Open Door Mission Begins Its Renovation Project; Dayroom, Classroom, Offices On Tap

Kim Cook speaks at the groundbreaking event for the Open Door’s Warren Street project.
Courtesy The Open Door

The first phase of the Open Door Mission’s construction and renovation project is underway.

The board and staff of the mission recently welcomed community leaders, donors, and guests at an official groundbreaking.

This mission has received grants, gifts, and pledges that enabled it to begin the first phase of renovation at the property they acquired last December at 226 Warren St.

Phase I will provide the foundational infrastructure and the accompanying build-out to accommodate men and women so that Code Blue can operate for the first time under its own roof this winter.  It will also provide for the day room, a classroom and the Open Door offices.

“We are privileged and honored to be part of this project, and we’re pleased that other individuals and organizations are too,” said Paul McPhillips of the Glens Falls Foundation.  “When our board considered the campaign grant, many said ‘If not the Open Door, then who?”’ We found it compelling, compassionate and deserving of capital.”

Once Phase I is completed in 2018, Phase II fundraising. That will include building a  chapel, a dining room for 100 people, a food pantry and a welcoming and secure new entrance for guests.

Officials said completion of Phase I and II will position the Open Door to receive national grants of up to $1.5 million, for which they have pre-qualified.  Phase III will make possible the men’s emergency shelter and comprehensive support facilities.  Similar funding in Phase IV will provide for the men’s recovery program floor, a one-year program to focus on core issues like job skills, drug addiction and mental health.  A

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Business Briefs: September 2017

Lake George Region Restaurant Week is in progress, running through Saturday, Sept. 16.

The Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce & CVB announce the participating restaurants in the second Restaurant Week of 2017 are: Adirondack Pub & Brewery, the Algonquin, the Barnsider Restaurant, the Boathouse Restaurant, Ciro’s at Rocky Ridge, Giovanna’s on the Lake at The Georgian, the Inn at Erlowest, the Log Jam, the Lobster Pot Mario’s Restaurant, Mama Riso’s and Sushi Yoshi.

The first Restaurant Week this year took place in June.

“We’re lucky to have a restaurant selection in the region that is rich in variety and led by such culinary talent,” said Chamber Marketing Director Amanda May Metzger. “You can really see their creativity in the menus provided by these 12 excellent establishments.”

During this special week, dining patrons can enjoy a prix-fixe three-course meal for only $20.17, not including tax or gratuity.

“As we see from our restaurant week surveys, this special week is an introduction for many people to new restaurants. We also see quite a few people from out of town filling out surveys,” Metzger said.

The menus are available at www.lakegeorgechamber.com.

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The Adirondack Trust Co. Community Fund will accept grant applications from eligible nonprofit charities until Sept. 30.

Grant information and application forms may be obtained from the Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund website at ATCCF.org/nonprofits.

 The fund was established in 2009. Officials said the resulting yearly Lend-a-Hand grants help improve the quality of life and address issues of common concern in the area. In 2016, the Community Fund allocated $42,270 toward 23 Lend-a-Hand grants. The  grants funded local, nonprofit organizations’ programs in such diverse areas as veterans’ outreach, mental health services, wildlife education, homelessness prevention, youth services, and the arts.

 Grant recipients will be announced by the fund’s Independent Advisory Committee in December.

Over the past six years, the Community Fund has provided 101 grants in excess of $193,000.

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Barkeater Chocolates New Machine Helps Company Facilitate Wrapping Their Products

Barkeater cofounders Jim and Deb Morris went to Great Britain to train on this new equipment so they could familiarize themselves with it and train their staff.
Courtesy Barkeaters Chocolates

Barkeater Chocolates in North Creek commissioned new machinery last spring to be manufactured specifically for them to help facilitate the packaging of many of their chocolate products, including bars and peanut butter cups.

In August, cofounders Jim and Deb Morris went to Great Britain to train on the new equipment so they could familiarize themselves with the intricacies and bring back the knowledge to their staff.

“It took a year of research to find the right machinery to fit our needs,” said Deb Morris. “When we couldn’t find anything that met our exact specifications, we sought out a company to manufacture something specifically for us.”

Jim Morris said the machine “will semi-automate our packaging for our most popular confections, which have been in high demand due to an increase in wholesale business.”

He said that because the process of packaging the chocolates will be faster, the staff will be able to make more chocolate on a daily basis.

The production facility will be reconfigured to allow for a more efficient workflow and to welcome their new addition to the factory.

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Lake George Brew House Is New Name For Brewery And Tasting Room On Route 9

The brewery and taproom at 1043 Route 9, changed its name to Lake George Brew House.
Courtesy Lake George Brew House

The brewery and taproom located at 1043 Route 9, between Northway exits 19 and 20, recently changed its name to Lake George Brew House.

Since the brewery was purchased in late 2016, it had been dubbed the Lake George Beer Hub. After some possible market confusion, brewery management decided to use the moniker “Brew House.”

The 22,000 square-foot brewery features a spacious taproom to sample the beers (and soda and cold-brewed coffee) crafted on premises. All the beers served in the taproom are brewed in-house, hence the new name, according to ownership.

Currently, Lake George Brew House brews beers for Cooperstown Brewing Co., Harlem Brewing Co., Davidson Brothers Brewing Co., and more. 

The Lake George Brew House team is also installing a three-barrel pilot system to develop new craft beers for its own house brand. The house beers are scheduled to be on tap at the brewery in October. 

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Holiday Inn Resort Lake George On Canada Street Has New Owner In Vincent Crocitto

The Holiday Inn Resort Lake George lobby as seen from outside. New owner Vincent Crocitto says he plans on doing small improvements each year, but does not plan on any major construction.
Courtesy Holiday Inn Resort Lake George

By Liz Witbeck

The Holiday Inn Resort Lake George, at 2229 Canada St. in Lake George, recently changed ownership.

Vincent Crocitto, the new owner, has a long history of owning hotel and motel properties in the area.

“Why wouldn’t I buy it? It’s beautiful,” he said. “It’s one of the most prominent properties in Lake George. It’s a dream to own it.”

There are only a few Holiday Inn hotels that have received the designation as a resort. In order to receive this status, a hotel must provide full-service amenities and offer a high level of customer service.

At the Holiday Inn Resort Lake George, which has 129 rooms, there are both indoor and outdoor swimming pools. There is also a whirlpool and a sauna area.

It has a fitness center, with a full lineup of gym equipment, for guests looking to exercise while on vacation. Outdoors, there are basketball courts, a miniature golf course and a shuffleboard setup.

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Balance In A Person’s Diet Goes A Long Way Toward People Being Fit And In Good Health

Capital Area PT, Mount Royal Plaza in Queensbury, employs exercise, education, consultation and hands-on therapy adapted to help patients regain or maintain healthy lifestyles.
Courtesy CAPT

By Susan E. Campbell

If area fitness and nutrition professionals could offer one word of advice for optimal health, it’s “balance.”

“Have a balanced diet,” said Katie Leahy, MS, RDN, LD, the outpatient dietitian at Glens Falls Hospital Regional Diabetes and Nutrition Center. “And keep it simple.”

“Some think less is more,” said Leahy. “I recommend three smaller, nutrition-rich meals a day.”

She said in an effort to lose weight, people often deprive themselves of carbohydrates, fruit or dairy as they follow some of today’s popular diet programs. When going it alone, they typically lack the right proportions of food for the intake they need.

“Fat intake need not mean weight gain. We need healthy fats from fish, nuts, seeds and eggs, and all the nutritional benefits of each group,” said Leahy. “People today lack a healthy diet. Proper nutrition promotes healthy benefits overall, not just weight loss.”

The center serves outpatients of all ages who may have diabetes or a variety of disease-related and other conditions, such as kidney disease, celiac disease, bariatric surgery and pregnancy.

Leahy said the term “pre-diabetes” has been phased out among dieticians “because you either have diabetes or you don’t.”

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Electrophisiologist Joins Glens Falls Hospital Adding New Treatment For Heart Problems

Dr. Henry Tan, an electrophysiologist, has joined Adirondack Cardiology.
Courtesy Glens Falls Hospital

Glens Falls Hospital has recruited what it says is the region’s first electrophysiologist to the hospital’s cardiology practice, bringing new diagnostic and treatment options to people with heart rhythm abnormalities across the hospital’s five-county service area.

Dr. Henry Tan, a cardiologist and electrophysiologist, has joined Adirondack Cardiology from Albany Medical Center. Electrophysiology is a cardiology sub-specialty focused on diagnosing and treating heart rhythm conditions known as arrhythmias. Dr. Tan is the only electrophysiologist between Albany and Plattsburgh, according to the hospital.

“There was a real need for an electrophysiologist in our service area and we are thrilled to have recruited Dr. Tan to our practice,” said Patti Hammond, vice president, physician practice management. “Now people with a wide variety of heart rhythm problems can be diagnosed and treated at Glens Falls Hospital rather than having to travel to Albany.”

Arrhythmias are changes in the normal sequence of electrical impulses in the heart, caused by the presence of abnormal cells. This results in the heart beating too fast, too slowly or erratically. There are many types of arrhythmia, and three primary treatment options depending on the nature of the condition: medication; implantation of a pacemaker or defibrillator; or catheter ablation, a minimally invasive procedure in which an electrode catheter is guided to the heart, and heat is precisely applied to destroy the tiny cluster of abnormal cells.

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Business Report: How To Choose A Health Plan

Jason Bowman, employee benefits consultant, Capital Financial Group Inc.
Courtesy Glens Falls National Bank

By Jason Bowman

If you are like most people who find choosing a health plan confusing and stressful, rest assured that a little homework can help make the decision process easier.

When it comes to insurance, unfamiliarity can lead to choices that may not suit you best. But the good news is you get a “do-over” annually during open enrollment.

A good place to start is understanding common health insurance-related terms, such as the “metal” levels of bronze, silver, gold and platinum. It kind of sounds like the Olympics, minus all the excitement.

The idea behind these descriptions is to give you, as the prospective insured, an idea of how costs will be shared between you and your insurer. You will receive the same standard health services regardless of the level, but your cost-share will vary depending on which level you select.

Bronze level means 60 percent is the insurance carrier’s share, 40 percent is your share. Silver level is 70 percent/30 percent; gold level, 80 percent/20 percent; and platinum, 90 percent/10 percent.

To keep it simple, a bronze plan, in most cases will have the same exact network of healthcare providers and prescription drug coverage as that of a platinum plan. The noticeable difference among all levels will be the premiums and the cost of services at time of usage. Simply stated, pay less in premiums and you’ll pay more out-of-pocket at the time of service.

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Non-Traditional Types Of Employee Benefits Are Being Used More Often By Employers

Gail Hamel is the owner of Hamel Resources LLC in Lake George.
Courtesy Hamel Resources LLC

By Susan E. Campbell

When companies cut back on traditional employee benefits, such as the 15-year trend in vanishing pension plans, decisions may not be based exclusively on economics.

Many of the non-traditional types of benefits now appearing in the workplace are in response to changes in the age, lifestyles and preferences of today’s employees.

There are not enough Generation X-ers to take the place of baby boomers as they retire and leave the work force. Boomer children will. About 60 percent of the workforce in 2020 is expected to be made up of millennials, or Generation Y, those born in the two decades before 2000.

Now in their 20s to late 30s, millennials have different priorities from their parents or even the generation that preceded theirs, said Gail Hamel, owner of Hamel Resources LLC in Lake George.

“In general, younger people today aren’t thinking about retirement,” said Hamel. “They live in the moment because of the world in which they were raised.”

Another major traditional benefit, health coverage, continues to experience cutbacks in the employer-paid portion compared to the percentage covered for baby boomers.

“But no one knows where health care will be even months from now,” said Hamel. “Gen Y is more concerned with just getting a career started.”

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Business Report: Workplace Wellness Plans

Suzanne Smith is a senior counsel of Bond, Schoeneck & King.
Courtesy Bond, Schoeneck & King

By Suzanne Smith

With so much uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers may be in a holding pattern with respect to their health insurance plan design. And, this is understandable.

While waiting to see what healthcare changes are coming under President Trump’s administration, employers will generally want to maintain the status quo.

But, with the increasing costs of health insurance premiums, co-pays, and deductibles as well as the increase in the cost of prescription drugs, employers may be wondering what they can do to help employees with their healthcare circumstances.

One strategy that many employers are considering is a workplace wellness program. The theory is that if a wellness program helps employees improve their health, then the wellness program may help employees control their health care spending.

A workplace wellness program is a plan designed to promote health or prevent disease. Generally, the wellness program will be incorporated into your employer group medical plan and offered to the medical plan participants or integrated into your employee assistance program (EAP) and offered to all employees.

Many wellness programs offer some kind of reward to encourage employees to participate or achieve a particular health goal. However, a reward system is not a required component of a wellness program, and many programs do not offer any reward whatsoever.

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