RENEW RELAX REINSPIRE SILVER BAY YMCA
FALL
BAY WINDOWS
2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS RENEW - RELAX - REINSPIRE
2
2
Our Mission & Impact
8
3
Discovering Legacies
10 Living our Mission
4
The Perfect Concourse for Conference
11
5
A Home for Renewal
Friendships 12 Where Are Made
6
We Do Not Fail
13 Milestones
7
EMP Alumni Fellowship
Renewal at Silver Bay
A Gift that Keeps On Giving
Our MISSION
Our IMPACT
To foster relationships, strengthen communities, and nurture spirit, mind, and body for all.
Because of Silver Bay YMCA, connections between people and family are stronger. People are more connected, respectful and caring. They have the confidence to develop to their full potential and to positively impact the communities in which they work and live. As a result, communities are more dynamic, inclusive and diverse. As stewards of Lake George, we inspire people to be stewards of the environment while they are visiting our magnificent campus and in their home communities.
DISCOVERING LEGACIES AND NURTURING INNOVATION RENEW - RELAX - REINSPIRE
Uriah Rodriguez In April, I embarked on a journey that would forever change the course of my life. It was a job interview that brought me to the stunning shores of Lake George, where I discovered the hidden gem that is Silver Bay YMCA. As I stepped onto this beautiful campus, I was immediately captivated by the scenery, the warmth of the people, the stories they carried, and the friendships waiting to be formed. One of the most striking features of Silver Bay YMCA is its picturesque location on the pristine shores of Lake George. The serene waters, lush forests, and the Adirondack Mountains create a backdrop that is nothing short of a masterpiece. It’s a place where nature’s beauty is at its finest, inviting all who visit to find solace in the tranquility it offers.
Yet, what truly makes Silver Bay YMCA remarkable is its people. From the moment I arrived, I felt a sense of belonging and a connection to the community. The stories that have been shared with me, the history that has unfolded on this campus, and the legacies that have helped shape Silver Bay into what it is today are awe-inspiring. The generous individuals who have poured their time, energy, resources, and love into Silver Bay have created an enduring legacy that transcends generations. Silver Bay YMCA is not just a place; it is a living testament to the power of community and the profound impact that individuals can have when they unite for a common purpose. The heartwarming relationships I’ve witnessed and the stories that have been passed down are a testament to the enduring spirit of this place. As the Vice President of Programs, I am thrilled to be a part of a team that is dedicated to breathing new life into cherished programs and creating innovative initiatives that will carry Silver Bay YMCA forward into the future. Silver Bay boasts enormous potential, and our greatest asset is the people who have been part of this incredible journey. It is their dedication, love, and unwavering
support that have brought us to where we are today. To ensure the continued growth and success of Silver Bay YMCA, we rely on the time, energy, and generosity of individuals who understand the importance of preserving this extraordinary legacy. Your support, whether through financial contributions, partnerships, volunteerism, staying with us, or simply spreading the word, can make a profound difference in our mission. Together, we can honor the past while forging a bright future for this remarkable institution. I invite you to join us on this incredible journey as we strive to make Silver Bay YMCA a hub for the mind, body, and spirit, a place where arts and humanities flourish, where legacies thrive, relationships blossom, and new stories are written every day. Your support will help us build upon the foundations laid by those who came before us and ensure that Silver Bay YMCA continues to be a place of inspiration and transformation for generations to come.
Uriah Rodriguez VP of Programs
3
SILVER BAY: THE PERFECT CONCOURSE FOR CONFERENCE Putting on a conference for 100 or more people is not an easy task. When the conference center we had been using closed, we had to find another location to host our group and that’s when we found Silver Bay. This place has restored my thoughts of “seek and it will be found.” This conference we have always renews my friendships of people
I see maybe once a year. The staff at Silver Bay is such a privilege to work with and helps make this conference a success every year. We have been holding our conference at Silver Bay now for 12 years. Many of the people that come to Silver Bay in September say that this is the place to come to recharge after a long year and as we enter
the fall season and look towards the next year. Again, it is such a privilege to be able to work with such a wonderful staff at Silver Bay and we look forward to continuing this for years to come.
Mike B.
Conference Leader
Coming from up North (Canada) to go to Lake George every year that I can make it to Silver Bay is my favorite!
in the lounge which provides big staff, Silver Bay is the place I can comfortable chairs and a great always count on when I need to vibe. Or I can sit outside, taking recharge. in the crisp fall air in the rocking chairs on the Inn porch. I could The staff is so kind and always sit on that porch and rock for cheerful, helpful, and especially hours while looking out at the welcoming. Silver Bay is views all while having the best Conference gorgeous and possibly the most laughs with friends. Whether Participant relaxing corner of the world. I it is reuniting with friends or can sit indoors near the cozy fire enjoying good food with great
Shari H.
4
SILVER BAY: A HOME FOR RENEWAL RENEW - RELAX REINSPIRE
Garth Allen
daily lives. You can take a walk in the woods or on the labyrinth. You can sit on a rocking chair on the Inn Porch or the Boathouse, or an Adirondack chair by Bay Beach or Slim Point. You can sit in the quiet beauty of the Chapel and watch the sunlight Isaiah’s counsel is to “wait for filter through the stained-glass the Lord.” I don’t believe that windows. Isaiah wants us to sit around and do nothing. I think Isaiah If you feel faint, weary, or has a more active kind of waiting exhausted, consider this your in mind. Waiting which involves invitation to join us at Silver Bay Isaiah 40: 30-31 reflection, listening, and prayer. YMCA for the rest, refreshment, It is through these spiritual reflection, retreat, and renewal practices that we can find the that you need! I think I first heard these renewal that we need. verses as an older teenager. I found them to be poetic and Silver Bay YMCA is an amazing beautiful, but I’m not sure I place to retreat and get away Director of really understood what Isaiah from the distractions and was saying to God’s people. As constant hustle and bustle of our Spiritual Life
“Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”
I have gotten older, I realize that the challenges, difficulties, and plain, old busyness of life can wear us out. We can even become thoroughly exhausted if we do not take time for rest and refreshment.
Garth Allen
5
SILVER BAY: WE DO NOT FAIL RENEW - RELAX REINSPIRE Silver Bay and the Conference Coordinator position came to me at a time when I was craving a career change, and in turn it changed my life. I arrived approximately 30 minutes early before the interview, so I decided to drive around campus taking in the scenery and amazing architecture. I was stunned by the beauty of Silver Bay of course, I mean who isn’t? But little did I know that I would soon be working with a group of people who provide unbelievable support, encouragement, and a level of determination that I have never experienced or witnessed. The first few months while navigating a position that was unlike anything I had ever tried before and come the summer months, I felt so alive and knew I had found the career I was meant to have. And while each story or reason may be a little different, I began to see why Silver Bay is so special to so many others.
6
Amber Fee
Five years later, accompanied by many challenges between a pandemic and becoming a director, I realize that what I felt my first summer had to deal with the interpersonal part of ‘the internal’ Silver Bay that our guests, members, and the local community do not experience because they are not meant to, which leads to my “short, sweet, meaningful, and to the point”, -point. My why or my story is the core group of staff that have become like family, best friends, mentors, and amazing cheerleaders over the years. Year after year, this core group, myself now included, continues to offer those same qualities and actions, all while making sure we pave new paths for opportunity and growth, both internally and externally. This mentality and strongwilled determination amongst us all created a standing motto like “We Do Not Fail”, coined by one of my mentors, which in
turn challenges every challenge we encounter! We have become a group of people constantly ensuring that we all succeed as a team first, because if we do, then Silver Bay succeeds. We are dedicated to each other, creating a bond that gets us through the most difficult times. I show up every day for them because they show up for me. I am inspired every day by my team and fellow peers to do better and try harder. I can relax by relying on the support that has been prevalent since my first day. And lastly, together we can work on renewing Silver Bay in new, fun and exciting ways because we promised that we will continue to be here for another 100+ years, and We Do Not Fail.
Amber Fee Director of Conference Services
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THE EMP ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP! Barbara Booth and Randall Harmon in memory of Mary James Donald and Joanne Dietterick in memory of Mary James Richard and Kathryn Lowenberg in memory of Mary James Chet Washington and Calley J. Bittel in memory of Mary James Mary James
Carolyn and David Hoeschele in memory of Mary James Kathleen S. Leonard Ms. Erika M. Choi in memory of Mary James Brian and Lisa Brogden Nancy F. Mueller
Jeffery and Michele Budrow in memory of Mary James Graydon and Jeanne Dodson in memory of Mary James Jules and Gale Halm in memory of Mary James Kurt and Karen Lowenberg in memory of Mary James Mary Elizabeth Hudec
7
RENEWAL AT SIL PAINTED THE INN
BLUEGRASS IN HEAVEN COURTS ADDED OUTDOOR PICKLEBALL COURTS RESURFACED HARD TENNIS COURTS RESURFACED BASKETBALL COURT ADDED 4 INDOOR PICKLEBALL COURTS
LVER BAY YMCA HARVEST FEST
CATERED FUNCTIONS BITES AT THE BAY LOBSTER BOIL HAPPY HOUR AND HALF THANKSGIVING DINNER MOTHERS DAY BRUNCH
LIVING OUR MISSION RENEW - RELAX - REINSPIRE These programs are central to the mission of Silver Bay YMCA. Your financial support now is critical to ensure that we are able to continue these programs and serve our community. Scan the QR codes below to find out more about our programs and to donate today.
CANCER RESPITE PROGRAM
SILVER CAMP, OPEN By providing respite to PATHWAYS, AND THE patients and their immediate families at no cost, the TICONDEROGA TEEN CENTER
SCAN HERE
Cancer Respite Programs at Silver Bay YMCA gives these individuals the opportunity to enjoy and escape from the anxieties that accompany a battle against cancer.
FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE FAMILY RETREAT Silver Bay YMCA provides a space where families who are fostering or who have adopted children can come at no cost to spend quality time as a family. Through the Foster and Adoptive Family SCAN HERE Program Retreat, experience the natural beauty and calming effect of Silver Bay and go home feeling refreshed, renewed, and inspired!
SCAN HERE
challenges to grow confidence, foster self-worth, and to build relationships with others. Silver Bay YMCA is also committed to supporting the youth of Essex and Warren counties outside of the summer season by providing opportunities through programs such as the Teen Center in Ticonderoga, After School Program, Youth & Government, Healthy Meals, Leaders Club and more. Your gift towards these programs will positively impact local youth year-round.
VACATIONS MADE POSSIBLE
MILITARY R&R PROGRAM Understanding the unique challenges that members of the military and their families face, Silver Bay YMCA provides temporary respite to US military personnel and their families at no cost, SCAN HERE giving these individuals the chance to reconnect with their loved ones and enjoy a reprieve from the stresses of everyday life.
10
Silver Bay YMCA offers financial assistance to local youth to provide them with the opportunity to attend summer camp at Silver Bay YMCA. Silver Camp and swim lessons are designed to provide kids with new
SCAN HERE
Families can be nominated for or apply to Silver Bay YMCA’s Vacations Made Possible program to have an opportunity to enjoy a vacation in the Adirondacks for rest and renewal. Silver Bay YMCA is honored to provide families with the opportunity to reconnect.
SILVER BAY: A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING RENEW - RELAX - REINSPIRE How do I get the words I feel to jump off the paper and into the hearts of those who have blessed my life with the incredible gift to stay at Silver Bay through the Cancer Respite Program. How can I adequately say “thank you” for the wonderful gift I was given to spend a wonderful weekend at Silver Bay? How can I express adequately what it meant to me to be able to exhale from the stressful moments going through prostate cancer and then to be able inhale new life moving forward? Well… let me try. The most memorable moments in my life have been experiences, words or events that were magical. One of those times was when our boys were little and we took them to Disney. With all the incredible moments they experienced at Disney, the most magical moment for me was watching their little faces get all excited when they saw the dancing soda cans. On the other side of that coin was the moment when life happened and everything went wrong, but then it ended up turning out all right. Or those happy times spent with my friends and family when we would laugh so hard we could hardly catch our breath from the laughter!
Silver Bay feels like that for me… it’s MAGICAL! The getaway weekend allowed me to relish in the simple joys in life, to step back and realize that even though life had been hard going through this cancer, I knew it was going to be alright and yes… to then be able to laugh once again! When my wife and I were given the opportunity to stay for free my first thought was, “That’s for someone else, not me.” It really touched me to think that someone I didn’t know and they didn’t know me would be willing to give me such a wonderful gift! The weekend spent at Silver Bay truly allowed me to experience some magical moments in real time. It was amazing to just be able to relax. We loved being able to take in the beautiful views all around us as we enjoyed our time at the beach, or sitting in the rockers on the porch as well as the Adirondack chairs perfectly placed on the grounds, or going on an incredible boat cruise on Lake George. We were so blessed by the wonderful food, private lodging accommodations and the amazing staff. We were able to attend two amazing concerts, one where I got to sing “ALL OF ME” with the Jazz Trio. We loved getting to meet new people who were staying at Silver Bay
John Geer
and also attending the worship service in the chapel on Sunday morning. The icing on the cake was getting ice cream at the store each night! In closing, Silver Bay is no doubt the best kept secret in this region. It’s with tears in my eyes and a thankful heart that I’m writing this. If we can do anything to give back for the incredible gift we have been given, it is to let everyone know how amazing Silver Bay is. Then it will be a secret no more because once people experience what we have…. THIS GIFT WILL KEEP ON GIVING!!
John Geer Cancer Respite Participant
11
SILVER BAY: WHERE FRIENDSHIPS ARE MADE RENEW - RELAX - REINSPIRE
Emma Lastowski
I’ve been going to Silver Bay YMCA for as long as I can remember. Over that span of time, I’ve met a wide variety of people and had so many extraordinary experiences. So when I was asked to pick one that stood out to me the most, I felt like I was on America’s Got Talent praying Simon Cowell wouldn’t chew me up and spit me out. It was quite difficult to pick, so after wracking my brain for a considerable period of time I finally settled on one. The one
12
I selected is about a friend I met As the day progressed, a here, whose friendship I now wonderful friendship started to treasure greatly. bloom. As we talked, we found out that we had a lot of common This summer during camp, interests. One of the biggest every week there is a new ones we shared was a love of group of campers who come art. Whenever we had free time from all varieties of places. The at camp we would draw and beginning of the week is the giggle to each other over the best time to get to know new most random things. We simply people. I was quite excited to enjoyed spending time with each make new friends, but I can be other. There was a softball game socially awkward at times, and happening at Silver Bay and we I was feeling especially nervous went to the game and hung out. this week of camp. As I looked We laughed, drew pictures, and around, I saw a girl who seemed had smores. Sadly, the team we to have a similar predicament. were rooting for didn’t win, but She looked just as nervous about that didn’t mean the experience all the new people around her was any less amazing. As the as I was. I approached her and week progressed, our bond only told her that we are friends now. grew stronger. Sometimes after She looked at me, very surprised camp we would go to Windchill at my bold statement. I simply to eat ice cream and enjoy extra smiled in return. I remember time with each other. Not a what it was like going through moment passes were I don’t look weeks at summer camp longing back at those fond memories to approach others but feeling with a smile on my face. I hope too nervous or awkward to do that we will be reunited again. so. I wasn’t going to let her feel the same way that I had, and I wasn’t going to let her suffer the same fate. I introduced myself and she did the same. She told me she was from Hong Kong and was visiting America with Silver Camper her family for this week. I felt privileged to be her friend.
Emma Lastowski
MILESTONES SILVER BAY
Robert Alvin Beck
World War II broke out while he was a cadet at The Citadel in Passed on April 20, 2023 Charleston, SC, and as he said Age 90 Bob was a lifelong resident of ruefully, “I traded in my clarinet Ticonderoga where he attended for a gun.” Nick served in 412th school in Ticonderoga enjoyed Armored Field Artillery Battalion, sports. As a young man, he (20th Armored Division) in worked at Dominic’s Pizza for 10 Germany. years making delicious pizzas. He also worked for the YMCA Silver Nick completed his education at Bay Assoc. in Silver Bay, N.Y. Bob Emory University, graduating in held various positions, including 1949. Nick and his wife Barbara maintenance and working in the began their married life in Chicago, kitchen. After 26 years, he retired where he worked in advertising. His career in broadcasting was at 62. launched in Yankton, S.D., where Growing up in Ticonderoga, he he was sales manager for WNAX had many friends. In his younger Radio, and eventually settled years, you would see Bob walking in Birmingham. Nick is still all over town. As he became older, remembered for his editorials he would ride the local senior bus which he always ended by holding for local outings. On occasion, up six fingers and saying “This he would join his sister Joan for is a Channel 6 editorial opinion. a car ride, shopping, and lunch What’s your opinion?” in Glens Falls. More family time was spent at his youngest sisters’ Nick practiced piano essentially house (Sandra) having barbeque’s, daily into his 100th year, and conversing, and watching the kids neighbors at his beloved second home in Silver Bay, NY relished play in the pool. hearing him practice clarinet on summer afternoons.
Louis Davout Bolton II (“Nick”)
Passed on September 11, 2023 Age 99 Nick was just shy of 100 years when he died peacefully at home in Birmingham. Music was, from a young age, a central part of his life. He studied classical and jazz piano, clarinet and saxophone, and loved to sing.
Richard W. Cost Passed on October 7, 2023 Age 81 Dick served in the U. S. Navy for 6 years active duty and 24 more years in the Reserves. He loved the Navy and fully enjoyed his time there—even the weekend drills. A graduate of Syracuse University, he earned an MBA at
Old Dominion University and an Ed. D. at Rutgers University. After he left active duty, Dick began a career in Higher Education at Rutgers in Newark. As he moved through the ranks, he worked at the Association of Independent Colleges in N.J., New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Independent College Fund of N. J., Moravian College, Bridgewater State University and retired in 2010 from his dream job as President of the University of Maine at Fort Kent. He served as Chairman of the Board of both the Silver Bay Association and the Sea Education Association, was a Trustee of the Davis Education Fund and served in many capacities in the churches he belonged to along the way. Dick was an accomplished watercolor painter, built stained glass and ship models and loved to sail his Point Jude.
Anne M. Daughtrey
Passed on June 12, 2022 Age 67 Anne was a graduate of Livingston H.S. (1973), a proud graduate of Cornell University (1977), and Rutgers Univ. (MSW). She was an avid gardener, enjoyed time at Lake George with her family, and sailing with her husband, Wayne. She was a bright mind and gentle spirit, who will be dearly missed by many.
13
Hugh Hilliard
Passed on July 23, 2023 Age 88 In 1957, Hugh earned a degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, where he took great pride in being a ROTC cadet. The following year, while serving in the Army Reserve Signal Corps, he met his wife, Jean Judson Squire. After completing a master’s degree in applied physics from Harvard University, Hugh worked as a computer hardware designer for Litton Systems, RCA and IBM. Living in Massachusetts, Hugh and Jean had three children— Marjorie, Conway and Jeff. In 1972, he left industry to teach computer programming at Christopher Newport College in Newport News, Virginia. Following his retirement from teaching, Hugh and Jean moved back to Massachusetts, dividing their time between Boston and Cape Cod. He was generous with his time and money in support of local cultural and social services organizations—supporting the Cape Museum of Fine Arts, serving as treasurer for the Yarmouth Council on Aging, funding the Yarmouth Food Pantry, and doing tax returns for members of the Yarmouth Senior Center. He found great pleasure in international travel, the Cape Cod Baseball League, good meals with family, the Sunday Times crossword puzzle, and since 1959, the annual, extended family gathering at Silver Bay YMCA on Lake George in New York.
14
Francis Joseph McCranels
She has been reunited with her youngest son, Craig, and her loving husband Henry M. Rowan.
Passed on April 25, 2023 Age 88 Joe was a graduate of Paul Smith’s College and was a member and She and her sister, Mildred, were past President of their Alumni the first sisters to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Association. Technology in 1947, both with He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, degrees in architecture. After the having served during the Korean birth of her three children with her then husband, Tom Dorste, War. Lee focused on interior design Joe was employed as Associate with the firm Richardson, Munson Director of the Y.M.C.A. and Weir. She contributed to the Association in various locations design of the Children’s Museum including Holiday Hills in Pawling, in Indianapolis, Indiana, amongst N.Y., Greenkill Retreat Center in many other special projects. Huguenot, N.Y., and most recently the Silver Bay Conference and Lee and her family spent summers Retreat Center in Silver Bay, N.Y. on Lake George, where she met her husband Henry M. Rowan. They He loved the outdoors and hiked, were generous philanthropists camped, and canoed much of and supporters of education. She the Adirondacks. He enjoyed fly will be honored and remembered fishing and he also loved to travel. through the Lee Rowan School He was Past President of the of Power Plant Technology Pawling Rotary Club and the at Williamson College of the Kiwanis Club of Ticonderoga, and Trades in Middleton Township, a member of the American Legion. Pennsylvania. He was predeceased by his first wife, Cynthia B. (Bovard) Leslie Kathleen Thiele McCranels in 2009 and also by Passed on April 23, 2023 his second wife, Sylvia Norton in Age 70 2022. After college at University of Redlands, Leslie spent a gap year in Germany before beginning Eleanor “Lee” Rowan law school at Duke University in Passed on July 12, 2023 Durham, N.C. Upon completing her Age 99 Lee was the most loving and second year of law school, Leslie cherished mother to three children. received a Fulbright Fellowship She is survived by a son, Robert for legal studies at ChristianDorste, daughter, Sarah Dorste, Albrechts-Universität in Kiel, daughter-in-law Pamela Dorste, Germany. She spent two years in granddaughters Claire and Anna Germany, then returned to Duke Dorste, and grandson William Law School, graduating with J.D. Dorste. She is also survived by and L.L.M. degrees in 1980. her step-daughter Ginny Rowan Smith, son-in-law Manning J. In 1986, Leslie married Ken Smith, and their children Rowan Larsen, and in 1989, they moved Watson and Manning Smith IV. to Schenectady where Leslie
returned to the practice of law, hanging out her shingle at their home. Leslie, as a solo practitioner, had difficulty attracting the international corporate work she was accustomed to and pivoted to the practice of immigration law. She quickly developed a bustling practice, including all of the immigration needs of G.E. Research and other companies. In 1996, she was asked to join the Albany law firm Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, where she founded their immigration and international business practice group. Leslie was proud of building and leading this practice, but prouder of the clients that she enabled to immigrate to the U.S. to accomplish their life’s dreams. She enjoyed going to the citizenship ceremonies of the clients for whom she had acquired their first visas.
Leslie was deeply involved in her community. She was, at various times, on the boards of the International Center of the Capital Region, the Empire State Youth Orchestra, the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schenectady County, and the Silver Bay YMCA on Lake George. She also was president of the Fulbright Alumni Association.
their daughter, Carol (Dubin) in Tonawanda. He attributed every blessing in his life to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was always ready to give a helping hand. He often helped the homebound during his years of retirement and volunteered at the American Legion by helping at military funerals. He loved hiking in the Adirondacks and was on the Board of Trustees Richard K. Volkert and on the Council of the Silver Passed on March 13, 2023 Bay Association for many years. Age 91 Dick graduated from Bennett High He also loved badminton and School and on 9/10/51 he raised played regularly with a group his hand to join the Air Force during from Tonawanda. He was always the Korean War where he was interested in life and people and stationed in Germany and Africa. had a quick sense of humor. He After his honorable discharge, lived simply and gave freely. he came home and attended the University of New York in Buffalo and became an electrical engineer. He married Dorothea “Dottie” on 9/21/63 and together they raised
15
SILVER BAY YMCA 87 Silver Bay Road Silver Bay, NY 12874 www.silverbay.org
GIVING TUESDAY Donate at https://silverbay.org/silver-bay-games/ The Silver Bay Games is this years Giving Tuesday campaign. Employees sign up to compete in the games and were randomly assigned to two teams: Slim Point and Van Buren Bay. The teams competed in games that tested their knowledge of Silver Bay,
teamwork skills, and agility. Teams are assigned points for winning games, sportsmanship, creativity/ innovation, and team spirit. Teams also have the ability to earn a point for every dollar donated to their team. Follow along on social media to watch the teams
in action. Donations are accepted until November 28. The winning team will be announced November 29 across Silver Bay YMCA’s social media channels.