Category Archives: Business Briefs

Cool Insuring Arena and Adirondack Thunder announced their protocols for the 2021-22

The Adirondack Thunder will not permit more than 5,000 fans inside the arena for any game. Fully vaccinated guests are recommended to wear a facial covering. Unvaccinated guests are required to wear a facial covering at all times except when actively eating or drinking.

In the event of a COVID-positive guest is found to be at a  game, the team will work with Warren County health officials to notify all attendees of such a result.

Smoking will not be permitted inside or outside the arena during the season. Re-entry will not be permitted.

Guests will not be permitted to enter or exit through the Oakland Avenue entrance nearest to Glen Street. Guests will not be permitted at any time to gather near the Adirondack Thunder locker room or any of the locker room areas.

Only authorized, credentialed personnel will be permitted inside the ECHL established “hockey operations” area for the  season.

“We understand that this season will be unique and potentially challenging for our players, staff, and our fans,” said a team statement. “We pride ourselves on being a community-minded team. Our players take pride in being close to our fans; being at community and school events, signing autographs, and being a part of our community”

* * *

The Adirondack Stampede Rodeo is coming to Cool Insuring Arena for the 30th year on Nov.  5  and 6 at 7:30 p.m.

With rodeo action enhanced by a professionally produced sound show, the Adirondack Stampede offers a two-hour performance with hardcore competition and a show for all ages to enjoy.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. each night. The rodeo performance begins at 7:30 p.m. All spectators party at 10 p.m. in Heritage Hall on both Friday and Saturday nights. Party admission is $2 per person.

Ticket prices start at $20 for adults and $12 for youth and seniors. Group discounts are available by calling the box office at 518-798-0202. They are available through the SeatGeek Box Office at Cool Insuring Arena or via www.coolinsuringarena.com.

* * *

Glens Falls Hospital has been recognized on the Forbes list of Best-In-State Employers 2021 as one of the best places to work in New York.

This award is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., a leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider.

America’s Best-In-State Employers 2021 were identified in an independent survey based on a vast sample of approximately 80,000 Americans working for companies with more than 500 employees in the U.S. Across 25 industry sectors, 1,329 employer brands were ranked among the top employers. Brands were able to win in more than one state.

The evaluation was based on direct and indirect recommendations from employees who were asked to rate their willingness to recommend their own employers to friends and family. Employees were also asked to evaluate other employers in their respective industry and state that stood out either positively or negatively.

Glens Falls Hospital is the only hospital in the Capital Region to achieve the award and was ranked number 12 among all hospitals in the state.

* `* *

The Glens Falls Collaborative has postponed its health and wellness festival, FitFest, due to rising COVID-19 cases in the area. 

FitFest was scheduled to take place on Saturday, Oct. 2. A rescheduled date for 2022 has not yet been set. 

Fit Fest is an annual festival highlighting fitness, health and wellness businesses and organizations in the area.

“It is with incredible sadness that we have to postpone another event. COVID has made an unfortunate return, and with numbers spiking, vendors are more reluctant to attend or send people to events,” said Glens Falls Collaborative President Robin Barkenhagen.

The festival typically includes sample fitness classes. interactive demonstrations, vendor booths with giveaways, children’s activities, information about organizations and services and more.

The Collaborative also recently announced the postponement of its popular Wing Fest and PetFest events.

***

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Warren County will hold its 12th annual golf tournament on Saturday, Aug. 28, at Cronin’s Golf Resort in Warrensburg.

All proceeds from this event will be used to financially support Cornell Cooperative Extension’s educational programs.

Cost per person on the day of the event is $100. Fee includes: green fees, cart, barbecue, giveaway, awards and prizes.

For more information regarding this event or to become a sponsor, visit warren.cce.cornell.edu.

Pre-registration for tournament and barbecue is required by contacting Amy Sabattis at 518-623-3291 or 518-668-4881.

***

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold its ARCC Day at the Track event on Thursday, Aug. 12, at Saratoga Race Course.

The event, set for 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., will take place at the Easy Goer at Saratoga Race Track facility inn the Victorian Grandstand on the building’s second floor. The venue gives elevated views of the track and is close to betting machines, cash bars and grandstand boutiques.

Cost is $125 per ARCC member.

For more information, visit www.adirondackchamber.org/events/details/arcc-day-at-the-track-2021-4077.

* * *

The Adirondack Trust Co. Community Fund is accepting grant applications from eligible nonprofit charities headquartered in the Saratoga, Warren and Washington county areas.

The grant window is open until Aug. 31, according to Brian Straughter, chair of the Community Fund’s Independent Advisory Committee. Grants are to be used during the 2022 calendar year.

Grant award recipients will be announced by the independent advisory committee in December.

Grant information and application forms may be obtained from the community fund website at ATCCF.org

ATCCF was established in 2009 to build an endowment that acts as a perpetual source of funding for the broad array of nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life in the community and to assist them in addressing issues of common concern.

Since the inception of the Autumn of Giving Match Campaign in 2013, the Lend-A-Hand Grants program has provided more than 235 grants, totaling nearly $462,000 to local nonprofits. Grant awards have supported programs in such diverse areas as veterans outreach, STEM education, summer lunch programs, wildlife education, homelessness prevention, youth services, the arts, and more.

* * *

The Arrow Family of Companies announced that its local charitable giving in 2020 was $470,000 and Arrow Team volunteerism exceeded 3,300 hours throughout its service footprint in Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren, Washington, Essex and Clinton counties.

During a very difficult year, Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co., Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. and Upstate Agency LLC supported hundreds of community groups, business associations and local non-profits help to meet the critical needs of our communities.

“By investing in, and partnering with, local organizations through volunteerism and charitable contributions, we help improve the quality of life for our neighbors and the communities in which they live and work,” said President and CEO Thomas J. Murphy. “This year, it was more important than ever to step up our giving back to local communities.”

The $470,000 in contributions during 2020 helped local organizations focus on food insecurity, affordable housing, workforce development, student success, mental health, financial wellness, economic development and supporting emergency assistance funds among many others.

In addition to sponsorships and financial contributions, volunteerism and education is ingrained in the Arrow Team culture and a big part of the company’s commitment to each community served. 

In 2020, Team members donated more than 3,300 volunteer hours of service to 170 organizations, with over 50 percent of those hours dedicated to organizations helping low-moderate income individuals, families and areas.

Visit arrowfinancial.com/caring to learn more.

* * *

Glens Falls Hospital will begin restarting elective/non-emergent procedures beginning Feb. 22.
“Glens Falls Hospital staff will be reaching out to our patients to confirm rescheduled dates for their surgeries and procedures,” said the hospital’s Chief Operating Officer Paul Scimeca. “We’ll continue to increase capacity as quickly as possible in order to care for those patients waiting for a surgical procedure.”
The hospital curtailed non-emergent procedures voluntarily in late December as the number of hospitalized COVID patients increased at GFH and throughout the region. This was to redeploy staff to medical/surgical units to care for the increased number of inpatients.

* * *

The Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce Women in Business group has transitioned back to virtual meetings until further notice.
The group had been meeting in a hybrid format, with virtual and limited in-person attendance as an option, since September but chose to go back to virtual-only meetings as of its January meeting.

The Park Theater, 14 Park St., Glens Falls, will host the second event in its Dinner & A Movie series on Dec. 16 with a showing of the Christmas classic film “It’s A Wonderful Life.”
It will include a special three-course prix fixe menu presented by executive chef Matthew J. Delos, featuring a selection holiday dishes, all made with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Guests will be able to choose from a selection of entrées including rosemary roasted prime rib of beef, roasted breast of turkey and butternut squash ravioli. All meals will be served with a mixed baby green salad, as well as cranberry bread pudding for dessert.
Upon the purchase of a ticket, guests will receive a follow-up email prompting them to select meal choices for their party.
The doors open at 5 p.m. and dinner service will begin at 5:30 p.m. The film will begin at 6:30 p.m.
The Park Theater has a state-of-the-art fresh air ventilation system with MERV 13 filters for the indoor space and is closely following all state and CDC health and safety guidelines.

SUNY Adirondack has earned reaccreditation by the prestigious Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an independent national association that evaluates institutions of higher education to assess their level of academic excellence and success in meeting the needs of students.
Higher education institutions must be accredited to be eligible to receive funding for financial aid to offer students. SUNY Adirondack was last accredited in 2008.
SUNY Adirondack received commendations in several areas, including proactive and strategic planning and responsiveness to community needs; academic assessment procedures; leveraging grant funds to support college goals; strategies to reduce time needed for English remediation; addition of the agricultural business degree program; and its 15-year history of offering a lecture series to support professional development.