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January 25, 2020
Valley News
suncommunitynews.com
• EDITION •
Invitation to 40th anniversary of 1980 Olympics
Empire State Winter Game torch relay to stop in Elizabethtown Relay from Big Apple to Buffalo
Parade open to Olympians, clubs, youth groups, 1980 volunteers
By Kim Dedam STAFF WRITER
ELIZABETHTOWN |With opening day of the Empire State Winter Games just days away, a leg of the long-distance torch relay will make a stop in Elizabethtown on Jan. 30. “We are thrilled to host this relay and welcome all of the camaraderie, good sport and inspiration it brings to the young athletes from around New York and the youth of Essex County,” Elizabethtown Supervisor Noel Merrihew said, as planning for the visit was underway. The torch will make one other stop in southern Essex County, at Community Bank in Ticonderoga, as the bank is a major sponsor for relay points. Corporate outdoor gear giant L.L. Bean is event sponsor, providing outdoor clothing and supplies for torch bearers and teams that will carry the flame. It’s a relay, according to Empire State Winter Games organizer Chris Mayer: part run, part shuttle. But the dispatch covers a huge distance. There are two legs of the run, one coming north from New York City, the other coming east from Buffalo. The relay course makes over 60 stops, combined, and ends in Lake Placid. “They both start on Sunday, Jan. 26,” Mayer told the Sun. From the south, relay points include Yonkers, Poughkeepsie, Belleayre Mountain, A lbany, Colonie and Ticonderoga, with visits planned to connect at local youth winter sports organizations. “Many of the stops involve skating, skiing or hockey teams or athletic clubs. In Albany, the relay will meet with the Albany Stride Adaptive Sports team,” Mayer said. “We try to visit sports teams at their home club or ice wherever we can.” From the west, the torch stops at L.L. Bean stores in Victor and Fayetteville, and in Rochester, Cazenovia and Rome, among other points. The stop in Elizabethtown marks the seat of Essex County, the final relay point before torch paths connect. The torch itself is designed specifically to honor Empire State Winter Games competition, Mayer said, and celebrate the 2,400 athletes who won berths in their sport.
By Kim Dedam STAFF WRITER
LAKE PLACID | Same place, same dates, same streets, 40 years since and the legacy continues in honor of the XIII Olympic Winter Games. Ten days of celebration are coming in February to celebrate the historic games of 1980.
The Empire State Winter Games torch is designed simply with a wooden handle and a metal cup around the flame, seen here in the ESWG torch relay last year. Photo provided
“The ESWG torch has an 18-inch wooden handle with a leather wrap at the top, fastened with the ESWG logo. The top is made of a simple metal cup. We’ve done two different things with our torch. It can carry an open flame during the relay and for opening ceremonies. But in buildings, we use an LED bulb for the light. Being indoors, people often don’t want to use an open flame.” T he to rc h t r av e l i ng t h r oug h Elizabethtown will join its counterpart from Buffalo in Malone, Mayer said. “Then the torches will come down from Malone, through Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, into Lake Placid.” Community Bank runners in Lake Placid will carry the torch into the 1980 ice arena at the Olympic Center for opening ceremonies at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan 30. Social media events throughout New York will highlight athletes, youth participation, their families and winter sports clubs along the way. There will also be “Where’s the Torch?” photo opportunities at historic sites along each route.
Thee Torch Torch Relay in Elizabethtown Th Relavsstop ton in Fliz ab ethtown is open to the public and set for Jan. 30, at 11 a.m., in front of the county complex. Empire State Winter Games competition run, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, at many regional sports venues located in Lake Placid, Wilmington, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Malone and Paul Smiths, including events at the Lake Placid Olympic Center Herb Brooks Arena, Lake Placid Olympic Jumping and Sliding complexes,Mid’s Park in Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain,; Paul Smith’s College, Paul Smith’s College VIC, Saranac Lake Civic Center Ice Rink, Dewey Mountain Recreation Area, Tupper Lake Memorial Civic Center, Olympic Cross Country and Biathlon Center, Titus Mountain, and Mount Pisgah. The entire event schedule is online: empirestatewintergames.com ■
Image f rom the L ake Placid Olympic Museum features a torch runner from the 1980 XIII Winter Games. Photo: Lake Placid Olympic Museum
Lake Placid businesses, ROOST, the Olympic Regional Development Authority and the U.S. Olympic Committee are having a parade starting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 14. Lori Fitzgerald, president of the Lake Placid Business Association, said planners have an open inv itation to area youth groups, Boy Scout Troops, Girl Scout Troops, 4-H Clubs, skating or skiing or hockey teams, social center or school groups to come and parade through Lake Placid to help light the 1980 Olympic Torch at the Horse Show grounds. See OLYMPIC ANNIVERSARY » pg. 2
County health report outlines worrisome trends By Tim Rowland
his comrades are doing what they do best- stepping up to help, this time for one of their own. “It hits closer to home for us, we’re always the ones providing help and never ask for help. This is our way to give back to him and all he’s done for emergency services,” said Michael Cross, past Au Sable Forks fire chief, volunteer firefighter and fellow Clinton County 911 dispatcher. Unknowingly to Scholl, as he recently geared up for major surgery in Baltimore, Au Sable Forks volunteer fi refighters voted to host their upcoming monthly breakfast to help Scholl with early medical expenses.
Firefighter community, pancake breakfast to benefit veteran 911 dispatcher
STAFF WRITER
By Andrea VanValkenburg ELIZABETHTOWN | Framed as a snapshot in time, Essex is among the healthiest counties in New York. But a comprehensive new report from the Essex County Health Department and its partners tell a more nuanced story, with trends that are raising concerns for health providers. See HEALTH REPORT » pg. 8
STAFF WRITER
AU SABLE FORKS | For the last two decades, Craig Scholl has answered hundreds of calls for help. Now, the veteran 911 dispatcher is battling his own health crisis and
Craig Scholl
Photo provided
See BENEFIT » pg. 4
February 8th 2020
FIRlFICIITlR Kl/ WI/IT~
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238319
Willsboro Fire Station 4pm – 7pm Italian Buffet $10/Donation Eat In or Take Out
Keith has stage IV Colon and Liver Cancer. He is currently in chemo treatments and has to travel to Burlington for appointments. Any questions about the benefit please call Becky Provost 518.963.7952 or Toni McCray 518.572.3520
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Health risks reported in Essex
From fighting flames to battling cancer