Events at the VIC
Spring and Summer 2012
Volunteer Potluck
Thursday, 19 April
Smith's College VIC volunteers will get together with VIC staff
at 5 PM for a preview of upcoming events and activities. Prospective
volunteers are welcome. For more information, call the VIC at
(518) 327-6241 or email skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
Armchair Lecture Series
Thursday, 19 April
This
7 PM presentation is by Tracy Santagate. Her lecture is titled
"Lifetime of Travel by Bike & Train." Learn something
new from an expert or expand your knowledge about distant places
from someone who's been there. Free for the Paul Smith's College
community, $5 for all others. Please call the Paul Smith's College
VIC at (518) 327-6241 for more information.
Owl Prowl
Friday, 20 April
Join the Adirondack Birding Center Director Brian McAllister at
8 PM. for a nighttime owl prowl. Free for the Paul Smith's College
community, $5 for all others. Call the VIC at (518) 327-6241 for
more information.
Adirondack Bat Workshop
Saturday, 21 April
Department of Environmental Conservation biologist Joe Racette
will talk about Adirondack bats and white-nose syndrome at 1 PM.
Stick around after the talk to build a bat house to take home.
$25/family. (If you just come for the presentation, though, it's
free and open to the public.)
American Hiking Society National Trails
Day
Sunday, 22 April
Come out this Earth Day to volunteer at The VIC!
Come celebrate by spending some time outside! Starting
at 10 AM the VIC will be doing trails and grounds work around
the building to get ready for spring.
Anyone is welcome to come spend the day outdoors, building new trail, improving old trails and working in the areas around the building. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers! Call The VIC for more information, 327-6241.
"Emerging
Patterns" Exhibit
Tuesday, 24 April
Paul Smith's students and local artists & writers collaborated
on "Emerging Patterns: Observing Change with Science and
Art." The exhibit, organized by Prof. Craig Milewski's Integrated
Natural Resource Management class, will feature original artworks
and readings inspired by ecological changes at the VIC. In addition
to student works, local artists and writers including Sandra
Hildreth, Cris
Winters, Donna
Foley, Ed
Kanze and Roger Mitchell
will have work on display. Free. Opening at 6 PM. On display
until May 5.
Teddy Roosevelt Bird Walk
Wednesday, 25 April
Join Brian McAllister of the Adirondack Birding Center at 9 AM
in search of the birds that call the Adirondacks their home. $20/session.
Please call (518) 327-6241 to register.
Student research mixer
Wednesday, 25 April
Join students from Paul Smith's School of Natural Resource Management
and Ecology as they share results from their research. Hear presentations
on snowshoe hare habitats, the detection of zebra mussels using
DNA, and more. Cookies & coffee will be served. Free.
Meet the Author
Thursday, 26 April
New York Times best-selling author Chris Bohjalian is coming to the VIC. Bohjalian's new novel, "The Night Strangers," follows a New Hampshire family through locked basement doors and psychological trauma for what the Washington Post calls a "classic Gothic horror story" with a modern twist. He'll read from the book, and copies will be available for purchase. Free for Paul Smith's College faculty and students, $5 for community members.
Limited spaces are available for a pre-reading with Bohjalian. The $25 fee includes drinks and appetizers. For more information, please email acwevents@gmail.com.
Join the Adirondack Birding Center Director Brian McAllister at 8 PM for a night owl prowl. Free for the Paul Smith's College community, $5 for all others. Call the VIC at (518) 327-6241 for more information.
Little
Bobcats
Saturday, 28 April
VIC staff will lead a series of programs for 3-to-5 year-olds and their parents. Activities will focus on the local flora and fauna around the VIC. Sessions meet from 10 AM to noon. $2/session for members of the Adirondack Park Institute; $5/session for those who have not yet joined. Parents are asked to participate with their children. Please register by calling Sarah Keyes at (518) 327-6241 or emailing skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
"Holy
Shiitake" Mushroom Workshop
Sunday, 29 April
The Paul Smith's College VIC will be teaching the art of outdoor mushroom cultivation at 9 AM. Topics include tree species and spawn to use, log cultivation and sawdust inoculation, tools, supplies and vendors. Bring a lunch. Free for the Paul Smith's College community, $5 for all others. Take home an inoculated log for $5.
Lisa Meissner will host this month's open mic night at 6 p.m. Free for the Paul Smith's College community, $5 for all others. For more information on these events: Phone: 518-327-6241 | Email: skeyes@paulsmiths.edu
Teddy
Roosevelt Bird Walks
Wednesdays, 2, 5, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 May; 7, 10, 14 June
The Paul Smith's
College VIC is hosting a series of bird walks led by Adirondack
Birding Center Director Brian McAllister. Participants will be
challenged to see and hear many of the bird species identified
by a young Teddy Roosevelt in his research while visiting Paul
Smiths in the 1870s. Join Brian McAllister of the Adirondack Birding
Center at 9 AM in search of the birds that call the Adirondacks
their home. $20/session. Please call (518) 327-6241 to register.
Volunteer Potluck
Thursday, 3 May
Paul Smith's College VIC volunteers will get together with VIC
staff at 5 p.m. for a preview of upcoming events and activities.
Prospective volunteers are welcome. For more information, call
the VIC at (518) 327-6241 or email skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
Armchair
Traveler Lecture Series: "Canoeing the Arctic Barrenlands:
Canada's Northwest Territories and Nunavut"
Thursday, 3 May
Visit The VIC Thursday night at 7 PM to hear about Bill Ulinski's
adventure on a very remote fast moving river, with over 150 rapids,
a region seldom visited by man, an area home to tundra wolves,
red and arctic fox and a large concentration of grizzly bears.
Bill Ulinski has worked and enjoyed outdoor and forest recreation for almost 40 years. His career has included being a park and recreation director, teaching forest recreation at Paul Smith's College and managing an alpine ski are in northern New England for over 20 years. He is not new to the Adirondacks having grown up near the Blue Line. Bill has an Associates Degree in Forestry from Paul Smith's and a B.S. in Resource Management from North Carolina State University. Eleven years ago he returned to our area and lives in Rainbow Lake. He is a licensed guide and works seasonally in DEC operations and for the Town of North Elba in the black fly control program. His interests, besides paddling and alpine skiing, include running, photography, hunting and trapping.
No-School
Day Programs
Friday, 4 May
The VIC will be holding No-School Day Programs on Friday, 4 May for the Saranac Lake School District "snow day". Programs run from 9 AM-3:30 PM. We will become VIC EcoExplorers! Spend the day outside playing games, learning about nature, doing arts & crafts, going on hikes, and more! $30/API members or PSC community, $35 for all others. Please contact Sarah to register, (518)327-6246 or email her: skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
Little
Bobcats
Saturday, 5 May
VIC staff will lead a series of programs for 3-to-5-year-olds
and their parents. Activities will focus on the local flora and
fauna around the VIC. Sessions meet from 10 AM-noon. $2/session
for members of the Adirondack Park Institute; $5/session for those
who have not yet joined. Parents are asked to participate with
their children. Please register by calling Sarah Keyes at (518)
327-6241 or emailing skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
Connect
with Nature Family Program
Sunday,6 May
Bring the family to the Paul Smith's College VIC and spend the
morning learning something new about nature. This week at 10 AM,
participants will explore the FERDA plots for salamanders. $10/family.
Owl Prowl
Sunday, 6 May
Join the Adirondack Birding Center Director Brian McAllister at
8 PM for a night owl prowl. Free for the Paul Smith's College
community, $5 for all others. Call the VIC at (518) 327-6241 for
more information.
Mothers
Day Walk
Saturday, 12 May
A VIC naturalist will lead mothers and their children on a walk at the Paul Smith's College VIC at 1 p.m., $10/group.
Little
Bobcats
Saturday, 12 May
VIC staff will lead a series of programs for 3-to-5-year-olds and their parents. Activities will focus on the local flora and fauna around the VIC. Sessions meet from 10 AM to noon. $2/session for members of the Adirondack Park Institute, $5/session for those who have not yet joined. Parents are asked to participate with their children. Please register by calling Sarah Keyes at (518) 327-6241 or emailing skeyes@paulsmiths.edu
5K
Fun Runs
Wednesdays, 23 May, 20 June, 18 July, 15 August, and 19 September.
Up your mileage by doing the monthly 5K Fun Runs. The third Wednesday
of the month, starting in May, the VIC will have a free 5K fun
run at 6 PM. Runners get a chance to check out the VIC trails
and meet other trail enthusiasts. Runners will meet through September.
Armchair
Traveler Lecture Series
Thursday, 17 May
Join Dr. Ed Hixson at 7 PM for a presentation about his three expeditions to Mount Everest. Free for the Paul Smith's College community, $5 for all others.
Little
Bobcats
Saturday, 19 May
VIC staff will lead a series of programs for 3-to-5-year-olds and their parents. Activities will focus on the local flora and fauna around the VIC. Sessions meet from 10 AM to noon. $2/session for members of the Adirondack Park Institute, $5/session for those who have not yet joined. Parents are asked to participate with their children. Please register by calling Sarah Keyes at (518) 327-6241 or emailing skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
New
Moon Art Opening
Sunday, 20 May
Artists Edith
Urban, Lee Ann Sporn and Ron Pederson will be on hand at 5 PM
to discuss their work, which will be on display through June 18.
Artist Edith Urban does Adirondack oil landscape paintings. Lee
Ann Sporn specializes in watercolor and oil paintings of local
flora and fauna. Ron
Pederson is an artist and woodworker, who has been an avid
digital photographer for about 2-years.
Northern
Forest Explorers
Tuesday, 22 May
The Northern Forest Canoe Trail is offering three Adirondack trips to youth living along the trail this summer. Come to the VIC for an information night for parents and potential participants at 7 PM. For more information, call Brian McDonnell at (518) 327-6241 or email bmcdonnell@paulsmiths.edu.
No-School
Day Program
Friday, 25 May
Join the VIC staff for a day of programs from 9 AM.-3:30 PM. Become a VIC Eco Explorer as we learn about the world outside. Participants will go on hikes, explore the marsh, play games, make arts and crafts and more. $30 for members of the Adirondack Park Institute and the Paul Smith's College community, $35 for all others.
Jenkins
Mountain Scramble
Saturday, 26 May
Paul Smith's College is hosting the Second Annual Paul Smiths Jenkins Mountain Scramble on Saturday, 26 May. The trail run, which is part of a Trophy Series of races sponsored by Trail Runner magazine, will take place on the network of wooded trails at the Paul Smith's College VIC. The half-marathon starts at 9:30 a.m. and the 10k starts at 10:30 a.m. Please visit www.paulsmiths.edu/jenkins for more information. All proceeds from the race will be used to support the VIC. For more information on the 26 May trail run, click here. For more on the VIC Trail Run Series, click here.
Armchair
Traveler Lecture Series
Thursday, 31 May
Paul Smith's College Prof. Janet Mihuc will give a talk at 7 PM titled "Project Silkmoth." Learn something new from an expert or expand your knowledge about distant places from someone who's been there. Free for the Paul Smith's College community, $5 for all others. Please call the Paul Smith's College VIC at (518) 327-6241 for more information.
Farmers'
Market Opening Day
Friday, 1 June
The Paul Smiths Farmers' Market features fresh vegetables and berries in season, breads and other baked goods, herbs, jams and jellies and plants. The market is part of the Adirondack Farmers' Market Cooperative. Don't miss opening day! The market will be open every Friday throughout the summer from 2-5 PM. Local farmers are welcome to reserve a table. Call (518) 327-6241 or email bmcdonnell@paulsmiths.edu for more information.
Great
Adirondack Birding Celebration (GABC)
Friday-Sunday, 1-3 June
The 2012 Great Adirondack Birding Celebration will feature internationally acclaimed birder and photographer, Richard Crossley, birding trips, lectures, workshops and the popular Teddy Roosevelt Birding Challenge. Registration opens for trips/programs on 1 May 2012. Call (518) 327-6241.
Check-in and registration packet pick up begins at 9 AM through 5 PM on Friday, 1 June at the Paul Smith's College VIC building. Friday's events include an all-day field trip exploring the bird life of the Lake Champlain Valley followed by a dessert reception and an Owl Prowl beginning at 9 PM. Saturday is filled with exciting field trips and informative events throughout the day. The keynote address at 7 PM Saturday, 2 June, will be given in the VIC Theater by Richard Crossley, internationally acclaimed birder and photographer. For a full schedule of events, click here.
Some of the boreal species that GABC participants hope to find include the Black-backed Woodpecker, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Spruce Grouse, Bicknell's Thrush and a variety of migrating warblers. The event is jointly sponsored by the Northern New York Audubon Society, the Adirondack Park Institute, and the Adirondack Birding Center at Paul Smith's College VIC.
Birding
Celebration Keynote Speaker Richard Crossley
Saturday, 2 June
Richard Crossley
will discuss his birding field guides and highlight the thoughts
behind the revolutionary "Crossley
ID Guide" series at 7 PM. Following the presentation,
there will be a reception and drawing for bird -related items.
$10 per person for those not attending the birding celebration.
Teddy
Roosevelt Bird Walk
Thursday, 7 June
Join Brian
McAllister of the Adirondack Birding Center at 9 AM in search
of the birds that call the Adirondacks their home. $20/session.
Please call (518) 327-6241 to register.
Songwriters
Showcase
Friday, 8 June
The Paul Smith's College VIC will host an evening of songs with musicians Doug Irving, Ray Agnew, Steve Borst, and John Kribs. The musicians will perform from 7:00 - 9:00 PM, followed by an open jam session from 9:00 to 11:00 PM. Each artist's individual talents will be showcased through their different works. $10 advanced sales price for the Paul Smith's College Community, $15 at the door. Call (518) 327-6241 or stop by the VIC to reserve your tickets today.
Farmers'
Market
Fridays, 8,15,22,29 June; 6,13,20,27 July; 3,10,17,24,31 August;
and 7, 14, 21 September
The Paul Smiths Farmers' Market features fresh vegetables and berries in season, breads and other baked goods, herbs, jams and jellies and plants. The market is part of the Adirondack Farmers' Market Cooperative. The market will be open every Friday throughout the summer from 2-5 PM. Local farmers are welcome to reserve a table. Call (518) 327-6241 or email bmcdonnell@paulsmiths.edu for more information.
Butterfly
House Opening
9 June
Adjacent to the VIC Building, is a Native Species Butterfly House, featuring butterflies and moths in all stages of development. It is open from 10 AM to 4 PM, every sunny day throughout the summer. Visitors can view native butterflies up close and learn about the life stages and migratory patterns of these colorful insets. Opening day for the 2012 season is 9 June. Call (518) 327-6241 or email skeyes@paulsmiths.edu for more information.
Teddy
Roosevelt Bird Walk
Sunday, 10 June
Join Brian McAllister of the Adirondack Birding Center at 9 AM in search of the birds that call the Adirondacks their home. $20/session. Please call (518) 327-6241 to register.
Paul Smith's College VIC volunteers will get together with VIC staff at 5:30 PM for a preview of upcoming events and activities. Prospective volunteers are welcome. For more information, call the VIC at (518) 327-6241 or email skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
Armchair
Lecture Series
Thursday, 14 June
Join Jorie Favreau at 7 p.m. for a talk about climate change.
Free for the Paul Smith's College community, $5 for all others.
Community
Native-Plant Garden
Saturday, 16 June
Join Richard
Gast of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners along
with Paul Smith's College professor Daun Reuter and the Adirondack
Botanical Society at 10 AM as we take a short hike in search of
plants for our native-plant garden at the front entrance of the
VIC. We will observe the conditions under which several native
plants are growing and discuss how plants found growing together
in the wild may mutually benefit each other and why we are selecting
certain ones for our community garden project.
Bird-on-Hand
Demonstration
Saturdays, throughout the summer, starting 16 June
Mark Manske of the Adirondack
Raptors will be at the VIC at 2 PM to let folks get up close
and personal with his feathered friends: a great horned owl, an
American kestrel, a barn owl, and a Swainson's Hawk.
Father's
Day Hike
Sunday,17 June
Sunday is Father's Day. Why not take your dad for a hike at the
VIC?
Trail
Fun Run
Wednesday, 20 June
The Paul Smith's College VIC will host a free 5-kilometer
trail fun run at 6 PM. For more information, call the VIC at 327-6241.
Yoga
on the Deck
Wednesdays @ 9:30 AM, beginning 20 June, through the end of August
These 75-minute classes features Kripalu style
yoga on the deck of the Paul Smiths VIC. Fee: $15 drop-in or $78/six
week pass. For information, contact jackieyoga@roadrunner.com
(518-339-3008) or visit Jackie
Foster Yoga.
Mushroom
Walk
Wednesday, 20 June
Join mycologist Susan Hopkins at 10 AM for a walk in the woods
as she identifies different mushrooms and teaches participants
about their uses. $20.
Naturalist-Led Interpretive Walks
Daily starting Wednesday, 20 June
The first day of summer starts the VIC's one-hour, naturalist-led
interpretive walks. The VIC will offer one every day of the summer
at 1 PM. Each walk will highlight a different aspect of nature.
Thanks to a generous matching grant from a benefactor, the VIC
interpretive staff and volunteers are able to offer "FREE"
1 hour nature walks on the VIC trails. Look for varied themes
and trip leaders. Feel free to suggest a topic and tell your friends!
Teddy Roosevelt
Bird Walk
Thursday, 21 June
Join Brian McAllister of the Adirondack Birding Center at 9 AM
in search of the birds that call the Adirondacks their home. $20/session.
Please call (518) 327-6241 to register.
Art
Exhibit: Full Circle
Friday, 22 June
The Paul Smith's VIC summer season will be opening with two veteran artists from Saranac Lake. The joint exhibition by artists Tim Fortune and Matt Burnett will show an evolution and dialogue between the two artists going back nearly two decades, when Fortune introduced Burnett to oil painting. Included in this exhibition is a set of outdoor murals created by Matt Burnett. The outdoor exhibition, which begins at the turn on the summer solstice, will remain on the VIC's outer walls for four seasons. The opening reception will take place on 22 June from 6-8 PM. There will be refreshments and a cash bar.
Children's Butterfly Art Fair
Saturday, 23 June
Area elementary kids from Saranac Lake, Bloomingdale, Tupper Lake and Lake Placid have created butterfly-themed artwork that will be displayed at the VIC from 20 June to 4 July . The official opening is on Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. There will be natural sculpture making, instrument making, butterfly poetry, and live music at 1 PM with Sue Grimm Hanley.
Teddy
Roosevelt Bird Walk
Saturday, June 23
Join Brian McAllister of the Adirondack Birding Center at 9 AM
in search of the birds that call the Adirondacks their home. $20/session.
Please call (518) 327-6241 to register.
Bird-on-Hand Demonstration
Saturday, June 23
Mark Manske of Adirondack Raptors will be at the VIC on Saturday
afternoons to let folks get up close and personal with his feathered
friends: a great horned owl, an American kestrel, a barn owl,
and a Swainson's Hawk.
Mushroom Walk
Sunday, 24 June
Join mycologist Susan Hopkins at 10 AM for a walk out in woods
as she identifies different mushrooms and teaches participants
about their uses. $20.
Invasive Species Walks
Sundays, starting 24 June
Adirondack Watershed Steward Emily Martin will lead a walk and
talk every Sunday at 1:00 PM through 26 August. Learn about some
of the cool native species found in the woods at the VIC. Find
out about where invasive plants could come in and disrupt the
natural community and discover what you can do to help prevent
the spread of undesirable species. This program is supported by
the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
Interpretive
Canoe Paddles
Tuesdays and Saturdays, starting 26 June
Join a naturalist
to learn about the various wetland areas around the VIC. Walk
along Heron Marsh and Barnum Brook. Explore marsh, stream, bog,
and pond. Check out a floating bog mat. See the aquatic flora
and fauna abundant in the various habitats. $20 per person Adirondack
Park Institute members receive a 10% discount. Space is limited.
Reservations are required by 5 PM the night before. Groups of
5 or more can book their own tour date by calling the VIC: (518)
327-6241.
Armchair Lecture Series
Thursday, 28 June
Joe Glickman will wrap up the "Arm Chair Traveler Series" at the VIC on Thursday, 28 June at 7 PM. Joe Glickman is an author and adventurer who writes books and articles about outdoor sports. "Fearless: One Woman, One Kayak, One Continent" is his newest work about Freya Hoffmeister's 332-day paddle around Australia. There's some chuckles, a few 'oh my's!', more than a few cool war stories, and at least one shark attack. $5 for the general public, free for PSC community. Joe will have copies of his book available at the lecture for purchase.
Little
Bobcats
Saturdays in July and August
A VIC naturalist
leads a one-hour art and nature program to teach children about
Adirondack plants and animals. The program is for 3-to-5-year-olds
and their parents. Participants meet at 10 AM. $3/session for
members of the Adirondack
Park Institute, $5/session for those who have not yet joined.
Parents are asked to participate with their children. Please register
by calling Sarah Keyes at (518) 327-6241 or emailing skeyes@paulsmiths.edu.
This series is part of the VIC's educational
programming for children.
"First
Sunday Series" 2012 Trail Run and 5K Fun Run
Sunday,1 July
The Paul Smith's College VIC's 2012 "First Sunday
Series"; Trail Runs begin on 1 July . Everyone from beginners
to experienced trail runners have a chance to win! Racers accumulate
points for each event and mileage to earn great prizes. Race day
registration available. A 5K option is available at each event.
Races start at 10 AM, 5K's at 11 AM. Register
here.
Wild
Woods Writing Workshop with Karen Loffler
Session I: Saturday, 7 July, 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Session II: Saturday, 4 August, 9:30 AM - 3:00 PM
These workshops are designed to get participants inspired by the Adirondack wilderness while cultivating their writing skills. Through reading samples, observation, and practice, participants will explore how to take their writing into and out of the woods. Workshop participants will walk the wild woods for inspiration and then apply new techniques and tricks to develop their subjects into a fully readable composition. Participants will receive a booklet (PDF) of work composed during the session. The sessions are designed for individuals of high school age and older. Paper and pens are required. Lap tops are acceptable. The price is $50 per session or $75 for both, lunch included.
Mushroom
Walks with Susan Hopkins
Selected Sundays and Wednesdays, beginning 8 July
Join mushroom expert Susan Hopkins for a casual walk in the woods to look at all mushrooms and fungi. Participants will discuss and identify poisonous and edible species and point out some of medicinal value as well. The walks will take around 2-2.5 hours and be held rain or shine, so be prepared! Bring a lunch if you would like to stay after the walk to explore reference materials provided by Susan for further study. $20 for the general public. API members receive a 10% discount. Participants meet at 10 AM at the VIC. Please call the VIC to register: 518-327-6241.
Walk Dates:
- July 8, 18, 22
- August 8, 12, 22, 26
- September 12, 16
Trail
Fun Run
Wednesday 18 July
The Paul Smith's College VIC will host a free 5-kilometer
trail fun run at 6 PM. For more information, call the VIC at 327-6241.
Discover
our Natural World
Friday, 20 July
Come
spend the morning at The VIC learning something new about nature
with your family. Participants will explore the Barnum Brook for
creatures living in the stream! Meet at The VIC building at 10
AM. The cost is $10/family. Please register by calling The VIC:
518-327-6241.
"Life
on the Lakes" Juried Show -- Artist Reception
Friday, 20 July
The VIC will host a Juried Art Show commencing with an artist reception on 20 July from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Artwork will be on display through 16 August. The theme of the show will be "Life on the Lakes." The VIC has commissioned Joe Van Putten and Susan Olsen to select the items to be hung for the show. They will award a "Best in Show," "Best Photo," "Best Painting," and "Honorable Mention" prize. The VIC will also award a "People's Choice" Award at "The Monarchs in the Meadow" musical event on 25 August. People visiting the VIC will purchase ballots and vote on their favorite artwork in the show. All proceeds from the show will go toward developing arts programming at the VIC.
Adirondack Loon Census
Saturday, 21 July
The Adirondack Birding Center (which is based at the VIC) will assist in this annual census of loons on lakes in and around the Adirondack Park by putting volunteers on ponds in our area. The number of adult loons, chicks, and immature loons observed in a one-hour period (from 8-9 AM) are recorded. This project is a collaborative effort between Biodiversity Research Institute's Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation and the Wildlife Conservation Society's Adirondack Program. Census volunteers sign up to monitor a lake from 8:00 to 9:00 AM on census day. There is a reporting form to fill out to let WCS know how many adult loons, chicks and immature loons the volunteers observe. For more information, visit the WCA website or the BRI website or call Adirondack Birding Center Director Brian McAllister: 518-327-6241.
National Moth Week brings together everyone interested in moths to celebrate these amazing insects. At the VIC, join local moth enthusiasts led by Janet Mihuc to see what is happening in the moth world on the night of Thursday, July 26. On Friday, visitors to the VIC can examine samples of the various species found.
St.
Regis Lakes/Spitfire Day at the VIC
Thursday, 26 July
Paul Smith's College invites its friends and neighbors from the Spitfire and St. Regis Shore Owner's Association to experience a day at the VIC. There will be fun programs and activities for both adults and children throughout the day. The programs are open to all VIC visitors.
Trees
of the Northern Forest Trail Walk
Saturday, 28 July
Join Diane Minutilli, a former USDA Forest Service naturalist, at 10 AM on an interpretive walk and talk about trees. Learn the tricks to identifying common deciduous and coniferous Northern Forest trees. Discover the natural history behind the importance of trees in creating the Adirondack Park and why they play a critical role for our future. $20 per person. Please call the VIC to register: 518-327-6241.
Beyond
the Exhibition: Dreaming of Timbuctoo
Thursday, 2 August
Dreaming of Timbuctoo is a traveling exhibition that opened at the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake, New York, in May 2001. The exhibition tells the story of Black homesteaders granted forty acres in the Adirondacks in the 1840's and illuminates the crucial role of land and the vote in the political war on slavery and racism in New York State fifteen years before the Civil War. On 2 August, the VIC will host an opening reception and talk at 7 PM on new findings and Franklin County connections to "Timbuctoo" by exhibition curator Amy Godine. There will also be an update on the Timbuctoo Archaeology Project by Hadley Kruczek-Aaron. The exhibition is produced under the direction of the grass roots freedom education and human rights project, "John Brown Lives!" The exhibition is presented by John Brown Lives!, Adirondack Center for Writing, Six Nations Indian Museum, and the Paul Smith's College VIC. The exhibition will be the centerpiece of several programs occurring at the VIC in the month of August. Admission to the exhibition is free. There is a $5 admission for this special presentation. The exhibition will be at the VIC until September 14.
Discover
our Natural World
Friday, 3 August
Come
spend the morning at The VIC learning something new about nature
with your family. Participants will explore the FERDA plots for
salamanders! Meet at The VIC building at 10 AM. The cost is $10/family.
Please register by calling The VIC: 518-327-6241.
"First
Sunday Series" 2012 Trail Run and 5K Fun Run
Sunday, 5 August
This run is part of the Paul Smith's College VIC's 2012
"First Sunday Series" Trail Runs. Everyone from beginners
to experienced trail runners have a chance to win! There is a
5K and 15 K race. Racers accumulate points for each event and
mileage to earn great prizes. Race day registration available or
register
online for the trail run here. The 15K starts at 10 AM, the
5K at 11 AM. Sponsors include Paul
Smith's College, Lake
Placid Pub and Brewery, MAC's
Canoe Livery, and
High Peaks Cyclery
Black
Nature: Minority Voices in Nature Poetry
Tuesday, 7 August
The Adirondack Center for Writing will host a reading and discussion with poets Cornelius Eady, Aracelis Girmay, Chase Twitchell, and Roger Bonair- Agard at 7 PM. Come see four acclaimed poets from widely diverse backgrounds read their work. These poets will challenge gender, race and world view in a genre that's much wider that we usually think. Share in the discussion. For more information, visit the the Adirondack Center for Writing. $5 at the door.
New
Beginnings Awards Gala
Thursday, 9 August
Please join the Adirondack
Park Institute trustees and New York State Sen. Betty Little
at the VIC for a reception, dinner, and award presentation from
5:00-8:30 PM. The Gala will benefit the VIC and honor Paul Smith's
College President John Mills and Neil Murphy, president of SUNY
College of Environmental Science and Forestry, with the Adirondack
Environmental Education Leadership Award. This award recognizes
exceptional leadership in fostering education and experiential
learning to advance public understanding about the values and
relationships of the Adirondack Park's communities. Tickets are
$100. For more information, please call the VIC at 518-327-6241
or email bmcdonnell@paulsmiths.edu.
Traditional
Paddle Making Workshop
Saturday,11 August
Make a traditional cherry paddle in a one-day workshop. Craftsman Caleb Davis will instruct workshop participants in the use of hand tools to make their own paddle. Participants will leave the VIC with a shaped paddle they can complete at home. The workshop begins at 9 AM. Preregistration required prior to August 7. The workshop fee is $125.00 per person.
Water
Rangers for Kids
Saturday, 11 August
Watershed Steward Emily Martin leads a fun-filled afternoon for kids to learn all about the cool water ecosystems right in our own backyards. Activities will focus on keeping our waters clean and will include games, nature walks, and exploration of the many species found in the marsh. This event is free and is for 8-to-12-year-olds. Participants meet at the VIC at 1 PM. For more information and to RSVP, contact Emily Martin (518-572-5322).
Historic
Films of Saranac Lake's Past
Tuesday, 14 August
Award-winning producer and director Jim Griebsch will show Historic Films of Saranac Lake's Past -- a compilation of films and images that have rarely been seen by the general public. The motion picture footage taken in and around the village of Saranac Lake dates from the 1920s to the 1960s and includes many film clips of downtown scenes when the streets were shared by early automobiles and horse-drawn wagons. Films clips also include activities in Pontiac Bay, ice harvesting, President Calvin Coolidge's 1926 visit, winter carnival, and much more.
The 16mm and 8mm footage has been digitized in HD Video and edited in an effort to provide a unique window on Saranac Lake's past. This footage is part of the Kollecker film collection, archived in the Adirondack Room of the Saranac Lake Free Library.
The presentation begins at 7 PM. The film showing is free, but the gift of a donation in any amount to support the further restoration and preservation of the Kollecker Film Collection would be most appreciated.
Trail
Fun Run
Wednesday, 15 August
The Paul Smith's College VIC will host a free 5-kilometer
trail fun run at 6 PM. For more information, call the VIC: 518-327-6241.
History,
Land, and Meaning
Thursday, 16 August
Join environmental philosopher Marianne Patinelli-Dubay and historians Christopher Moore and Sally Roesch Wagner for an unconventional conversation at 7 PM, followed by a performance by the Akwesasne Women Singers. $5 at the door.
Adirondack
Plein Air Festival Paints the VIC
Friday, 17 August
As part of the Adirondack Plein Air Festival, artists will set up their easels around the VIC property to capture the natural beauty of the setting.
Discover
our Natural World
Friday, 17 August
Come
spend the morning at The VIC learning something new about nature
with your family. Participants will explore the Heron Marsh for
wetland inhabitants! Meet at The VIC building at 10 AM. The cost
is $10/family. Please register by calling The VIC: 518-327-6241.
New
Moon Art Opening
Friday, 17 August
The Paul Smith's Visitor Interpretive Center will host an opening reception for Nancy Brossard and Sandra Hildreth's paintings from 5 to 7 PM. All the paintings will have been done outdoors, on location, on the property of the VIC. The exhibit will run through 14 September.
Celia
Evans CD Release Party
Friday, 17 August
Join Adirondack singer/songwriter Celia Evans and friends at 7 PM for an evening of terrific music from her latest CD. Advanced sale tickets are available at Ampersound in Saranac Lake, at the VIC or at the door. Tickets are $10 per person. CD's will be available!
Trees
of the Northern Forest Trail Walk
Saturday, 18 August
Join Diane Minutilli, a former USDA Forest Service naturalist, at 10 AM on an interpretive walk and talk about trees. Learn the tricks to identifying common deciduous and coniferous Northern Forest trees. Discover the natural history behind the importance of trees in creating the Adirondack Park and why they play a critical role for our future. $20 per person. Please call the VIC to register: 518-327-6241.
Invasive
Species Day for Kids
Saturday, 18 August
Watershed Steward Emily Martin leads a fun-filled afternoon for kids to learn all about native and invasive species in the Adirondacks. Activities will focus on the importance of native species and will include scavenger hunts, games, and crafts. This event is free and is for 8-to-12-year-olds. Participants meet at the VIC at 1 PM. For more information and to RSVP, contact Emily Martin (518-572-5322).
Bamboo
Fly Rod Building and Repair with Doug Moody
Saturday, 18 August
Doug has revived the traditional art of bamboo fly rod construction. He will take participants through the steps to make a bamboo fly rod and provide tips on how to enjoy the art of casting the type of rod that made the sport of fly fishing famous. Course size is limited and preregistration is required. Call the VIC for pricing information: 518-327-6241.
Monarchs
in the Meadow
Saturday, 25 August
Join the VIC volunteers and staff for a family friendly celebration of butterflies, arts, music, dance and a release of Monarch Butterflies from the Native Species Butterfly House.
"First
Sunday Series" 2012 Trail Run and 5K Fun Run
Sunday, 2 September
The final event in the Paul Smith's College VIC's 2012 "First
Sunday Series" Trail Runs. There is a 5K, half marathon,
and full marathon. Everyone from beginners to experienced trail
runners have a chance to win! Racers accumulate points for each
event and mileage to earn great prizes, series champions announced
at the post race BBQ. Race day registration available or register
online for the trail run here. Full marathon starts at 9 AM,
half marathon at 10 AM, 5K at 11 AM. Sponsors include Paul
Smith's College, Lake
Placid Pub and Brewery, MAC's
Canoe Livery,
and High Peaks Cyclery. Results of the 2 September Races