At our meeting today, John Banta, VP of the Saranac Lake Rotary Foundation (SLRF) discussed the operating model, community impact, and administrative challenges of the organization. Acting as a fiscal sponsor, the foundation provides non-profit status, banking, and liability insurance for community groups and initiatives—including pickleball courts, Dewey Mountain facilities, and youth literacy programs.  SLRF manages 21 partner organizations, holds nearly $300,000 on deposit, and has facilitated roughly $4 million in cumulative community investments.  The Foundation charges partners a $150 annual flat fee and retains interest earned on deposited funds (invested in insured CDs) to cover operational expenses. As part of risk control, dual signoff on all transactions is required. Cash and ACH payments are prohibited There is a reserve fund maintained for potential liabilities. Online donations are primarily managed via PayPal to simplify accounting.  SLRF presently relies entirely on an aging, volunteer board. With few younger members available to dedicate the needed 10–12 hours weekly, John highlighted an urgent need for a transition strategy, possibly via a regional collaboration or contracted services.   As projects grow larger, navigating the New York State pre-qualification system and managing reimbursement-based state grants requires significant administrative capacity that stretches volunteer limits.  John is shown with Chandler Ralph, Chair of the Lake Placid NY Rotary Foundation.

We were honored to welcome Lauren McGovern for an open, heartfelt, and vital presentation on suicide prevention and survivor support.  Sharing the memory of her son, Owen, Lauren spoke about the critical need to break the stigma around mental health and create spaces of connection and community. She highlighted the mission of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and how community support fuels lifesaving research, crisis programs, and survivor care.

Can you spare some time to participate in the Out Of The Darkness Walk on 9/26 in Lake Placid?  Registration opens at 10am and the walk begins at 11am.  It’s free and open to all.  There will be opening speakers, community resource tables, honor bead ceremonies, raffles, and a symbolic walk around the Oval and into town. Get involved by joining the walk as an individual or form a team.  Support the event raffle by donating themed gift baskets or gift cards. Stop by to show visibility and support local mental health initiatives/ If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available 24/7. Call or text the Suicide & Lifeline at 988. 

Ever wonder why local energy bills jumped by ~50% last winter? Village Trustee Katie Brennan broke down the details at today’s meeting.  While Lake Placid has benefited from cheap hydroelectric power since the late 1950s, winter heating pushes local demand beyond our ~28–29 MW allocation. State-wide power supply is extremely tight due to closed power plants, increased regional demand, and exports to neighboring areas like New England and Quebec. Our hydroelectric rate gets penalized based on our highest monthly peak usage—meaning momentary demand spikes force us to buy significantly more high-cost energy on the open market.  What's being done and how you can help. The Village is locking in set energy rates ahead of time to protect residents from unpredictable open-market price spikes. Advanced smart meters are rolling out over the next year to provide better real-time usage data. Avoid running energy-heavy appliances (like EV chargers, dryers, or dishwashers) during peak hours (7–9 AM and 4–9 PM). Payment spreading plans and energy audits via ANCA are available to help manage winter expenses. Together, small adjustments to when we use energy can save the entire community big money!