

High school graduation set for outdoor ceremony June 25

This image provided by the Tupper Lake School District shows how the layout plan for the upcoming graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 to be held on Thursday, June 25 at the L.P. Quinn site.

By Rich Rosentreter

Plans for the graduation ceremony for the Tupper Lake High School Class of 2020 were presented last week – but have been altered slightly after Governor Andrew Cuomo’s daily coronavirus update on Sunday when he announced that he will allow outdoor graduation ceremonies of up to 150 people starting June 26 – the day after the local graduation ceremony.

Graduation is set for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 25 – one day earlier than previously announced to allow Good-Guys Productions to be on-site - at the L.P. Quinn Elementary School parking lot. It will be a “drive-in” ceremony in which each graduate will be allowed to bring up to two cars with whomever the graduate wishes to attend, which was part of the original plan.

“Good-Guys Production will broadcast close-up views from the stage on their large event screens so everyone will have a great view,” District Superintendent Seth McGowan announced on social media.

The updated graduation plan now will have chairs set up for the 50 graduates to be seated together in front of the stage area outdoors in front of the school and the cars with families will be parked behind them still facing the stage (see image).

Mr. McGowan on Monday addressed the governor’s announcement along with the updated plan on the school’s Facebook page.

“This is great news. However, this would require the 50 graduates to choose only two people to attend ending with a total of 150 people, so we needed to do something more,” he wrote. “Instead, and since our original plan included two cars filled with whomever the seniors wanted to attend, we are going to keep two cars with family members part of the plan.”

In the event of inclement weather, McGowan said the district “will revert to the previous version of this plan in which the graduates remain in the vehicles with their families. However, I am banking on clear skies and smooth sailing. You certainly deserve it!”

The initial graduation plans were unveiled on Thursday last week – also on the school’s Facebook page.

“While it is not everything we hoped for, it remains both meaningful and in compliance with the guidance issued on holding graduation ceremonies,” McGowan wrote.

The initial plan called for “a carefully orchestrated ceremony,” in which “each graduate will come forward from their car with up to four members” of their family, then as each graduate walked across the stage, those four family members “will have a great view for pictures.” When that action is completed, the family members will return to their vehicles “while the next graduate comes to the stage from a designated ‘on deck’ area nearby.” The updated plan did not mention how the aforementioned procedure has changed since the students will now be seated outside and not be in the vehicles with their invited guests.

According to Mr. McGowan, most of the program for the ceremony will take place as with graduations in the past, including the valedictory and salutatory addresses live from the stage.

“While not everything will be possible, our goal is to replicate as traditional a graduation as possible,” he posted. “They will also simulcast sound from the stage to a reserved radio frequency for those in attendance, as well as stream the entire event live on the Internet.”

The outgoing superintendent also posted another message to the Class of 2020.

“Again, while everyone wishes the circumstances of today did not interfere with your graduation, we have made every effort to include the two priorities you expressed to us:  being together and walking across the stage to receive your diploma. We hope you will be gratified to know that so many people have pulled together to make this event special for you. It is an indication of the pride we have in you, and wish to celebrate your success.”

There will be an Awards Ceremony for the Tupper Lake Middle High School Class of 2020 from 6 to 8 p.m. today on the school’s Facebook page.

Graduation plans to be announced soon

Signs that are adorned with the images of the Tupper Lake High School Class of 2020 created at Stacked Graphics line Park Street adjacent to the high school. They stand as tributes to this year's four dozen or so graduates. (Dan McClelland photo)

by Rich Rosentreter

The Tupper Lake School District is set to announce tentative plans for the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 later today, although those plans are subject to change depending on the COVID-19 situation.

According to District Superintendent Seth McGowan, the district is “very close” to having a plan and he hopes to release it publicly today or tonight on the school’s Facebook page.

“We hope to have made a decision on what we will be allowed to do and how we’re going to do that,” Mr. McGowan told the Free Press on Monday, adding that he will get the word out at that time. “I’ll do a special posting and send a voice message to everybody also.”

Mr. McGowan explained that any plans are being made are not set in stone even though the upcoming plan may seem promising for the graduating class and their family and friends.

“If something happens between now and then (graduation day), it would derail what we’ve been talking about,” he said.

One emerging factor that was mentioned was Monday’s news that an employee at Mercy Health Care was diagnosed positive for COVID-19.

“It indicates that we’re not past this yet and if something catastrophic happens and we become a hot spot or if there’s an outbreak in Tupper Lake, the rules may change,” he said. “Right now we’re in Phase 2, but the governor reserves the right to close things down again.”

“If things continue as they are today that will be the plan we use. If things change, then of course we’ll have to change to accommodate whatever new executive order comes out – and I’m hoping that’s not the case obviously,” he said.

Special year

It’s certainly been a tough year for the Class of 2020, and Mr. McGowan, who announced that he will be resigning from his post this year, will be overseeing his last graduation in the Tupper Lake school district.

Under the circumstances, Mr. McGowan and his wife Sue on Sunday night lined the grassy area on Park Street adjacent to the high school with signs of each and every graduating senior from the Class of 2020.

“We wanted it to be a surprise for everybody when they woke up,” he said. “We wanted to celebrate the accomplishments of the seniors. The month of June is really going to be focused on them. There are some things, surprises, that we are planning. Also it just seemed timely that when everyone got up, they’d see all the seniors.”

Mr. McGowan stressed that this graduation is not about him, but “they’re graduating and this is my last chance to do something for them. And in particular it’s they’re last chance to get something from the district as well.”

“In subsequent years the juniors and younger students, they’re going to have their graduation. They’re going to have their opportunities and moments to shine,” he said. “But this year the senior class has missed out on a number of things and I feel this is my last chance to do something nice for them. I really want to make it as special as we can during this month - and the culminating graduation experience, we want to make that special too.”

Signs that are adorned with the images of the Tupper Lake High School Class of 2020 created at Stacked Graphics line Park Street adjacent to the high school. They stand as tributes to this year's four dozen or so graduates. (Dan McClelland photo)

Little Wolf open to only seasonal campers; no summer day camp

by Dan McClelland

Little Wolf Campgrounds will be open this summer to only seasonal campers whose rigs are self-contained. -And the town's popular summer day camp program for youngsters here won't be offered. Those were the two big announcements that came out of Thursday's May monthly of the Tupper Lake Town Board, relating to the COVID-19 crisis.

The fate of town summer programs dominated the agenda of the meeting that was again held through teleconferencing of participants or through the ZOOM computer application.

Following nearly an hour long discussion that evening, Supervisor Patti Littlefield sent the following note to all of the town's 28 season-long campers:

“At this time the Town of Tupper Lake Town Board has made the very difficult decision to open the campsite at Little Wolf Beach to current seasonal campers only, dependent on receipt of the state health department permit to operate.

“We feel that to comply with the Governor’s orders, the Department of Health and Franklin County Public Health this is the best option to keep the campsite open while at the same time doing the very best we can to keep the community safe and protected. As the summer progresses and the opening phases as defined by the Governor change, the town may re-visit these decisions.

“If you have made a weekly or daily reservation please contact the town recreation director at 518 359- 8370 to make arrangement for a refund. We will also be reaching out to you.

“Please be advised that issues change regularly and certainly the town board will make every effort to return to some sort of normalcy as the days and weeks progress.”

Beginning the conversation about what the town would do with its facilities this summer at Thursday's meeting the supervisor said the Little Wolf committee “has been going round and round in recent weeks with the state and county public health agencies and with the Governor's office, and with Senator Betty Little” about what can be done at the town campgrounds this summer.

“We are allowed to open the campgrounds to only those campers and trailers, etc. which are self-contained...the type that can pull in, stay for the season and leave.”

Those rigs tap onto the sewer, water and electric utilities at the town campgrounds. All have their own bathrooms.

Not permitted, she explained, are the people with tents and pop-up trailers who rely on the public restrooms at Little Wolf.

“-And if we allow someone to come in from out of the area, the recommendation from the state is they must self-quarantine (in their trailers and on their sites) for 14 days.”

She said there are campgrounds which cater to seasonal campers in this seven-county region which have already opened.

“For many of those people, these are their second homes” and the trailers are permanently situated there.

“Senator Little told me today we can definitely have our seasonal campers this summer.

“But the health department told me we cannot have any public restrooms” and allow in those campers which need them.

That ruling on the closure of all public restrooms will heavily affect any decision in coming week whether Little Wolf Beach can operate this summer as the users of the beach need the restrooms, she told her board members.

She said that's a decision that can wait, as the beach doesn't typically open until the end of June.

Mrs. Littlefield said she believes the health department will permit out- of-town seasonal campers to use Little Wolf this summer if they agree to self-quarantine at their sites.

“My recommendation tonight is to have all our 28 seasonal campers to return this summer.” She also recommended, however, that they be spaced across the campgrounds and not in their usual sites.

“I'm not saying we must do this, but I'm just saying we should consider, if it's possible, to separate them a little bit more than usual.”

“Our own rules, for several years now, have said campsites should never have more than eight people on them and only two vehicles. All our seasonal campers have accepted those rules.

She recommended new rules as to social distancing and the wearing of a mask when closer than six feet from someone would be added to those existing rules.

Mrs. Littlefield noted there would still be a small section of the beach, even though the beach is closed, that would be open to those seasonal campers, who would swim at their own risk.

She also reported that Joanne Sparks, the widow of her brother John who died in recent weeks and who has been there working with her husband for the past four summers, would be willing to stay this summer in the caretaker's cabin. “She knows all the campers well, she knows the procedures and she did all the cleaning of the restrooms.

The supervisor said another condition of the health department this summer will be to have all restrooms routinely cleaned even though they will be shuttered. She said it's an emergency procedure, in the event the plumbing system in a self-contained trailer or motorhome fails.

“So the restrooms will be clean at all times, but they just won't be used.”

The residents of Little Wolf Lake, who don't have their own personal boat launches at their properties, will still be permitted to use the beach area to launch their boats as they always have.

“That can happen even if we keep the main gate locked.” Mrs. Sparks could unlock the gate to let them in to launch their crafts, the supervisor figured.

She said the health department is recommending the gate be locked at all times. “That will also eliminate the problem of random people joy riding around the campsite,” a frequent practice in summers here.

She proposed that the seasonal campers would be given the combination to the main gate “and that way the place would be a little less busy this summer.”

Mrs. Littlefield said the highway crew has been doing some entrance improvements in past days to seal up holes in the perimeter which have permitted four-wheel vehicle operators to enter the place.

“Yesterday it was a four-wheeler chased by a lawn mower pulling a cart of kids.”

“For the safety of the beach, I would love to see the campers back” as they will help secure the place. “Many of our campers take very good care of the beach.”

She pointed to Jim and Sherry Bradley, who were on that night's conference call as were fellow seasonal campers Amy Boudreau, Michelle Moeller and Pat and Bruce Cook. She complimented them all on keeping the place safe and not permitting it to be “turned into a race track for kids on four-wheelers.”

Councilman John Quinn, who serves on the town board's Little Wolf committee with the supervisor, said “we certainly want that campground open. People love it and we love to have people there!”

He asked the supervisor about self-quarantining procedures that have been recommended. “How would they do that?” he wondered.

Mrs. Littlefield said the seasonal camper who comes the farthest each summer is from Texas and he's been coming each summer for years.

“I will make a personal call to him if we agree to do this and let him know he will be expected to self-quarantine,” she promised the board. “I think it's doable if you are a seasonal camper!”

She said if the seasonal campers don't want to comply with that town order, then that's okay and we'll tell them we'll save their spot for next year.”

She noted too among the seasonal campers there are some who are worried about vacationing there this summer. “They are certainly welcome to say 'I don't feel comfortable coming this year,' and we will hold their spot for them until next year.”

All seasonal campers have been e-mailed that information.

She noted, however, there will be stricter rules in place for campers in accordance to state and local orders.

She also noted if the town opens the campgrounds there will be the annual meeting with all campers to explain any and all new rules, “and even if we all have to stand six feet apart out in the parking lot at the town hall or in the driveway at the beach.”

She offered that the meeting could be done in shifts if that was necessary.

“We've always had a campers' meeting each summer. It'll just be a little later this year, because we're already later!”

“Our lives have been turned upside down by this COVID-19,” continued John Quinn. “We're trying our level best to accommodate what is a nice recreational facility and the people who love it,” he said, noting that just the day before they didn't know if it could be opened at all this summer.

“I think we'll need COVID-related rules that each camper should sign. I'm just hoping we can get good cooperation so we can operate safely.

The supervisor said the various state and county agencies have a number of rules and forms that now apply to campground users.

“So just to wrap up,” Mr. Quinn began again, “if any of the seasonal campers don't feel comfortable there this year, we'll refund any money they have deposited and we'll hold their campsite reservation for next year.”

He asked if the town should draw from the waiting list of people who want to be seasonal campers to fill any vacancies this year.

The supervisor cautioned against that provision, noting that so far there has only been one seasonal camper not coming this summer, but that party will be returning next summer.

She said it will be a tough pick for that one spot from the existing waiting list.

Councilman Mike Dechene said he would go along with the recommendation of the Little Wolf committee.

Councilwoman Tracy Luton said her only concern is about family gatherings this summer on a campsite. “People need to know they all can't get together for a birthday party” there and that those functions will need to be held somewhere else in town.

The supervisor agreed. “People who come need to be aware of all restrictions.”

“Just because you're coming down to camp, doesn't mean all the rules go out the window,” she asserted. “We'll have plenty of masks and sanitizer” for anyone who needs them. She said the county's emergency preparedness office has furnished the town with lots of supplies.

She said if there are people who disobey these rules they will be ejected.

“Angie (Snye) is working very hard on the rules sheet and basing it on what are in place at other campgrounds.”

There can only be eight people per campsite and six feet between everyone and masks available where needed, she emphasized.

“This is not going to be as loosey, goosey as it has been!”

“-And hopefully we won't have to be the bad guys. I have a lot of faith in the good people who are down there!” she told her board.

“Given the fact that Tupper Lake is so safe right now and COVID free, there are people in our community who don't want to comply with these rules, but I don't think they are the people who want to come back to Little Wolf.”

First to speak in the open session was Sherry Bradley who said she has contacted the elderly Texas man and his wife who come up every summer and they are prepared to quarantine on site. “Everyone will check up on them and get supplies for them if they need them!”

“Two weeks out of three months isn't too bad if you want to be there,” the supervisor told her of the quarantine period.

Jim Bradley said the couple rarely leave the campsite, other than for basic supplies.

He said he liked the provision that the town will refund deposits to seasonal campers, should those people chose not to come this year.

“-Or they could leave the money with you,” he said, to which the supervisor told him the town will do whatever it has to in order to accommodate the seasonal campers.

Mrs. Littlefield called the people on the call that evening “good stewards of the beach.”

Sherry said some days she babysits in her home and wondered if she could do that at Little Wolf.

The supervisor explained that as long as the total occupants per site didn't exceed eight, the campground's legal limit.

“You're not caring for ten kids, are you?” asked Mrs. Littlefield and Mrs. Bradley told her “several.”

The camper also asked about the playground and Mrs. Littlefield said it will be closed for now this summer, and will be fenced off, as will be the pavilion and the picnic area.

Michelle Moeller, another camper, asked if they can visit fellow campers, as long as they are “masked” and there are not over eight at a site?

Mrs. Littlefield said they could.

Mrs. Moeller said John Sparks, the caretaker, will be dearly missed this year and she said she looked forward to working with Mrs. Sparks.

She asked about a potential opening date and Mrs. Littlefield told her the campgrounds are almost ready and the town is just waiting on its permit from the state health department.

“Ironically we already have our permit to open the beach!”

As for the launching and use of boats at the beach, Mrs. Littlefield said it will be up to their owners to maintain safe distances this summer.

Mrs. Moeller wondered if campers' vehicles would have to be parked outside the locked gate and the supervisor told her all campers will have the combination to the lock on the gate.

“We'd like to keep our site. We've been there for 18 years and it's the site we like!”

She said the fact that their site has internet access is important to her family this summer because their one son is telecommuting between Tupper Lake and Texas in his internship with a major oil company.

The supervisor said they would take her request under consideration, telling Mr. Moeller: “None of this is cast in stone. Like the state, this could all change tomorrow!”

“We can discuss all these details when we meet as a group!”

Michelle asked if a new outbreak materializes this summer and the place is closed, would the campers get rent payments back for the time they have paid for and Mrs. Littlefield thought rental monies would be returned on a pro-rated basis.

Amy Boudreau wondered if the basketball court at Little Wolf would be closed and Mrs. Littlefield said it would be, like all the adjoining facilities. “Once we hit phase 2 and 3- and hopefully that will be before July- that may change!”

Amy said they too hoped they could keep their site.

John Quinn asked that all campers be required to sign the governing rules. Mrs. Littlefield said the campers sign the rules each year. This year, however, there may be as many as three sets of rules to sign, she added.

Bruce Cook thanked the town officials for all “their hard work” of late, as they wrestle with these difficult questions.

He said due to his wife's current state of health they will probably not be camping there this summer. “But I'll let you know!”

Mrs. Littlefield said they didn't have to make the decision that day. She suggested maybe the town could hold their spot there for a time, and even perhaps let them come to camp for a shorter period later this summer.

“As a committee we'll talk about that” in upcoming days, she offered.

She said the information the campers shared with them that evening will be helpful as it makes more decisions in upcoming weeks.

In addition to making the decision to restrict camping at Little Wolf to only seasonal campers the board also cancelled this summer's day camp program which some years attracts 100 local youngsters.

“We will have to cancel day camp,” Mrs. Littlefield told her board.

“I listened to the Governor at length today about day camps and there are a lot of things he's letting counties and local governments decide.”

She said state officials are being “bombarded” these days with questions and concerns about the operations of day camps this summer.

“If you had a day camp, would you send your kid with 90 other kids that all have to sign in at one room and hang out until the day's activities begin? How would we all manage safe distancing there?

“The other thing is that our day camp operates out of the L.P. Quinn Elementary School and we won't be able to use that facility because there is no regular summer school.

She said it was her understanding that summer school will be offered and taught on-line as regular school has been since March.

“I think we have to make that sad call to keep our kids safe, and particularly because of that scary thing happening with children,” referring to the new childhood condition across the nation that is occurring four weeks after exposure to the coronavirus. Symptoms include high fevers, breathing difficulties, redness and sores.

She said no one is more saddened by this decision than day camp director Angie Snye.

Decisions on opening the beach and the town's summer sports program will be coming at the board's June meeting.

Adirondack Health expands regional COVID-19 testing, mobile clinic again Thursday at L.P. Quinn

Four nurses from Adirondack Health- Carrie Reardon, Jenny Frenette, Peter Jones and Carrie Kipping- were in the parking lot of L.P. Quinn Thursday for the first mobile testing clinic here. There was a steady stream of cars which people wishing to be tested for the entire event. A similar clinic is scheduled tomorrow. (Dan McClelland photos)

Following the receipt of 2,000 additional COVID-19 test kits from Trudeau Institute, Adirondack Health has devised a plan to significantly expand testing throughout the region.

In order to simplify the scheduling of tests, standing provider orders are in place at all Adirondack Health testing sites. Individuals are still encouraged to contact their primary care providers to get tests ordered, but no one will be denied a test for lack of such orders.

Adirondack Health’s former dental van has been repurposed and re certified by the New York State Department of Health to serve as a mobile testing clinic, further expanding the health system’s testing footprint in the North Country.

Appointments are still required for all tests performed at Adirondack Health facilities and suggested for the mobile testing clinic. At mobile clinic stops, those with appointments scheduled in advance will experience shorter wait times. Every COVID-19 test will entail a nasopharyngeal (sinus) swab, with the option to also have blood drawn to check for the presence of antibodies.

To schedule an appointment, please contact your primary care provider or the COVID-19 clinic at 518-897-2462. There is no direct cost to the individual being tested, but Adirondack Health will collect health insurance information and bill insurance companies. Insurance companies, in turn, are prohibited by New York state from charging co-pays or deductibles for COVID-19 testing.

Locations and hours of operation for expanded COVID-19 testing by Adirondack Health are as follows:

COVID-19 Clinic, Adirondack Medical Center, Saranac Lake: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Mondays – Fridays

Keene Health Center: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Tuesdays

A mobile testing clinic will be Thursday, May 21, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., L.P. Quinn Elementary School parking lot.

Anyone wishing to be tested can be tested, subject to the continued availability of testing supplies. To make an appointment, call Adirondack Health’s COVID-19 clinic at 518-897-2462. Doctor’s orders are suggested, but not required, in order to receive a test. All tests will include a nasopharyngeal (nose) swab. Anyone who wishes to do so can also have their blood drawn to test for the presence of antibodies. There is no out-of-pocket cost to anyone being tested.

To learn more, visit adirondackhealth.org/coronavirus. Additional information regarding Adirondack Health testing locations and hours of operations is available at adirondackhealth.org/covid-testing.

General questions about COVID-19 should be directed to the New York State Department of Health COVID-19 hotline: 888-364-3065. Adirondack Health’s expanded testing efforts will continue for the foreseeable future, subject to the continued availability of COVID-19 test kits.

Firefighters battle early morning fire

-photo provided

by Phyllis Larabie

-photo by Ed Donnelly

An early morning fire on Friday, May 8 destroyed a garage located at 61 Lake Simond Road.

The Tupper Lake Fire Department responded at 2:46a.m. for a structure fire that was called in by multiple neighbors.

When firefighters arrived on scene they found the garage to be fully engulfed with flames and a home in close proximity to the garage along with a 100-pound propane tank. Firefighters quickly started to apply water to the house and the propane tank to try and cool them down.

The home, owned by Charles Milich, Jr., was unoccupied at the time of the fire and was under construction.

The home sustained minor charing and the outer panes of the windows were busted due to the extensive heat. Chief Royce Cole stated, “I considered it a great save due to how close the fire building was to the house.” And the 100 lb propane tank that overheated and released its pressure, sending flames 20 feet into the air which definitely got everyone's attention, state Chief Cole.

Tupper Lake Fire Department responded with two trucks and were on scene for approximately three hours.

Mutual aid from Piercefield Fire Department was called to stand by at the Tupper Lake station. Tupper Lake Rescue and Tupper Lake Electric Department also responded to the scene.

Tupper Lake Rescue Squad mourns death of one of its own

Firefighters stand under the American flag during a memorial procession of EMS and Fire Apparatuses progress through Chateaugay for fallen EMT/ Firefighter Jonathan “Thunder” Damon on Saturday, April 25. Damon's Final call April 22, 2020, Rest In Peace, we will take it from here. (photo by Phyllis Larabie)

by Phyllis Larabie

(photo by Lisa Keegan)

The members of the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad mourn the passing of AEMT Critical Care Technician (AEMT-CC) and Firefighter Jonathan “Thunder” Damon on Thursday evening April 23, 2020.

EMT Damon took his final call on Wednesday evening, April 22, at 11:25pm. Jonathan contacted his driver Wesley Hoyt at 9:08a.m. on Thursday morning, April 23, saying he needed him there now and to get the Saranac Lake squad headed over. He said he was experiencing a medical episode and needed help. Mr. Hoyt called 911.

Mr. Damon was the duty tech on to cover the Village and Town of Tupper Lake at the time. Tupper Lake Rescue Squad was able to quickly get a crew together to transport him to AMC and were able to link up with Saranac Lake Rescue Squad for ALS (Advanced Life Support). He was then flown by North Country Life Flight to UVMC in Vermont Trauma Center were he underwent surgery for an aortic dissection.

Jonathan is the first member in the history of the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad to die in the line of duty. His death is considered a line of duty death because he had been on a call within 24 hours of his death.

Jon was hired in November of 2014 and usually covered Wednesday evenings 6p.m. to Friday mornings, 6a.m. He became a huge part of the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad family. He was always there to lend a hand in teaching the members and encouraging some members into taking the course to become an EMT. He always had a smile and his joking ways kept things upbeat. He quickly became friends with all the members and his co-workers.

In the six years of his service he has touched the lives of so many people. Thunder was a true hero. Not only because of the countless lives he saved but for the knowledge he passed on to aspiring EMTs.

Josh Clement, one Tupper Lake EMT, posted on his Facebook page “I've now walked beside a handful of people who are heroes and who have shaped the Firefighter/EMT I am today. Jon Damon was one of them. Jon was one of the most kind-hearted, most real person you would ever meet. Over the last three years I've ran probably up to 60 calls with Jon. He is the reason I become an EMT”.

Mr. Damon was a member of multiple agencies, besides Tupper Lake he was a firefighter/AEMT for Brushton Volunteer Fire Department, AEMT-CC at Malone EMS, AEMT-CC at Saranac Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad, Moria Volunteer Fire and Rescue and Chateaugay Fire Department.

Burke Fire Department posted on their Facebook page: “Franklin County has lost an outstanding EMT way too soon. Heaven gained another angel last night. Thunder, as most people know him by, was a great asset to have in the back of any ambulance. Thunder really enjoyed working in the EMS field doing what he does best. Thunder would do anything for anyone, even if he didn't know them. Rest in peace brother, you will be greatly missed and we'll do our best to take over from here.”

Chateaugay Fire Company posted: “This is such a huge loss to the fire and EMS communities of Franklin County. Jonathan 'Thunder' Damon it was such a pleasure to serve with you in the short time you were a member of the Chateaugay Fire Company. You were such a positive person. I’m glad I had the pleasure of knowing you. Rest In Peace brother. We’ll take it from here”.

The Tupper Lake Rescue Squad sent two trucks and about 25 members to attended a procession of EMS, fire apparatus, police and countless personal vehicles was held on Saturday, April 25 in Chateaugay to escort EMT/ Firefighter Damon home.

Jon was born August 20, 1981. He was 38. He leaves behind his fiance, Lindsey Legacy, whom Jon was excited to marry in September; four children: Gabriel, Jenson, Kaylene and Wyatt Andrew, two step-children Wyatt Daniel and Simon; his parents Margene and Stephen Damon, a sister, Stephanie Fish and a brother Dave Damon. A full obituary appears in today's paper.

Mark Picerno, chief of maintenance of the Tupper Lake Rescue Squad stated, “He's touched the lives of so many, and he will be greatly missed!”

Mark said “the community is currently working to get Mr. Damon's name added to the public safety officers' memorial wall.”

A plaque with the following will be mounted on the wall of the agencies that Jon was a part of:

His hands touched the warmth of life, His hands touched the icy emptiness of death, His hands felt the numbing pain of the sick and injured, His hands soothed their petrifying fears, His hands desperately grabbed for life slipping away, His hands felt anger at senseless death, His hands searched for answers, His hands saw comfort in another’s eyes from an outreached hand, His hands found happiness in living, His hands found joy in helping others, His hands passionately held onto the hope that they never have to do it again, His hands lived with the reality they would, His hands made a difference.

Tupper Lake Rescue Squad asks that you keep Jon, his family, friends and all his EMS/Firefighter brothers and sisters in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Town mourns loss of popular caretaker

by Dan McClelland

A fitting memorial to a popular caretaker

A portion of the attractive floral arrangement created by Ann Hoag on the two gates at the entrance to the town's Little Wolf Beach and Campgrounds this week is a memorial to the facility's caretaker John Sparks II who died this week. The many seasonal campers who liked John shared its cost.

This has been a terrible week for Town Supervisor Patti Littlefield. She lost her younger brother, John and the town which she directs lost one of its best Little Wolf Beach and Campsite caretakers the place has seen in years.

A sign of how well liked and how well respected John was at the town facility these past three years was the large floral memorial fashioned by Cabin Fever's Ann Hoag on the gates to the place this week. The 20 foot long floral arrangement was paid for by the seasonal campers who enjoy the place every summer and who liked John.

“John was into Little Wolf Beach and Campground twenty-four/seven each year,” Supervisor Littlefield said of her brother. For the past three years John and his wife have come up from Florida each spring to run the beach and campgrounds for the town.

When their truck and camper rolled into town about three weeks ago, it marked the start of their fourth season there. It was a sign too of the approaching summer season.

“He got along with everyone there and will be deeply missed!”

“John was always friendly, but firm! He was a great asset there for us at the town.”

She called her baby brother a great conversationalist, very knowledgeable about history and many other topics. “I always loved the time we spent talking!”

Mrs. Littlefield she said she and her brother had started planning in recent days about what exactly the town will be able to operate there if the pandemic and the state shut-down continues through June and into early July.

The scope of the usual operation there depends now on state and federal orders that will be coming in the weeks and months ahead, she told the Free Press this week. “It all depends on what we are allowed to do!”

She said she recently spoke to Senator Betty Little about the operation of campgrounds this summer.

“We may not be able to open our public bathrooms,” and that would essentially eliminate day users of the beach and tent and small trailer campers.

Each year the town must secure a permit for its restrooms from the state Department of Health and according to the town leader, that agency isn't issuing permits right now.

If the town was permitted to open its restrooms at Little Wolf and the social distancing continues, they would have to be continually monitored so everyone kept their distances, she thought. Repeated cleaning and sanitizing would have to continue throughout the time they were open.

Another popular town program, the summer Day Camp, is also in jeopardy right now. The camp is generally based at the elementary school which may not be open to such a public use this summer. The school is a staging area for the programs many day trips around the area.

“There are so many unknowns right now!”

One option she is thinking about this week is opening up the campgrounds to only seasonal campers which have self-contained rigs and their own bathrooms.

There are currently 42 camp sites with utility hook-ups in the campgrounds.

There are already strict distancing guidelines in force at New York State campgrounds. Tent awnings must be at least ten feet apart, she gave as an example.

She said her brother was very good about working with campers who come for the week making sure their tents were far enough apart to meet the state rules.

Mrs. Littlefield said he was very aware of each campsite's size and what size tent or trailer or motor home could fit in each. “He knew the rigs and the spaces that would accommodate them.”

She said while her concern is to make the seasonal campers who patronize the local campgrounds each summer happy, there is a bigger concern she has “to keep Tupper Lake safe.”

She said there are 29 seasonal campers registered to come to the campgrounds this summer and most are from Tupper Lake. The supervisor worries that those who come from out of town might pose a health risk to the community.

These and other concerns will be weighed by town officials in the days to come.

Local churches keeping the faith during COVID-19 crisis

There was no one parking in front of St. Alphonsus Church during what is typically a full house on Easter Sunday. (Rich Rosentreter photos)

by Rich Rosentreter

A sign on the front door of notifies people that the church is closed.

During a time of crisis many people look to their local religious establishments to help them persevere, but it is exceptionally more challenging when they are unable to enjoy the camaraderie of actually attending church services. Such has been the case during the COVID-19 pandemic in which public gatherings have been restricted.

Last month the Diocese of Ogdensburg released a statement notifying its Catholic parishes of the news regarding the cancelation of in-person services.

“This was a difficult decision to make, and it was made knowing some of the faithful may be saddened or unhappy with the suspension of Mass and gatherings,” Bishop Terry LaValley, head of the Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg, said in a press release. “It was also made with the hopes of ensuring the continued good health of the faithful, including our clergy. I feel we are working to protect all lives, especially the most vulnerable among us, by observing the recommendations to practice social distancing and avoid large gatherings.”

Local churches

Some local churches have been able to provide online services, while another is broadcastings its service live each Sunday via Youtube.

St. Alphonsus Catholic Church is not conducting online services, although parishioners can follow the services of other North Country Catholic churches online. For more information on these, visit the Diocese of Ogdensburg website at www.rcdony.org.

Father Douglas Decker of St. Alphonsus told the Free Press that people in parish are holding up well.

“They’re strong. We did get Diocesan guidelines how to handle it (pandemic). They pretty much gave us the word as to how we are to manage through all of this,” he said.

According the Fr. Decker, there have been private masses for the priests.

“We cannot invite the people,” he said, adding that there is a means for residents to conduct prayers. He said the parish hall has a chapel at the Holy Ghost Center on Marion Street that is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for private prayer.

Fr. Decker said not having public services is something new for everyone.

“It’s a very strange position for us and the people. We’re communities who hold services for people and now it’s no go,” he said. “People in the community have expressed their wish to come back to services, but recognize the magnitude of the situation and the need to be safe. We just have to sit it out and wait until we get the bishop’s guidelines.”

As far as offering online service if the restrictions continue for a more lengthy period of time, he said not at the moment.

“We figure there are enough opportunities for that plan,” Fr. Decker said, referring to the services provided by the Diocese of Ogdensburg.

He also said that not conducting regular services has had an impact on his daily activity.

“It does throw off the schedule because you have a routine you typically follow and now you can’t. It’s like being under house arrest,” he said.

The local priest said so far the number of visitors to the Holy Ghost chapel have been low, probably due to the fact that many residents are following the stay-at-home advisory. He said the chapel gets maybe a couple of people a day.

Despite the frustration he said he thinks most people are still in good spirits.

“I think as it goes on longer, it frustrates them,” Fr. Decker said, adding some thoughts on the pandemic crisis as he reflected on a message once given by a Montreal rabbi. “He said ‘Count your blessings and take it a day at a time.’ We’re all in the same boat and we must sit it out. God’s in charge.”

At St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Rev. A. William Cooper said the diocese has held liturgies online.

“People have really appreciated it,” he said, adding that his parishioners have also been in fine spirits. “The people are holding up well. We’ve been staying in contact with each other via the internet and telephone, that the way I’ve been checking in on people,” he said “It’s tough on them. But they’re a hearty bunch. We all look forward to getting through this.”

Rev. Cooper said he plans on a belated Easter celebration when this is all over.

“There’s not much else we can do at this point,” he said. “We do not meet in person because it’s something that we shouldn’t be doing.”

Rev. Cooper also had a message to all the residents who are impacted by the coronavirus crisis: “Keep praying and have the faith that God will get us through this.”

He added that he and the church are staying focused on maintaining the proper perspective.

“We’re trying to do the loving thing. And the loving thing to do at this point is to maintain social distances and stay at home with no human contact. We’re trying to keep in touch with the lonely ones, the elderly and the homebound,” he said. “We can’t do any physical ministry at this point.”

He said if anyone needs to talk or need words of inspiration, “They have my phone number.”

He also said people should continue to communicate with each other.

“They’re a pretty close-knit group. They have each others phones numbers,” he said.

For more information about St. Thomas’ services, visit its website at https://episcopalchurch.org/parish/st-thomas-episcopal-church-tupper-lake-ny.

Pastor David Boyea of the Tupper Lake Christian Community Church said they are offering its service online on Youtube.

“We started putting something there about three weeks ago. The first Sunday we didn’t do anything but by the second week we offered services on that, and each subsequent week,” he said.

Rev. Boyea said besides the online services, church members have been talking on the phone with each other.

“Of course in any small community church, people get to know each other quite well. There’s been a lot of conversations between people, people are not isolated, they’re still talking to one another,” he said. “Other than meeting physically things are pretty normal for us.”

So far, Rev. Boyea said the church has not faced any major challenges during the pandemic, although the primary issue has been missing out on some of their regular routines.

“Obviously we miss meeting together. At our church service on Sunday we would always have like a pot-luck lunch together. We kind of got used to getting together for an hour for lunch after the service, we miss doing that kind of stuff,” he said, adding that personally he did have one minor challenge putting together an online service.

“I guess for me, I do a sermon for Youtube, but it’s more challenging speaking to a camera than it is to an audience with faces.”

And as with the other church-goers, people are holding together.

“I think folks miss it but they look forward to going to Youtube n Sunday morning to see what we put together. I guess that will wear off in a bout three weeks but at least for now most folks haven’t really felt the impact (of isolation) yet,” Rev. Boyea said “People are looking forward to getting back to a normalcy whatever that will be in the next few months.”

One change that will come once the crisis is over is that the church plans to continue its online service.

“Since we went ahead and bought the equipment we would need to have something that looks halfway decent on Youtube, probably once we do tart meeting again we will still put our service on Youtube, just for folks who would like to see it,” he said. “We started it for one reason we will probably continue it for another reason.”

Rev. Boyea also have a message of faith and hope.

“I know as a person of faith there’s a promise in the Bible that says that God works out all things for the good for those who love him and are called for His purpose,” he said. “I know that it’s annoying right now. I know as a believer in Christ that even bad things will, in the bigger picture, things will work out. We kind of hang on that, but obviously we’d just love to see an answer to this thing for our country and for the world. I can’t help but think that there’s some kind of cure or treatment plan that they can come up with hopefully soon that people won’t have to be so afraid of catching it. Hopefully they’ll come up with something.”

“You sometimes take for granted that the next day will be just like the one before but once you see everything being canceled it’s kind of sobering. Like most people in America, whatever faith group you’re a part of, we’re praying God will rid us of this virus so we can get back to some kind of normalcy.”

Tupper Lake Christian Community Church services can be accessed by going to Youtube and looking up the church’s name.

The Reverend Rick Wilburn, pastor at the Tupper Baptist Chapel, said in recent weeks he has spent a lot of time calling his parishioners and checking on their well being. There also have been many mailings to his parishioners of the Lake St. church.

On Easter Sunday the pastor did a Facebook Live service which many members of his church enjoyed.

“I wish I could do more for everyone,” he said of his frustration.

Schools continue to teach with online learning during pandemic

By Rich Rosentreter

Chromebook laptops sit in the L.P. Quinn Elementary School library two weeks ago as they were prepared to be delivered throughout the school district. (Photo provided)

The Tupper Lake School District may have been forced to close its school buildings due to the COVID-19 pandemic but its mission of teaching local youths continues thanks to the efforts of teachers and staff using modern technology.

District Superintendent Seth McGowan spoke to the Free Press last week to provide details of the teaching initiative that was spearheaded last week with the distribution Chromebooks to students in the district, which was the easy part, according to the man at the helm.

“The teachers have distributed material to the kids,” he said, adding that students have been provided with introductions to the process and some lessons that include things the kids have done in school already as far as using the technology. “We’re starting to get track of which kids are connecting and which kids are not. Teachers are trying to connect with the kids either by video conference or phone calls. The kids seem to love that kind of connection.”

Mr. McGowan pointed out that one of the things that the district has learned, especially with the younger kids, is that they simply do not know how to talk on the phone.

“Parents will give them the phone and say it’s the teacher and they say ‘hi’ and then there is silence. It’s hard to get them to say anything else. So we’re trying to overcome that. That’s just a generational gap,” he said. “But all else is good. The teachers are working through the materials that they sent home. It’s going to be time soon to reload and relaunch.”

Mr. McGowan said teachers have been busy gathering additional teaching materials and the district is still learning how to complete that task of successfully teaching online.

“The initial material that was sent out to the kids was just the initial launch of the online learning plan, which was geared to last one or two weeks. Now it’s time to regroup, reassess and continue,” he said, adding that teachers have been working to prepare the next round of materials for their classes. “They have been allowed to reenter the buildings on a one-at-a-time basis to retrieve whatever they need to continue moving the learning forward. Some students are working exclusively online with their teachers and materials will arrive digitally. Others will receive packets similar to what was delivered two weeks ago. I expect those deliveries to be made toward the middle of the week.”

Mr. McGowan said that parents and students should never be shy about contacting your teachers. “This can be done via email, and teachers can also now check their school voicemail remotely. Phone extensions and email addresses can be found on our website by clicking on “Staff Directory” lower on the right panel. Ongoing communications is more important now than ever,” he said. “Please continue to do your best, and be in regular contact with your teacher. If you have not yet for some reason, please do so immediately.”

He addressed students who are slated to graduate in June, making that announcement via a post on the school’s Facebook page.

“I want to reassure the senior class that if you are on track to graduate in June, and continue to do the quality work we have seen throughout your career, you will receive a diploma from us regardless of the schedule for the next few months. That is my promise,” he wrote.

The parents

Mr. McGowan stressed that during the online learning process, it is important for parents to understand that they really should not feel like their child’s teacher.

“They shouldn’t feel like they are obligated to play that role. The teacher should be their school teacher,” he said. “Even though the buildings are closed the education process has not stopped, and that is the job of the teacher – to make sure that that keeps going. The parents can play however much of an active role as they want. They can sit side-by-side and help them do the work if they choose. They should feel free to do that as parents.”

Mr. McGowan said that some parents may get stressed trying to take on the teacher’s role.

“I would hate for the parents who don’t necessarily understand the material, especially with the math, to feel frustrated with that work, he said, adding that parents could simply have their child reach out and ask the teacher any questions regarding any specific lessons they are having a hard time understanding. “I don’t want parents to feel frustrated by the work that is coming home.”

With the older students in higher grades, there may not be as many issues, as for them things haven’t changed a whole lot in most cases, Mr. McGowan said, as their teachers already have Google classrooms set up. He said the students who may need the most help adapting are students in the primary grades such as in the L.P Quinn Elementary School.

“The one thing I would ask is that the parents check though ClassDojo and other things they might check during the school year, that’s because teachers are posting stuff there that I think is going unnoticed. But the parents can help their kids check into those spots. There’s a lot of information that goes through there for those primary grades,” he said.

One thing parents should not forget is that they still have school resources available to them, such as connecting to their children’s teachers.

“Parents should also feel free to contact their child’s teacher if they feel the need to do so, perhaps for clarifications as to expectations or other things related to coursework,” the superintendent said. “This is a time in which enhanced communication is necessary, especially between the parents and the kids, especially with the younger kids, but also throughout the entire district. Whatever the reason, don’t be shy about communicating with your child’s teacher directly.”

Mr. McGowan said although students are not physically in school, they still have school obligations.

“The buildings are closed but students are still accountable to do the work that’s being put out. These are not snow days or vacation, there is still work to be done.”

Faculty

It’s not just the students who are learning how to deal with the new educational format as the teachers are learning how to work in the new system as well – and Mr. McGowan praised them for their efforts.

“I think they are learning new stuff every day, whether it’s communications of this type that they’ve never done before, or it’s how a particular system works. They discover something new in Google Classroom or Zoom conferencing, something like that. There’s a whole variety of levels that I think our staff is getting used to and they’re really rising to the challenge,” he said. “The teachers really genuinely want to do the very best that they can under these circumstances, but it’s a whole new world for them right now. A lot of them have been using some of these tools already, but nobody has been using these tools exclusively like they are now and that’s a big difference.”

He said that teachers can also seek support to learn how to do things they want to do but don’t know how to do, whether it be technology or simply how to communicate. He added that teachers also feel a level of stress during these times, and not being able to connect with all of their students adds to the stress.

“This is the most important stuff that they do. They’re teachers and want to make sure they do it right. I’m not surprised at how they are stressed,” he said. “I think a lot of the stress is because they can’t get a hold of certain kids. There may be one or two kids that have not been able to reach and I know there are some teachers who are very concerned about that, just because they’re not normally out of touch with their kids for that long. They are to a certain extent worried as to what might be happening to them. They don’t know what the future holds. They don’t know if they’re going back to school or not. There are so many things that are unknown, and I think that is human nature to focus on that.”

He said one bright spot was a recent online faculty meeting.

“Everybody was pretty cheerful to see each other, even though it wasn’t in person,” he said, adding that one of the bonds that unite teachers is being together, both with each other and their students.

“Teachers by their nature like that. It’s a humanistic industry that we work so for them to be isolated not just from the students but from each other. It’s a very collaborative effort we have here in the district. So I’m sure there’s an element of loneliness and solitude through the whole thing, he said.

Despite all the hardships of making the online teaching method work, the sense of duty is strong within the ranks.

“That’s a testament of our staff, and that goes for everybody the food staff, to drivers, to teachers.

It’s really a testament to their desire to do their very best for the kids,” Mr. McGowan said.

Timeline and a lesson

Currently, the date of April 29 has been set for the school year to resume as normal, but Mr. McGowan said although he doesn’t know for sure, that date is subject to change.

“I really have no way of knowing for sure,” he said, adding that any definitive notification of potential school re-openings would come from the authorities “It’s pretty much out of our hands at this point.”

That said, even if a date to reopen was announced, Mr. McGowan said he would understand any parents who felt apprehensive about allowing their children to go back to school.

“I would certainly not be a proponent of opening the schools back up again if there was a shred of a chance that any harm or illness would come to a kid as a result of coming to school,” he said.

There has been plenty of learning in the midst of this pandemic crisis, whether it’s the students learning how to study at home using technology, parents learning how to help their children learn or teachers learning how to teach without the benefit of being in a classroom. But even the school’s administration has learned a valuable lesson – such as the ability people have to accomplish things during a crisis.

“The lesson I learned from my vantage point is people are far more capable than I give them credit for. Not just how people rise to the occasion, but exceed the things that need to be done and take matters into their own hands and make decisions - and that is when you see people’s best side. That’s when you see what people are really made of - when there’s a time of crisis,” Mr. McGowan said. “And my lesson, not just as a human being but as a district leader is, that I don’t appreciate that enough and that is certainly a lesson to me - I’m just stunned every day by things people have done. And I didn’t order it. People are just going above and beyond. Throughout my career I have not appreciated that enough, but I certainly do now.”

And his message to the academic community in Tupper Lake: “People should keep on doing what they do well, students should make sure they get their work done and be in touch with their teachers,” he said. “If a student hasn’t heard form their teach yet, something is off because the teachers have made an effort to connect with all of their lids. So for whatever reason, they should try to connect with their teachers. Parents should not stress. Their responsibility is to be a parent and our responsibility is to teach the kids in this new paradigm.”

School District feeding kids during crisis; program expanded to include weekend meals

Free school breakfasts and lunches for all school children

Val DeGrace, Tammy Clement and Cindy Smetanick were manning the L.P. Quinn school lunch and breakfast “grab and go” distribution site one recent weekday morning. On the morning the Free Press photographer stopped to pick up meals for her grandkids the lunch consisted of a sandwich, fruit, a vegetable, chocolate milk and Doritos or chips. The breakfast was a choice of cereal or Poptarts or ham and cheese English muffin, fruit, white milk and a cheesestick. (Larabie photo)

By Rich Rosentreter

The Tupper Lake Central School District is making sure children in its range will have a breakfast and lunch meal every day of the week during the COVID-19 pandemic that has engulfed the entire country and snowballed into a national crisis in a matter of weeks.

Meal pickup sites are located at the L.P Quinn Elementary School, Ivy Terrace Apartments and the Christian Center Church and “Grab and Go” meals for students will be available from 5:30 to 9 a.m. at those sites. Families may visit the school website or Facebook page or call the district office, high school or elementary school to sign up for meals or get more information about the meal program.

The meal pickup program, which started as only a mid-week service, has been expanded to include weekend breakfast and lunches as well, however the pickup sites will not be open on Saturday on Sunday, according to School District Superintendent Seth McGowan. He said beginning this Friday meals for the weekend will be provided and on that day each student will be given six bags to cover their meals for the three-day period.

McGowan made two things clear about the "Grab and Go" meals: One is that the meals are being provided for free; and two that any family with children in the household should contact the school if those children need a breakfast or lunch duing this crisis.

“If there is anybody out the who is not aware of this program now, they should just call the school. Forget about going online and register. Just call the district office or the elementary school or high school office. We have people answering phones. Whatever it takes, we will make this happen,” he said. The school district phone number is 359-3322.

“I want to emphasize that this is free. There is zero charge. This is free for everybody, whether your child was in the free or reduced plan or if they never used the food service at school and just want to do this. Everybody who wants to do this could participate,” McGowan added. “I have a sense that there are kids who normally go through our lunch line every day that are not picking up breakfast or lunch or having someone pick up for them.”

McGowan said that he reason some families in the school district are not picking meals up could be for any number of reasons such as someone not having a vehicle or no one to grab the meals.

“Whatever the reason, if their kids are going without a meal for breakfast or lunch, they should contact us and we will just make it happen. Regardless of what the circumstance is. We will make sure that those kids have meals," he said.

McGowan said it is also important to note that if families have kids who are not yet in school, the district would still provide a meal for that child.

“I’m saying that even if there is a pre-school child in that home they should contact us, and even if there is no school age child, they should still contact us and we will work something out,” he said. “We’re not limiting it to students.”

School district Business Administrator Dan Bower said the district is expecting to get reinbursed for the free meals at the state and federal level as part of the nationl school lunch program.

The numbers

So far the meal progrm has been well-received by the community and although not every family has taken advantage of the service, the school district is prepared to help each student in its vicinity.

"During the first days we weren't real sure about demand so we had over prepared because we didn't want to run out," McGowan explained. "Now we are getting more accurate on (meal) counts. Some people pick up every day and others do not. Right now we do about 250 meals a day. If the number rises, it rises. We'd be happy to provide as many that are necessary."

McGowan estimated that one-third of the households that have chiddren in district have been utililizing the meal program and added that not everybody participates in lunch programs – but even those students are eligible to get meals in this time of crisis.

“What I’m afraid of is that they’re not picking up (meals) because they don’t have a way to get there or they think they’re not eligible, or for whatever reason, that they can’t or shouldn’t,” he said. “I want everybody to know that they can. We’re in crisis mode in the community so whatever we can do, we’ll do.”

Deliveries

The school district is also delivering meals to students in the Piercefield area and McGowan said additional local deliveries will be available “under special circumstances.”

“If there was a reason a child was going without breakfast or lunch because of transportation or another reason, we will try to work something out,” he said, adding that the district had considered a pickup center in Piercefield, but logistically it was easier just to deliver the meals. “We’re delivering all the way to Childwold and Conifer. I say that because if there was a reason somebody could not pick up a meal for their child and they were just stuck, we would work something out we would get it to them, even if they were in town someplace.”

McGowan added that he does not think the district would be able to deliver to everyone on a daily basis.

"We want to make it easy on the parents. We know that closing school is very unusual and creates a whole series of impacts on families," he said. "My goal is to mitigate as much of thse impacts as humanly possible and certainly food and nutrition is one of them."

Pulling together

This nation and community has faced other crisis and this one certainy ranks among the most pressing.

"In this community, any time there is a crisis, more than any other community I know, Tupper Lake rises to the occasion and doesn't take anything for granted. People that are coming in, they're very grateful," McGowan said. He added that it is hard to say if this is the biggest crisis the school district has ever faced but it certainly had mechanisms in place to take action.

"With this, I am fearful for the health and safety of our kids and community. We do a lot of planing. Our safety plan contained a lot of the elelments that we use to mobilize." he said. "Every day we have grab and go meals, so the concept is not new. Making it happen at Ivy Terrace and the Christian Center Church, that’s a little different, but that’s just moving coolers and refrigeration to those places, otherwise we prepare those meals for kids every day.”

McGowan said the kitchen staff is in early in the morning and meals are ready to go by 5 a.m. as they have to make sure meals are at the three pickup sites at 5:30 a.m.

“We have staff at those locations that are there at 5 a.m. It really has become a matter of logistics and systems. It’s just ticking along like a well-oiled machine. I’m very proud. Honestly, it’s amazing what people can do, they do great things each day, but when everyone is coordinated and have the same goal in mind, it kind of creates an energy. A get-it-done and get it done well mentality. Everybody has just upped their game. I see this all the time,” he said. “We’re a people industry and we rely on people to teach other people and usually it’s the kids, but in this case, the staff and the faculty, everybody has combined forces and created this swell of energy. It’s very exciting actually.”

Bower acknowledged the high level of purpose by all the workers in the school district as everyone from administrators and faculty to teachers and teacher aides to all the supporting staff all recognize the gravity of the situation.

“Everybody has been willing to chip in and do work that isn’t usually part of their normal job. They just pitch right in,” Bower said. “I think it all gives us all a sense of positive purpose and we’re doing our part.”

McGowan also said that the district is learning from this experience as well.

“We are learning about transportation and food preparation that will probably impact on how we do things after we reopen. Now that we have done this out of necessity we’re inventing new ways on how to do things, in the classroom, in the kitchen and with our transportation,” he said.

A tight-knit community

Both Bower and McGowan said they have both received a positive response by an appreciative Tupper Lake community.

“We’ve heard all positive responses. People are very appreciative,” Bower said, adding that the district is trying to keep it website and Facebook page full of up-to-date information and if people still have questions, they can send emails or leave a voicemail. “We’ll get back to folks to answer any questions.”

McGowan said he appreciates everyone's patience as the district continues to figure things out as the COVID-19 situation changes with each day.

"Parents have been understanding of any glitches along the way. That really helps," he said. "Right ow everything is going very well, betweeen the food service workers and we have the transpoion depart involved, we have teacher aides in, I just couldn't ask for a more concerned and coordinated team. We're firing on all cylinders."

When Bower was asked about the unity demonstrated by the school’s workers, he paused, with a touch of emotion apparent in his voice.

“It’s hard to put into words. It makes me proud to be among the employees of a district, really a community that cares so much about their fellow community members and getting the job done and taking care of our kids - and just trying to make life easier in a bad situation,” he said. “We’ve had some long days but we kind of draw our energy from the fact that everybody else is in it and we’re all in it together. It’s so fluid that we’re just trying to keep up with it. You don’t know what’s coming next. I have just been so impressed wth everyone just stepping up and doing whatever they’ve been asked to do. The community has been fantastic as far a communicating back and forth and with patience. You’ve seen the best in everyone. Because it could be a while so I’m just hoping that mood stays where it is and I have a feeling here that that’s going to happen. It’s a great place to live and if we have to go through this sort of thing I wouldn’t want to be anyplace else.”

Area schools closed

by Dan McClelland

Tupper Lake Central School and Long Lake Central School and the eight other schools in the Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES District are closed until at least April 20 due to the Corona virus, according to a press release BOCES officials put out over the weekend. The Newcomb school district was also closed.

“The Franklin-Essex-Hamilton BOCES and its 10-component school districts have made a unanimous decision to close school immediately until at least April 20 due to the Corona virus.

“The districts, in collaboration with their respective public health offices, will reevaluate the return of staff and students prior to the 20th to determine whether or not it is safe to do so.

“The decision to close schools was made as a pre-emptive measure to assist in limiting the spread of the virus. Although there are no reports of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of our school communities as of March 15, the state Department of Public Health recommends that the best action school districts can take to prevent the spread of this illness is to limit social interaction.

“The school leaders in our region take their responsibility to educate and protect our students very seriously and did not make this decision lightly,” BOCES District Superintendent Dale Breault said.

“I am incredibly grateful for the collaboration that has occurred between the BOCES district, our 10 component districts, three counties and their respective public health offices to reach consensus on the best course of action during this unprecedented event.”

The districts, in addition to Tupper Lake and Long Lake, include Malone, Raquette Lake, Salmon River, Saranac Lake, St. Regis Falls, Brushton-Moira, Chateaugay and Lake Placid.