018 - GHN - January - 2023

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

globalheroes.com

January • 2023

MARISKA HARGITAY A VOICE FOR SURVIVORS

MAKING MUSIC MAKING HISTORY CHEF ANDREW ZIMMERN

DISCUSSES FOOD WASTE

Travel Brand Working With Local Bronx Hero

A Regenerative Journey in Oahu

Museum of Broadway Opens in New York

SPECIAL

TRAVEL EDITION

A Deep Dive into Calanoa: Paradise Jason Momoa's in the Jungle Ocean Guardianship

The Wall Street Journal news organization was not involved in the creation of this content.

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Published by IVY HOUSE MEDIA LIMITED. Headquarters: 2660 Sherwood Heights Drive, Suite 202 Oakville, Ontario • L6J 7Y8 - Office: 905-815-1500 info@globalheroes.com

PUBLISHER Amir Shirazi EDITOR IN CHIEF Denise Koprich Shirazi EDITOR Raye Mocioiu CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sergio D. Spadavecchia GRAPHIC DESIGNER Kelly Laufer PRODUCTION MANAGER Allie Murray FINANCE DIRECTOR Marie LaVoie BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER Liam Rowe

globalheroes.com

CONTRIBUTORS Raye Mocioiu, Nick E. Silverio, Allie Murray, Joe Vigliotti, Carey L. Biron, Casey Carroll SALES DIRECTOR Stephen McDermott ADVERTISING Heibrie Barron, Jacqueline Stewart, Venes Zukic, Coleby Smith, Daniel Sette, Jonathan Ramlal Cover Photo © Courtesy of Joyful Heart Foundation

January • 2023 The power of positive, solution-based journalism.

© COURTESY OF JOYFUL HEART FOUNDATION

Mariska Hargitay Is a Voice for Survivors RAYE MOCIOIU

If there’s one thing that Mariska Hargitay has in common with Captain Olivia Benson, her character on NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, it’s a deep awareness of the burden that survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse so often carry.

When Hargitay started playing Olivia Benson, the ambitious and emotionally driven detective, she was awakened to the weight of shame, pain, fear, and isolation that victims can feel—and became inspired by their courage. Now, Hargitay is as committed to confronting these issues as her character is on-screen.

An actress and activist, Hargitay has dedicated her time, talent, and resources to be a force for change and an advocate for survivors. With a passion for healing, education, and community involvement, Hargitay works to help survivors through awareness campaigns, education initiatives, and a variety of organizations, including her own.

Committed to ending violence and abuse and caring for those who have survived it, Hargitay has used her star power to advocate for critical legislation to bring healing and justice to survivors, prevent child abuse and neglect, and engage men to end violence and abuse.

She has made public service announcements to end the rape kit backlog in the United States and partnered with NBC’s “The More You Know” campaigns to raise awareness and funding for victim assistance organizations.

WHERE HEALING BEGINS

In 2004, Hargitay founded the Joyful Heart Foundation, cementing her dedication to providing assistance and advocacy for domestic violence

and abuse survivors. The Foundation’s mission is to heal, educate and empower survivors to reclaim their lives and transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.

Over nearly two decades of operation, the Joyful Heart Foundation has continuously put survivors first, creating a place for them to connect, learn, and, above all else, heal.

To start, the Foundation developed a retreat program focused on healing the mind, body, and spirit. Attendees were able to participate in activities that allowed them to address the effects of trauma and learn how to cope, with or without discussing their experiences. The retreat created an environment where participants felt safe to begin their healing process in a way that spoke to them.

In 2010, Joyful Heart launched the Heal the Healers program, an initiative that focused on giving back to the professionals who regularly work with survivors. Due to the difficult nature of this work, these professionals can often experience secondary trauma; post-traumatic stress disorder is a widespread response.

Heal the Healers provided tools for therapists, lawyers, and social workers to use to better manage the effects that working with trauma survivors may bring on.

A TRUSTED CONFIDANT

“It all started for me when I began my work on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” Hargitay explained on the Foundation’s website. “In my research for my role, I encountered statistics that shocked me: One in three women and one in six men are survivors of sexual violence.

Every 73 seconds in the United States, someone is sexually assaulted. Four to five children die every day in this

country as a result of child abuse and neglect.”

Hargitay shared that the letters she would receive from fans and viewers of the show were what truly shook her to her core. Letters from women and children of all ages sharing their most personal and private secrets about abuse and violence in their homes or relationships, things they’d never told anyone before.

“That these individuals would reveal something so intensely personal—often for the very first time—to someone they knew only as a character on television, demonstrated to me how desperate they were to be heard, believed, supported, and healed,” Hargitay continued.

In reading these letters, Hargitay realized that she was in a position to potentially make a difference in the lives of those writing to her and countless others. She found that while each story was different, the fans writing in expressed familiar feelings in every letter.

“The first was pain—I was struck again and again by the depth of the betrayal these women had suffered, by how they defined themselves by what they were enduring, and how devastating violence and abuse are. The second theme was isolation. The word 'alone' appeared again and again.

Whether a survivor was writing from midtown Manhattan or from a ranch in Waimea—she felt alone. She could have no one around her or everyone around her—it didn’t matter— she was isolated in shame and in fear of the consequences of speaking out.

“And lastly, the letters spoke of courage. And actually, the letters themselves were incredible, awe-inspiring acts of courage. I was holding courage in my hands, because the act of reaching out for help—the act of breaking the silence that imprisons so many survivors—

is deeply courageous.”

Amazed by the vulnerability shared by these survivors and driven to help, Hargitay studied domestic violence and abuse, trained to become a crisis counselor, and used her platform to advocate for survivors.

Since then, the Joyful Heart Foundation has connected millions of survivors with the vital resource of community.

Often, survivors feel so alone because they feel as though they must silently carry the weight of what happened on their shoulders, with no safe place to connect about what they’ve experienced.

“When people are abused and assaulted, it’s like the doors to their souls slam shut,” Hargitay said. “The goal of Joyful Heart is to let the light, and the life, back in—to banish the darkness and let the healing begin.”

ENDING THE BACKLOG

In 2012, Joyful Heart shifted its focus to another priority: ending the rape kit backlog. Working with federal, state, and local government partners, nonprofit organizations, advocates, and survivors, Joyful Heart has been fighting to improve the criminal justice response to sexual violence and both address and prevent backlogs of untested rape kit evidence.

Throughout this program, the organization has identified hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits sitting in police, crime lab, or other storage facilities across the U.S., with several hundred thousand more likely to be discovered.

The pursuit of justice is not only important for survivors looking to heal from their trauma but also to inform the public about the realities of sexual violence and assault.

If survivors of sexual assault were taken seriously and given the space to speak openly about their experiences, more

survivors would likely come forward and find the support and resources they need to help them heal more fully.

Joyful Heart has continuously been at the forefront of identifying untested rape kit evidence backlogs in cities across the country, advocating for funding to test backlogged kits and investigate cases, appealing for laws and policies to prevent backlogs from reoccurring, and developing and implementing survivorcentered reforms. In 2016, Joyful Heart took this initiative one step further, launching a national campaign based on six essential pillars for reform in order to pass comprehensive rape kit reform legislation in all 50 states. Their progress and more information, including best practice resources, can be found at endthebacklog.org.

Following this launch, Hargitay produced the ‘Best Documentary’ Emmyaward-winning HBO film I AM EVIDENCE in 2017, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The documentary followed the stories of a group of survivors whose rape kits remained untested for years and, simultaneously, the law enforcement officials working to pursue change and justice in these cases.

With a focus on healing in mind, body, and soul, Mariska Hargitay and the Joyful Heart Foundation work to help survivors reclaim their lives and pursue justice. With a range of voices that have joined in the fight over the years, Hargitay’s commitment has drawn attention from all corners of the Earth and shares a heartening message to survivors: “We hear you. You have suffered enough.

Your healing—and pursuit of justice—are our priorities.”

Visit joyfulheartfoundation.org to learn more and become a supporter.

Transforming society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse.

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

ADVERTORIAL

KRISTOPHER © IMAGES COURTESY OF A SAFE HAVEN FOR NEWBORNS

Where Are They Now? Safe Haven Babies, Growing Up and Reaching for the Stars NICK E. SILVERIO, FOUNDER, A SAFE HAVEN FOR NEWBORNS

At the time of this writing, our program has already managed to save close to 400 newborns.

That is, lives that would have been tragically lost if not for the existence of A Safe Haven for Newborns and its commitment and dedication to saving lives.

I believe every life is precious, and it is heartwarming to see these special children being given a chance to grow physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. These infants, who would have otherwise been abandoned, are now happy, growing up in loving families, developing and learning as they should, and reaching for the stars. Who knows what these Safe Haven babies will make of their lives? Maybe one day, one of them will discover a cure for a dreadful disease or become a Supreme Court Justice! Perhaps there are great artists and scholars among them. Or most importantly, they will grow up to be wonderful mothers and fathers to their future children.

THE STORY OF GLORIA HOPE

It began as an uneventful morning at a Florida Fire Station, but that all changed when the doorbell rang. There stood a young woman looking f rightened and exhausted. Her face was streaked with tears, and she was holding something very tightly, wrapped in a fuzzy blanket.

“I want to leave her in a Safe Haven,” she told the firefighter.

“It is the only way. Please take good care of her.” She kissed the baby, placed her in his arms, and left.

Before surrendering her baby, the young mother called our 24/7 conf idential helpline requesting assistance. Two days later, she called again and informed us that she had two letters that she would like us to give to the adoptive parents.

She addressed one to the parents, and the other was to be read to the baby, now called Gloria Hope, at an appropriate time. I met the birth mother at a church, and it was a very emotional meeting. The message to Gloria Hope was: “…you may think I didn’t love you because I gave you up, but that’s exactly why I did it. I didn’t have a future, and I wanted you to have one.” Gloria Hope is now 19 years old and a beautiful child inside and out.

MEET GLORIA HOPE:

“Hi, I am Gloria Hope Lewis, and I love my family. We live on a campground with our three dogs. I love school, singing, and learning to play the guitar, and I’m an avid reader. We go to church, and I love all of my f riends there. I even help my mom teach Sunday school.

GLORIA HOPE

The little ones are so much fun.

My middle name came from the firemen when my tummy mommy courageously took me to the fire station on Father’s Day, and my family is forever grateful to A Safe Haven for Newborns and to my Uncle Nick.”

THE STORY OF KRISTOPHER

One day, I was contacted by an intermediary for a mother who was inquiring about the Safe Haven program. I came to take the baby and arrange for him to be placed immediately with an adoption attorney. Kristopher was placed in a loving family and is truly a blessing to all that know him.

MEET KRISTOPHER:

“My name is Kristopher Michael.

I am so very thankful for A Safe Haven for Newborns. My birthmother decided to leave me in a safe place instead of leaving me in a dangerous place. I want my tummy mom to know that I pray for her. I love my mom and dad very much, and my life is super cool. I have many friends, I love playing soccer and baseball, and I take Tae Kwon Do and guitar lessons.

When I grow up, there are many things I want to do. Some of my top things are to travel the entire world, be an astronaut, be a professional soccer player, or possibly be the President of the United States.

Because of A Safe Haven for Newborns, my world is limitless.

To my Uncle Nick, I want you to know that you are my hero, and I love you for all you do to help babies that would not have a life if you didn’t care as much as you do. I will thank God for you all my life.”

ALI DOLAN, ABANDONED AT BIRTH AND NOW A SAFE HAVEN FOR NEWBORNS SPOKESPERSON MEET ALI DOLAN

“On February 2, 1987, in the early morning hours, two kids on their way to school stumbled across a six-pack Budweiser box in a trashstrewn alley. After kicking the box around for a while and letting it come to rest, they noticed that it started moving. Shortly after, they heard little cries coming from within. Upon opening the tiny box, they saw an infant girl wrapped in a white towel with pieces of umbilical cord still attached. The baby was just hours old and in a state of hypothermia.

These brave young boys brought the infant to their apartment, and with adult assistance, they took the baby to the nearest hospital. The baby received medical attention, and after it was declared stable, it was soon placed in a foster home.

That baby had a chance at life due to sheer luck. That baby was me.

I have known since the age of five that I was adopted, but it wasn’t until I was 12 that I learned I was an abandoned baby. I have struggled with questions of heritage and an overall thirst for knowledge about my birth parents. Although many questions are unanswered, I know I have been loved unconditionally by my adoptive parents, who gave me a wonderful life and helped shape me into who I am today. Coming to terms with the fact that I may never find answers to many of my questions was hard, but I also began to understand I didn’t need the answers to live a positive life.

A desperate mother back in the 1980s hid their pregnancy until birth, then disposed of the child wherever they could, burying their

secret. A Safe Haven for Newborns did not exist to offer help or protect the mother’s privacy; both baby and mother were in danger because they had nowhere to turn.

Today, completely innocent and helpless babies will have a chance to be loved and grow up in caring families. And maybe one tiny life saved through A Safe Haven for Newborns finds a cure for cancer and impacts the lives of millions, possibly billions of people.

As Nick often says: 'If we saved only one innocent baby from abandonment, all of our efforts would be worthwhile.' Just imagine, A Safe Haven for Newborns has saved almost 400 babies from abandonment. Now each one of them has a future! But it doesn’t stop here.

Thousands of calls come in every year from desperate mothers-to-be asking for help, and we are there to answer every call with compassion and care every day, 24/7. But it’s not over. There is still work to be done. We aim to eliminate infant abandonment and never see one single baby left behind.

I think of how badly my parents wanted to have a child and how they loved me. There are people all over the world waiting to adopt a baby because they are unable to conceive. So you see, it’s not just about saving a life; A Safe Haven for Newborns is also about creating families.

This life-saving program ensures the newborns' safety and the parents' conf identiality. I want to work tirelessly to ensure what happened to me does not happen to another baby—ever."

We do not charge for any of our services so please consider supporting our mission to save the lives of the most innocent and helpless among us, newborns. asafehavenfornewborns.com

YOU ARE NOT ALONE Need help? We are just a phone call away Dedicated to saving the precious lives of newborns from the dangers of abandonment and assisting pregnant girls/women in crisis.

Donate securely online at asafehavenfornewborns.com. Now accepting cryptocurrency.

Soon you will be able to purchase A Safe Haven for Newborns license plate to help spread the message.

Florida Helpline - 1-877-767-2229 • National Helpline - 1-844-767-2229 @asafehavenfornewborns

@asafehavenfornewborns

A Safe Haven for Newborns

@haven4newborns

A Safe Haven for Newborns

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Our vision is a world where a family’s financial stability is attainable while caring for a loved one facing a life-threatening medical diagnosis. buildingonlove.org/give

Donate today. 100% will go to a family in need.

globalheroes.com

January • 2023 ADVERTORIAL

The power of positive, solution-based journalism.

Lending a Hand to Families in Need Building on Love was founded in 2009 as an all-volunteer charity.

Our original mission focused on providing emergency grants to families staying at several Ronald McDonald House chapters

around the northeastern United States, including Albany, NY. In May 2019, Jeff Yule, former Executive Director for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region, and a

© PEXELS/COTTONBRO

Building on Love founding board member, was hired as Executive Director to lead our new Family Grant Program.

This program is focused on providing f inancial stability to local families caring for a loved one with a recent life-altering medical diagnosis like cancer, premature birth, or trauma.

We currently work with four referral partners; The Bernard and Millie Duker Children’s Hospital at Albany Medical Center, Capital District Physicians Health Plan, New York Oncology Hematology, and the Capital Cup for Kids.

Doctors, social workers, nurses, patient care representatives/ advocates, child life specialists, and community leaders collaborate with our Executive Director to identify qualified families and help us craft a grant to meet a family’s specific needs.

We provide a temporary f inancial bridge to local families supporting a loved one facing a recent life-altering medical diagnosis. We focus our efforts on assisting with mortgage/rent

payments, as ensuring families retain their housing is a priority. Additionally, we will assist with auto payments and insurance, household utilities and insurance, and other essential non-medical living expenses such as cell phones and access to the internet. Each grant is customized to the individual applicant’s needs in adherence to our grant-making policies and procedures.

We budget $5,000 in support over the course of three to four months for each family.

We do not pay families directly; instead, our families provide us with the information we need to process payments to their banks, landlords, vendors, etc.

To assist some of our local families with their longerterm food security issues, we established a small pantry program, which provides a concierge-type service to our local families. We provide diapers, formula, some food items, personal care, and sundry items, as well as supplies to

keep their home clean. By helping with these items, we allow more of their income to be used to purchase groceries.

In harvest season, we share fresh produce provided by our friends at Pitney Meadows Community Farm in Saratoga Springs. For families who live outside of the immediate Capital Region, we research local food pantries programs for them to access once their child is discharged.

In some cases, we provide gift cards to purchase fresh food or specialty items.

Staff and/or volunteers work with each interested family to connect them to resources in their respective communities with a focus on helping them develop strategies to maintain their financial health. We maintain a referral list of interested f inancial counselors/service providers (i.e., tax prep), social workers, and those interested in supporting our families.

Learn more and lend a hand at buildingonlove.org

‘We Can’t Be Resilient If We’re Not Sustainable’: Andrew Zimmern Discusses Food Waste ALLIE MURRAY

When chef Andrew Zimmern joined forces with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) as a goodwill ambassador, it was to educate people not only on the hunger crisis that is prevalent worldwide but the rising crisis of food waste.

In an interview with Global Heroes, Zimmern explained that 14 percent of food produced worldwide is lost between harvest and retail before people can even get their hands on it. And more shockingly, food that is lost and wasted accounts for 38 percent of the total energy usage in our global food system.

“Food loss and food waste undermine the very sustainability of our food system as a whole, and that’s the big number I want everybody to get,” Zimmern shared. “Almost 40 percent of total energy usage in the global food system—that number is shocking.”

WFP's goal is a world with zero hunger—and part of achieving that goal is preventing food loss. WFP

does this by helping smallholder farmers through the provision of new technologies for storage and transportation that prevent crops from spoiling prematurely and by connecting them with markets.

They also provide family farmers with air-tight storage containers that cut their food loss from 40 to two percent. These bins allow farmers to store and save food from infestations or destruction by insects, rodents, mold, and moisture.

Zimmern posed the question: How can we have a sustainable food system without addressing waste?

“Our food systems as a whole cannot be resilient, they cannot withstand the slings and arrows of the modern 21st century world with the climate crisis, and conflict and wars if they’re not sustainable,” he urged. “We can’t be resilient if we’re not sustainable.”

To address food waste, Zimmern suggested global actions, local actions, and everything in between to maximize the food we produce.

Similarly, he noted the importance

of education for society as a whole to understand the crisis at hand.

“I think we can do a much better job as NGOs and governments working with farmers and producers to improve storage methods, find systems for redistributing foods—that’s going to take some work,” he said.

Things that Zimmern has added into his own kitchen that have helped him to lessen the amount of waste he is producing is to minimize the space in your fridge and keep what he calls a “waste journal” to log what food items you are throwing away. He suggested removing a drawer or shelf from your refrigerator as an experiment—with less space available in the fridge, consumers are less likely to over-purchase, which leads to food waste.

Throughout his career, Zimmern has traveled around the world and witnessed the food waste and hunger prevalent in North America and worldwide. Despite that, he remembers his first encounter with hunger to be in his own home.

He explained that when his son

ANDREW ZIMMERN IN THE KITCHEN © COURTESY OF WFP

was in fourth grade, he invited two friends to dinner, “As everyone was helping themselves to food, one of his friends was inhaling the food, and it wasn’t because he had been running around and was hungrier.

“I just came face-to-face with a young kid, a friend of my son’s, right in my own home, and I knew right away why he was eating so much and so quickly,” he continued. “He may not have eaten lunch that day, or he may not have had the ability to buy it. So dinner at someone else’s house was an opportunity to put more calories into his system. It was

extremely powerful.”

Zimmern continues to be an advocate for food justice through his extensive non-profit work, his partnership with WFP, his production company Intuitive Content and their television programs such as "What's Eating America," Magnolia Network's "Family Dinner," and Outdoor Channel's "Wild Game Kitchen." Look for “Hope In The Water” a four-part natural history documentary in late 2023, telling the stories of the people working at the intersection of feeding a hungry planet while protecting our waters.

ADVERTORIAL

New York Council Navy League Looks Toward a Limitless Future America is a maritime nation, and strong sea services are the driving force of a maritime nation. Sea service personnel make sacrifices for us, and they deserve our support. The New York Council Navy League is a member-driven military support organization that supports the sea services—Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine.

The New York Council was the first council established 120 years ago, in 1902, and is now one of the largest and most active of the Navy League councils, with approximately 700 members.

Throughout 2022, they celebrated their 120th Anniversary with a theme of “Historic Past.

Impactful Present. Limitless Future.” This celebration culminated in the 120th Anniversary Dinner at The Plaza Hotel, sharing the spotlight with: • The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, 78th Secretary and native New Yorker, the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award • HII President and CEO Christopher Kastner, the

recipient of the Leadership in Support of the Military Award • Noted philanthropist Joan K. Stout, who was awarded the J. Robert Lunney Patriot’s Award and sadly passed away days before she could receive the honor • Emcee Rob Phillips, Managing Director of the Global Corporate Client Group, NASDAQ Council members were thrilled to meet and dine with special guests f rom the federal and city governments, all branches of the sea services and corporate sponsors, which included: • The Tom & Cindy Secunda Family Foundation • HII • Morgan Stanley • Fiserv and, • General Dynamics Funds raised from the dinner will go toward new and developing programs that educate the public and elected leaders on the importance of the sea services, foster youth leadership development and, most importantly,

NEW YORK COUNCIL PRESIDENT FRANK RUSSO (FAR RIGHT) CONGRATULATES THE 120TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER HONOREES (L-R) CHRISTOPHER KASTNER OF HII, THE HONORABLE CARLOS DEL TORO, 78TH SECRETARY OF THE NAVY, CATHERINE LENIHAN ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY OF JOAN STOUT. © DAVID GORDON PHOTOGRAPHY

support sea service personnel, their families and their units.

Advocacy and education are critical points of the New York Council and continue to be a priority in their upcoming initiatives, including advocating with elected off icials for sea service priorities and furthering public education on national security issues, through events such as the second Annual Maritime Security Conference.

They plan to commission the USS Cooperstown, named for the 70 baseball Hall-of-Famers who served our country. The Council

is determined to continue financial and mentorship support of 1,500 JROTC cadets, Sea Cadets and Young Marines throughout the five boroughs, while also funding morale events throughout the year for local and visiting military units, including Fleet Week New York.

New York Council membership comprises veterans of all service branches, family members of those who serve, active duty and reserve military personnel, and other civilians from all walks of life who support their mission. This includes hosting

youth programs that instill the values of service, citizenship, personal responsibility and a sense of accomplishment in 1,500 participants annually, many of whom come f rom low-income neighborhoods and are first-generation Americans.

They help fund uniforms, equipment, STEM programs, military drill meets, f ield trips, and academic stipends for four Navy JROTC units, one Marine Corps JROTC unit, two Young Marines units, and one Naval Sea Cadet Corps unit. One of the most gratifying things members do all year is present awards to top-performing cadets f rom the Council's sponsored units.

These young people never fail to impress with their confidence in themselves and support for each other. New York Council's work is member-driven, as is their funding, so interested citizens are invited to visit the Council's website, attend an event, consider donating, and become a member.

Help build a limitless future for the sea services.

Donate or join at nynavyleague.org

Visit nynavyleague.org to learn more.

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

ADVERTORIAL

The Day of the One Hundred: A Diamond Legacy One Hundred Black Men of New York (OHBM) is celebrating its 60th anniversary on February 22, 2023, with a star-studded gala awards reception and concert.

The gala theme is "A Diamond Legacy: The Men, The Movement, The Milestones.” OHBM will honor community and corporate leaders including Leo Salom President & CEO of TD Bank; Sandy Cross - Senior Director of D & I for the PGA; Roger Arrieux - Managing Director at Deloitte; Tyrone Stoudemire - Senior VP for Global DE&I at Hyatt; Hope Knight - CEO and Commissioner at NYS Empire State Development Corporation; Marc Morial - President of the National Urban League; and Michael Garner - VP and Chief Diversity Officer at the MTA. For the 60th anniversary concert, Jeff rey Osborne, Eric Benét, Howard Hewett, and Ruben Studdard will lend their unique talents in a special salute to the Men of R&B! Working in the community for 60 years, OHBM is the founding chapter of an international organization of over 100 chapters serving over 50,000 people each year through mentoring and community service programs.

The mission of OHBM New York is to play a proactive role in leveraging our collective talent, ability, and energy toward achieving meaningful gains for the Black community.

Their initiatives focus on education through mentoring, wealth-building strategies, fostering economic development, and raising awareness of health issues affecting Black communities. OHBM was founded to close equality gaps and help people overcome challenging situations to succeed. Leading up to its 60th anniversary gala, the nonprofit is focusing on ramping up its community support. OHBM provides scholarships, internships, and mentoring for young people, along with meaningful activities throughout New York.

In 2022, OHBM of New York focused on fostering excellence by awarding 45 scholarships and

© COURTESY OF ONE HUNDRED BLACK MEN

10 paid summer internships, mentoring over 600 students— twice as many as the year before.

During the holidays, OHBM fed 10,000 people through their citywide holiday hunger relief program. They are now preparing to launch the One Hundred Black Men Business and Entrepreneurship Centers to help justice-involved young people through their new citywide restorative justice and business development initiative.

Recognizing the need to reduce recidivism among justice-involved young men, OHBM secured a $5 million grant through the off ice of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to launch citywide restorative justice/business development centers. These centers will serve up to 800 young men, ages 18 to 29, who

have a present or past history with the criminal justice system.

"The goal of the program is to provide young men with hard skills, soft skills, and useful tools they can use to open businesses," said Mr. Courtney A. Bennett, OHBM's executive director.

To support Black small businesses impacted by the pandemic, OHBM awarded over $2.3 million to businesses in 40 states and 400 cities, in partnership with the Hennessy Unfinished Business Program.

Because of this program, hundreds of businesses have been able to keep their doors open.

Alongside their initiatives for their milestone year, OHBM also started a music performance program and awarded more than $2.6 million to struggling Black small businesses across

the country in partnership with Hennessy.

Since 1963, OHBM has put education at the foref ront of its mission. They are actively engaged in the arts and culture scene of the Black community not only in New York City but worldwide. Utilizing their presence in arts and culture communities, they work towards encouraging their scholarship recipients and mentees to learn more about the power of the arts.

Known for their positive impact on the community, OHBM hosts annual events to raise money for their scholarships and other programs. Funds are used to uplift communities in need. The events include the Annual Dr. Roscoe C. Brown Golf Classic, in which OHBM just hosted

their 15th annual event and the f irst annual OHBM/PGA Junior One Hundred Challenge, which paired students with top executives from companies such as the PGA of America, National Grid, UPS and Enterprise Holdings, and others for a day of education and golfing.

In 2004, OHBM founded the first Eagle Academy for Young Men, and today six Eagle Academies serve more than 4,000 students each year. Looking towards the future, OHBM is setting their sights on fostering greatness in the Black community for the betterment of New York as a whole.

Visit us at ohbm.org to learn more, and or to sponsor the Diamond Legacy gala and concert, visit dayoftheonehundred.org

One Hundred Black Men of New York is Celebrating 60 Years of Service to the Community.

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

DONATE TO EVA’S VILLAGE Support people struggling with poverty, hunger, homelessness and substance use disorders.

evasvillage.org/ globalheroes

globalheroes.com

January • 2023 ADVERTORIAL

The power of positive, solution-based journalism.

A Wake-Up Call, A Life Changed: Beverly’s Story of Hope After years of drug addiction, Beverly had a wake-up call when she found herself in prison and pregnant.

She gave birth to her daughter while incarcerated and had to leave her newborn baby at

BEVERLY AND DAUGHTER © COURTESY OF EVA'S VILLAGE

the hospital to return to jail.

Beverly wasn't sure that she would ever get the opportunity to raise her daughter—but she knew that if she was going to try, she had to change her life for the better.

The Hope Residence at Eva’s Village is a unique halfway house where women working on substance use disorders can live with and care for their young children.

Many of the residents have previously been incarcerated. While the moms attend counseling sessions, workshops and meetings, the children receive nurturing, trauma-informed childcare and education. These families have access to safe shelter, healthy and nutritious meals, medical care, recovery support, and various social services.

Upon her release from prison, Beverly needed to f ind a path to recovery, get her papers in order and find a job if she wanted to get her daughter back. A tall order for someone just discharged f rom jail.

The Hope Residence at Eva’s

Village was the answer. “Coming here, I was able to achieve all of these goals,” said Beverly.

The Hope Residence was created specifically for mothers seeking recovery. Research shows us that keeping family units together, when safe, is better for early childhood development.

Also, when participating in other recovery programs, moms who have been separated from their children claim to be so worried about their kids that they can’t focus on their own recovery.

The staff at the Hope Residence take special care to teach the residents how to be good parents.

“In addition to providing quality care and early education for the children, we teach these moms the basics of parenting, such as reading and singing to their children, the need for consistent bedtimes, and how to deal with meltdowns,” explained Mariella Beck, MAEd., CFLE Director of Childcare and Education. “Many of these women just haven’t had a support network before, and all moms need a lot of support.”

Beverly agrees that the Hope Residence helped her find her path to recovery and allowed her to become the loving mother she knew she could be.

“The people that work here, they are always advocating and fighting for you,” Beverly explained. “If you’re ready to help yourself, they’ll go to the ends of the earth for you.”

Today, Beverly and her daughter are thriving and living on their own. Beverly’s daughter, a rambunctious three-year-old, loves preschool and has many friends.

Beverly has a job she enjoys that allows her to spend lots of time with her daughter.

“I’ve really grown in this process, as I’m getting to know her, I’m getting to know myself all over again. Coming here was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

ABOUT EVA’S VILLAGE

Established in 1982 as a soup kitchen, Eva's Village has evolved into one of the most comprehensive, anti-poverty nonprofit organizations in New Jersey. Eva’s Village is located in Paterson, New Jersey,

offering care and support to individuals struggling with hunger, homelessness, poverty and addiction. Through integrated, comprehensive social services and behavioral health programs, Eva’s Village empowers these individuals to lead healthy, independent, secure lives.

Eva’s Village offers many programs and services, including a Community Kitchen serving free meals; Emergency Overnight Shelters for Men and Women; a Halfway House for Men, a Halfway House for Women, and a Halfway House for Women with Children (the Hope Residence); the Recovery Community Center offering peer-to-peer based recovery support; Outpatient Substance Use Disorder clinical programs; Outpatient Mental Health services; Workforce Development; and Childcare for the children residing in the Hope Residence.

For more information or to support Eva’s Village, visit: EvasVillage.org/globalheroes

A Deep Dive into Jason Momoa's Ocean Guardianship RAYE MOCIOIU

While many talk a big game about taking on environmental issues, Jason Momoa makes waves—on-screen and off.

Born in Hawaii and raised in Iowa, Momoa fell in love with the ocean as a child and looked for every opportunity to return to it,

even pursuing environmental studies to further his knowledge and passion for the earth.

Now, years later, Momoa is best known for his role as Aquaman in the Justice League and DC Extended Universe films—but his love for the ocean began well before the cameras started rolling.

© MAINEI KINIMAKA

From a young age, Momoa wanted his life to revolve around the ocean. Growing up in Iowa, he recalled putting up posters of surfers in his locker and becoming interested in environmental studies—even attending a specialized camp in the Florida Keys one summer.

After finishing high school, he returned to Honolulu, where he got his acting break on the beaches of Hawaii. A more perfect role couldn’t have existed for Momoa…until Aquaman, that is.

In the Aquaman film franchise, marine biology student Arthur Curry warns of disaster looming on the horizon while his superhero alter-ego Aquaman laments as pollution destroys the skies and the ocean. It’s a fictional metaphor for a very real problem and one that Momoa finds himself perfectly aligned with.

Between his on-camera roles, his sustainable businesses, and his work with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Momoa has become our real-life

Aquaman, and he’s only just beginning his mission to save our oceans.

THE FIGHT FOR OCEAN PROTECTION

In June of 2022, Momoa was designated UNEP’s Advocate for Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water. The aim: To work with the global and scientific communities to raise awareness and accelerate crucial action and funding to help the UN tackle the threat posed by the triple planetary crisis of climate change crises, biodiversity loss, and extreme pollution.

“My passion since I was a little boy has been saving the planet,” explained Momoa. “To join UNEP as their advocate for Life Below Water means I get to be Aquaman in real life. It allows me to use my superpowers for good. I have a platform that I can use to advocate for things close to my heart.”

Since its inception in 1972, UNEP has been the global authority that sets the environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation

of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the UN system, and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, UNEP works closely with its 193 Member States and representatives from civil society, businesses, and other major groups and stakeholders to address environmental challenges through the UN Environment Assembly, the world’s highest-level decisionmaking body on the environment.

UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UNEP works on delivering transformational change for people and nature by drilling down on the root causes of the three planetary crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

CONT. NEXT PAGE

ADVERTORIAL

Restoring the Lives of Human Trafficking Survivors New York City is a major hub for human traff icking. At this very moment, approximately 10,000 women are being sold for sex or labor in every neighborhood of every borough in NYC. Human traff icking is a multi-billion dollar industry run by sophisticated business people exploiting others to make a profit, and although trafficking can happen to anyone in any community, it disproportionately impacts Black, Latina, and immigrant women.

Restore NYC’s mission is to make f reedom real for survivors of trafficking in the United States by providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, and survivor-centric services.

Since 2009, Restore NYC has pioneered innovative housing, counseling, and economic empowerment solutions that give survivors access to a safe home, a safe place to process trauma, and a safe job—the things that our data tells us make freedom real. Our work is led by the courage and strength of the survivors we serve and centers on impact and empowerment.

We strategically use data to inform our program design to better serve survivors and leverage the Restore community of support to empower each survivor we have the privilege to serve.

Because we know we can’t do this work alone, strong partnerships are invaluable. Our

© UNSPLASH/JEFFERY ERHUNSE

partners include a strong mix of individual supporters, foundations, government partners, businesses, hospitals, community organizations, and a network of volunteers.

But it is the survivors we serve that truly make this work possible. They are the ones who

show up with the resiliency and commitment to succeed and thrive beyond the circumstances they were living through.

MEET LATASHA

Latasha is just one of the many survivors we have seen regain hope and create a life of opportunity and flourishing for herself.

She grew up in Flushing, Queens, with her mother and two siblings.

When Latasha was 17, she met Marcus. Marcus was older and would lavish her with gifts and attention she had never received before. Latasha fell in love with Marcus, but Marcus had other plans. He knew Latasha's mom had been laid off, and her family was pressed for money. He promised Latasha a job that would pay a lot in cash. Latasha dropped out of high school and started dancing at a gentlemen's club six days a week, but Marcus took most of her earnings. She was barely left with enough money to survive. After a few months, Marcus told her she wasn’t profitable enough. If she wanted to keep her job, she had to start servicing customers in the back room.

At just 17, Latasha felt she had no other choice. She had nowhere else to go. For four years, night after night, Latasha was exploited so that Marcus could make a profit.

Latasha found out about Restore online and decided it was time to find help. Restore’s crisis intervention team met with her that same day. The following week, she began meeting with a counselor, but Latasha was also eager to find safe work. She enrolled in Restore’s job readiness classes, where a group of volunteers met with her as she prepared for job interviews. These volunteers helped Latasha build a resume and connected her to a bakery in Harlem, where she continues to work today.

The journey of a survivor is not an easy journey, and Restore exists to walk alongside them on their journey to freedom.

To learn more about Restore NYC programs, donate, or get involved in ways that help more survivors like Latasha, please visit restorenyc.org

Human Trafficking

Your gift helps make freedom real for survivors Donate at restorenyc.org

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

globalheroes.com

January • 2023 ADVERTORIAL

The power of positive, solution-based journalism.

From a Puppy With a Purpose to a Life Without Boundaries For more than 75 years, The Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind has trained and placed guide dogs and service dogs to provide increased independence and enhanced mobility to individuals who are blind, have low vision, or have other disabilities.

The Guide Dog Foundation pairs each student with the dog that is right for them—and the power of their bond makes ordinary moments extraordinary. Crossing the street independently becomes a moment of liberation. Traveling alone becomes a welcome adventure.

Embracing new experiences becomes an everyday occurrence.

After his first walk with his new guide dog, a recent Foundation student expressed his feelings in one powerful word when asked what it felt like: “Freedom.”

The Guide Dog Foundation was founded after World War II to provide guide dogs and training at no cost to veterans returning from the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific. With the aging of America’s veterans CONT. PREVIOUS PAGE

Through its campaigns, like World Environment Day, Beat Pollution, and Clean Seas, UNEP raises awareness and advocates for effective environmental action. One of UNEP’s priority areas is to reduce single-use, unnecessary, and harmful plastics while accelerating design and waste management solutions that keep plastics out of the environment and in the economy, a mission that Momoa himself is working to achieve.

According to the World Meteorological Organization, four key measures of climate change—ocean acidification, greenhouse gas concentration, sea level rise, and ocean temperature—were all higher in 2021 than ever before.

An estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic flowed into our aquatic ecosystems, and 80 percent of wastewater was untreated, largely flowing to our water bodies. The continuous growth in the amount of solid waste thrown away, the lack of recycling worldwide (approximately only eight percent), and the prolonged rate of degradation of most items are leading

and as service members return home from current conflicts, the Foundation recognized there would be a greater need for guide dogs and specialized service dogs to help these disabled veterans live again in dignity and independence.

America’s VetDogs was created by the Guide Dog Foundation in 2003 to provide assistance dogs to America’s wounded veterans to help them return to a life without boundaries.

In 2006, it became a separate 501(c)(3) corporation; the two sister organizations continue to share staff and other resources to ensure people with disabilities receive the best services possible.

The service dog programs of America’s VetDogs were created to provide enhanced mobility and renewed independence to United States veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders with disabilities, allowing them to live with pride and self-reliance. America’s VetDogs trains and places service dogs for those with physical disabilities; guide dogs for individuals who

are blind or have low vision; service dogs to mitigate the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder; hearing dogs; and facility dogs as part of the rehabilitation process in military and VA hospitals.

To inspire volunteerism and help educate the public about guide and service dogs, the organization’s Puppy with a Purpose ® program offers a powerful opportunity for the business community to support its mission. Partners volunteer to help co-raise an eight to ten-week-old future guide or service dog puppy, teach them good house manners and basic obedience as well as socialize them out in the public, until the puppy is between 14 and 16 months old. The puppy then returns to Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs to continue formal training as an assistance dog.

to an increase in marine litter found at sea, on the seafloor, and on coastal shores. It is an economic, environmental, human health, and aesthetic problem posing a complex and multi-dimensional challenge.

"The world is on fire,” Momoa said somberly. “Huge rivers across the globe are drying up, droughts are lasting decades, and icebergs are melting. The climate, biodiversity and pollution emergency is happening before our eyes, and it’s on us to create change. The time to act is now.”

“I will encourage those companies to shift to business models that are more sustainable, understanding change doesn’t happen overnight, but I believe and hope we can agree to do better. I want to put my energy into big-picture change, strategically working with companies willing to listen, learn, and, ultimately, fundamentally change their businesses to help save the planet. I understand the immediate solutions won’t be perfect, but we must commit to doing the right thing—no more excuses.”

Hosted by UNEP, the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) is a multi-stakeholder partnership that brings together all actors working to prevent marine litter and plastic pollution. By providing a unique global platform to share knowledge and experience, partners can work together to create and advance solutions to this pressing global issue.

The GPML provides a platform to share science and case studies, advance research, reduce the leakage of plastics into the ocean through improved design, advance the application of the ‘3Rs’ principle (reduce, reuse, recycle), encourage ‘closed-loop’ systems

REAL-LIFE HEROICS

As ocean literacy improves and awareness increases, we have both the scientific knowledge and the know-how to take action and make a change—but we can only succeed if leaders pay attention, and that will happen when people pay attention. The good news is that Momoa, with his on and off-camera charisma and unmistakable booming voice, is perfectly poised to bring awareness where it needs to be.

“Several companies dominate the beverage and packaging industries, and to create the change we want, we need those companies to lead,” he explained.

Learn more, including how to apply, volunteer, partner, or donate, at GuideDog.org and VetDogs.org.

© COURTESY OF GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND AND AMERICA'S VETDOGS

and more circular production cycles, and maximize resource efficiency and minimization of waste generation.

“I have my work cut out for me,” Momoa said, “but who better to hold companies and industries accountable than Aquaman?”

Who indeed? Between his on and off-screen activism, Momoa has inspired moviegoers and environmental activists of all ages across the globe to be vocal about their passion for climate action—and he’s only getting started.

“We need to evaluate our own choices, including the products we purchase and the companies we support,” he shared. “Wonderful businesses are making beautiful products not wrapped in plastic. I’m all about cutting out single-use plastic from our lives and getting businesses to work towards circularity and renewable product life cycles. I have the great honor and responsibility to reach many people who want to learn more about environmental issues and how they can help. If everyone makes little changes in their lives, it creates one massive wave of change. We must be kind to Mother Earth. Mahalo to everyone who is making waves!”

© MAINEI KINIMAKA

ADVERTORIAL

Alliance for Positive Health: United in the Fight Against AIDS World AIDS Day, observed each year on December 1, is a reminder for us all to unite in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with HIV, and remember those who have died from an HIV-related illness. There is still no vaccine, and there is still no cure for HIV. Those who have unprotected sex and share unsafe needles remain at risk. Accurate, non-judgmental health education, rapid testing, early and sustained treatment, and supportive care to ensure that people have stable, healthy living conditions—these things remain our guardrails against an expansion of the epidemic and another public health crisis.

For almost 40 years, the Alliance for Positive Health has been delivering these education and supportive care services in partnership with healthcare providers to reach those most at risk and help them overcome barriers to the support they need.

We have been part of New York State’s successful approach to reducing new HIV infections and engaging more of those living with HIV in ongoing care. Yet, the

TESTING TEAM IN EARLY 2020 © IMAGES COURTESY OF AFPH

PROGRAM MANAGER ESTHER TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PREP

PRE-TESTING CONSULT IN THE ALBANY OFFICE LOCATION

COVID-19 epidemic has taught us that the work is not done. Testing levels fell, and the percentage of those living with HIV but not in care increased.

The two most effective ways to reduce HIV transmission in any community are: 1. To identify persons with HIV who remain undiagnosed through testing and link them to health care, and 2. Engage those diagnosed with HIV in care to maximize virus suppression to remain healthy and prevent further transmission.

If someone living with HIV has undetectable levels of the

virus because they are on regular treatment and still engaging in behaviors that could put others at risk, they will not transmit the virus to others. HIV care is also HIV prevention.

The Alliance of Positive Health services are designed to support these two priorities. Our education and testing are targeted at those having high-risk, unprotected sex, and sharing unsafe needles. Our housing, care coordination, nutrition, and insurance assistance programs link persons living with HIV to necessary health care and other services that support them in

living an improved, healthy lifestyle. We also work with special populations, such as those incarcerated and at risk for HIV (and Hepatitis C) or living with HIV (and/or Hepatitis C), to ensure they can stay healthy through difficult circumstances.

Our success in working with hard-to-reach, marginalized groups that often experience stigma and distrust has given us the responsibility to educate and test for other sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis, which is increasing at alarming rates, and Hepatitis C. It has given us the responsibility to educate

about MPV (monkeypox) and link people to vaccination and care.

It has led us to work closely in coordinating care for many with mental health and substance use conditions, regardless of whether they are living with HIV. It has also brought us face-to-face with the opioid epidemic fueled by the use of illegal substances.

The Alliance for Positive Health brings a harm reduction approach to all our work. We do not judge anyone, and we work with people wherever they are at the time, helping them move forward in their lives at their own speed and in their own way. The goal is to reduce the harm caused by any one behavior, improving safety for an individual and the community.

This approach has been essential for our work with substance users as we have expanded from syringe exchange for HIV prevention to Narcan training and supply for opioid overdose prevention to harm reduction counseling.

The Alliance for Positive Health is the community leader linking at-risk residents to lifesaving care in 17 Northeastern New York counties.

THE ALLIANCE FOR POSITIVE HEALTH Committed to ending the epidemic. HIV care is HIV prevention.

Connect to www.allianceforpositivehealth.org to learn more and donate.

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Conquering Cancer Together Give a gift today to make an impact now. cancerresearch.org

globalheroes.com

January • 2023 ADVERTORIAL

The power of positive, solution-based journalism.

Creating a World Immune to Cancer™ With a growing and aging population, cancer is on the rise, and the lives of millions of cancer patients are already at stake each year. Is it possible to build a world immune to cancer? The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) says yes— and this month marks 70 years of progress and research in the field of tumor immunology.

As cancer incidence rates rise, so does the need for new and advanced treatment options.

The most significant advance in cancer treatment since the 1940s, immunotherapy has made waves in cancer treatment. It is now considered the fourth pillar of cancer treatment, complementing and sometimes replacing surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy as options for patients.

Immunotherapy, especially checkpoint blockade antibodies like those targeting CTLA-4 and PD-1/L1 and CAR T cell therapies, have been proven an effective and superior treatment for various cancers, including blood, breast, colorectal, kidney, lung, melanoma, prostate, skin, and other cancers.

It is now the standard of care for several cancers and is given alone or in combination with other treatments, including chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

While this has proven effective in treating many different cancer types, there are still patients who do not respond to immunotherapy and others who respond but do not achieve lasting cures. This is the key question and a driving force in CRI's research, determining why some patients respond well and can be effectively cured with immunotherapy while others do not.

This research requires deep correlative science to examine individual immune responses and generate the data that will uncover new insights. It's a longterm commitment that requires vision, expertise, efficient management of resources, collaboration, and, of course, money to put will into action.

CRI's relentless pursuit of knowledge has demonstrated the organization's essential and unique role in strengthening the field of tumor immunology and using

© PEXELS/ARTEM PODREZ

their momentum and expert foresight to push scientific progress forward. In addition to their research, CRI delivers high-quality, expert-vetted information about cancer immunotherapy and clinical trials to patients and caregivers, presenting lifesaving information to those who need it most.

Through decades of commitment to advancing scientific research that has made effective immunotherapy possible, CRI has given hope to millions of cancer patients worldwide As a nonprofit that relies on

donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations, CRI raises and spends its budget each year, devoting as much of every dollar as possible to pursue discoveries that will lead to the end of cancer deaths.

CRI's Scientific Advisory Council guides CRI's funding decisions, identifying opportunities for strategic philanthropic investments designed to attract and support promising young scientists alongside awarding grants, fellowships, and other funding to support bold and innovative

laboratory and clinical research.

CRI scientists are making new discoveries each day about our immune system and how we can harness its power to defeat cancer for good. Their work would not be possible without the donors, community fundraisers, and others who spread the word and rally behind CRI's mission to save lives.

Technological advances have transformed cancer immunology research, accelerating the pace of discovery and generating massive data sets containing more answers to cancer. To build the future scientific workforce, CRI has launched new research and training programs that bring together immuno-oncology and bioinformatics.

Data are the building blocks for creating a world immune to cancer. CRI is looking ahead to a future where cancer is no longer something to fear but instead something that can be managed or even cured with immunotherapy.

Support the fight against cancer by donating at cancerresearch.org

Making Music, Making History:

How OmniPeace Harnesses the Power of Music RAYE MOCIOIU

Music has the power to change lives. Throughout history, music has brought people together and has been used as a tool for change, a rallying cry, or to build connections with no borders.

Mary Fanaro, the founder of OmniPeace, a humanitarian organization that works to break the cycle of poverty by building schools in African countries, knew it was her mission to empower youth living in poverty—but she never imagined it would have anything to do with music.

“It was kind of an accident,” Fanaro recalled. “I was in Rwanda when out of the blue, my cab driver asked me to build a music school there. He knew I built schools and said there were none. He wanted his son to learn how to play.”

Fanaro explained that she had no musical talent whatsoever. But after an epiphany during her gorilla trek, she

© COURTESY OF OMNIPEACE FOUNDATION

knew exactly what she was in Rwanda to do.

Through an uncanny set of coincidences, she was connected with Richard Carrick, who was in Rwanda at the time and about to become Chair of Composition at Berklee College of Music. Carrick committed to the school from the moment Fanaro told him the idea, and he began to hire teachers from Musicians Without Borders and invite children from the

Meg Foundation. Everything was falling into place.

Within 90 days, Fanaro returned with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of instruments donated by music manufacturers, opening up the first Rwanda Rocks Music School for children living below the poverty line. What she saw after that was nothing short of amazing.

“Music was like a defibrillator for the children,” she explained.

“It breathed life into them like a

hot air balloon. They connected to music like it was the missing thump in their heartbeat. We were making a difference that gave them hope for a better life than what had already been carved out for them.”

In 1994, Rwanda suffered a genocide that killed over 800,000 people in 100 days. The aftermath of this event resulted in trauma that continues to be passed down from one generation to the next. But through the power of the Rwanda Rocks Music School, the children of this generation are proving that music could be the key to transforming generational trauma into something powerful, lifting them out of poverty.

“The beauty is that when you work with kids whose DNA is ingrained with the history of genocide, music creates a connection that heals their soul,” Fanaro said. “These kids are living in poverty, rising from the ashes of genocide, and

using music to rebuild what they’ve lost."

The future looks bright for OmniPeace and its network of nine schools, including two Rwanda Rocks Music Schools. In partnership with MINEDUC, the Ministry of Education in Rwanda, OmniPeace is set to launch the country’s first music education platform, training the first generation of Rwandan music teachers and building a future where music education is part of every child’s basic education.

Fanaro explained that the lack of creative education for children living in poverty could be the difference between life and death.

“When we educate children solely out of books, we create children who live inside their heads. But when we give them music to feed their souls with, we give them a voice to transform their identity—a choice to escape the poverty line—and a vision to change the world. We give them a future.”

ADVERTORIAL

A Father’s Wish for His Son: A Life Free from Transfusions JOE VIGLIOTTI

Our 10-year-old son A.J. was born with a genetic blood disorder called beta thalassemia major, also known as Cooley's anemia.

This chronic and potentially fatal blood disorder does not allow his body to make adequate hemoglobin and so his body can’t get the oxygen it needs.

In order to survive, thalassemia patients require blood transfusions as often as every two weeks, rigorous chelation therapy to prevent toxic iron buildup in the organs, and extensive treatment and monitoring to manage complications.

Even with the recent advancements in medical care and treatment, thalassemia patients can suffer life-threatening complications, quality of life issues and a significantly reduced lifespan.

A.J. began his daily chelation therapy at the age of two.

This essential therapy reduces the risk of organ failure, a potential complication caused by the large amounts of iron each blood transfusion introduces into his system. With this

A.J. (LEFT) SCHOOL PHOTO © COURTESY OF COOLEY'S ANEMIA FOUNDATION

medication comes exorbitant costs and extensive monitoring to manage potential side effects and complications.

A.J.’s mother and I felt hopeless about his diagnosis until one of our doctors told us to call the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (CAF). After one conversation with the Foundation, our outlook elevated to hopeful.

Founded in 1954, CAF is the only national foundation in the United States solely focused

on thalassemia. It’s also the only source that people living with thalassemia can turn to for the most complete and cutting-edge information on medical trials, treatment and care options, and most importantly, hope.

Medical advances made over the last 30 years—thanks in large part to CAF’s diligent advocacy and funding of medical research—have greatly extended lives and improved the quality

of life for those with thalassemia.

Before CAF, patients were lucky to make it to their late teens.

Now it’s not uncommon for patients to live well into their 60s.

Exciting developments have taken place over the last few years, such as the recent FDA approval of gene therapy to treat transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. But there is still a long way to go. Thalassemia is an "orphan disease," meaning it’s very rare and receives little funding compared to more wellknown diseases. Consequently, research and progress toward curative therapies are painfully slow. But with your support, we can expedite the search for a universal cure.

The donation you make could be the one that leads to ending the f ight against thalassemia.

CAF has made tremendous progress with life-changing research and patient care, but they can't do it alone. Your contribution will help us get one step closer to a cure, and help ensure kids like A.J. get to live a full and active life.

A. J. has touched so many

Help Kids

people in his 10 short years of life—his smile truly lights up any room. He’s a special child who brings unimaginable joy into our lives. We’re in awe of the strength of the many other people we have met f rom all over the world who are struggling with this devastating illness.

These wonderful people work through the challenges of this illness with dignity, grace and strength every single day. It’s our hope that he and everyone else living with thalassemia will one day have the chance to live a life free from constant transfusions, medications, hospitalizations and complications. Your support could help turn this hope into a reality.

Together, we can do so much more to fight thalassemia than we ever could do alone. Please make a donation by scanning the QR code below.

WITH

COOLEY’S ANEMIA

LIVE LONGER

HEALTHIER LIVES

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

ADVERTORIAL

OUTREACH FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN POST-QUAKE NEPAL© AURA FREEDOM INTERNATIONAL

The Local Leaders on the Front Lines in Ukraine and Around the World When a small group of entrepreneurs in Chișinău, Moldova raised thousands of dollars to turn an abandoned tobacco factory and farm into a shared kitchen for local food businesses, they dreamed of bountiful organic crops, shared knowledge, and nutritious, sustainable meals for their neighbors.

When bombs rained down in bordering Ukraine, everything changed drastically.

Katalyst Kitchens pivoted to feed, serve, and shelter hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing the war.

Alongside deliveries of food, their vans were crammed with mattresses and household goods—families running from violence desperately needed a place to sleep. Their kitchens converted to refugee shelters.

Today, Katalyst feeds up to 750 displaced Ukrainian families every day. From a new food bank in downtown Chișinău, they give out veggies, f resh bread, grains, and legumes. On the outskirts of Chișinău, they drive f rom county to county, delivering produce and meals from their food truck.

“We think it’s important to provide opportunities to exercise control, like choosing what’s for dinner,” reported Katalyst leader David Jesse.

His new dream: build a Katalyst playground. Children make up half of all refugees from the war in Ukraine.

REBUILDING FROM WITHIN

The quick adaptation of this Chișinău kitchen into an emergency response center illuminates how the best of humanity shows up in the worst of times. It is a story replaying again and again, community by community, crisis after crisis.

Local organizations like Katalyst are often the first—and most enduring—responders. They are agile, networked, and tapped into their community’s wisdom and strengths. The problem: They’re chronically overlooked and underfunded. Historically, humanitarian aid directed to local organizations hovers around or below a troubling two percent.

That leaves determined community leaders like Carlo André Oliveras Rodríguez in Puerto Rico under-resourced.

Carlo witnessed firsthand the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria, considered the third costliest U.S. hurricane on record, causing more than $101 billion in damages and the tragic loss of many lives.

“No one is coming,” he recalled thinking after the storm. “No one is coming to save you. No one is coming for your family. You have to save yourself.”

As a former leader at La Maraña, a nonprofit focused on including Puerto Rican voices in the island’s recovery, Carlo worked to bring the power of imagination to rebuilding.

“The work of imagination is the most powerful tool that we have;

it enables us to envision a different, better environment,” he said.

In one community where a school was serving as a storage unit, La Maraña worked alongside locals to clear the debris and transform the structure back into a learning environment. In another, La Maraña used the scraps left behind from the storm to design and create a new structure, enlisting the help of local children to bring the vision to life. Imagine the possibilities for their brighter future, if only they had adequate funding.

SHIFTING RESOURCES

Changemakers across the globe are helping those most in need and using their creativity to build solutions where there are none.

From Ukraine to Puerto Rico, in every part of the world, there is no shortage of local heroes ready to make a difference—but funding and support is often the missing piece in their success. GlobalGiving is a nonprofit that is shifting resources and decision-making power to communities affected by disasters and crises. GlobalGiving makes it easy to support local changemakers anywhere in the world. Since 2002, the nonprofit has helped raise more than $762 million for community-led change in more than 175 countries.

Originally known for being the first and largest international crowdfunding platform for nonprofits, GlobalGiving today is known as a trusted destination for emergency and long-term disaster

recovery. Disasters often strike with little warning and devastate entire communities. With thousands of vetted local partners around the world, whom GlobalGiving works with 24/7, there is no platform better positioned to deliver critical resources from donors to people in disaster-affected communities.

GlobalGiving forms life-saving connections between people who give, nonprofits that lead the recovery, and people in need.

As part of their response, the GlobalGiving team considers the strength of their network in the affected area, the requests for help from local partners, the scale of the disaster, and the number of people affected. In each and every situation, the needs of the disasteraffected communities come first, as do their solutions.

Who better, after all, to lead in community recovery than the affected communities themselves?

THE WISDOM OF COMMUNITY

GlobalGiving works to put decision-making power into the hands of community leaders and local changemakers who can best decide where the funds should be used to build a high-impact, sustainable recovery plan. It's an improved take on disaster philanthropy and one that doesn't end when the cameras move on to the next big crisis. In partnership with changemakers and nonprofit organizations within crisis-affected communities, the GlobalGiving

team prioritizes local knowledge in their response.

This method creates change that is deeper and lasts longer— it's simply more effective when communities are in the driver's seat of change. This is especially true in communities that build on deep-rooted knowledge to prepare for and mitigate the damage caused by natural disasters. In Mexico, for example, the local nonprofit Cooperación Comunitaria A.C. revived adobe materials and age-old, seismic-resistant building techniques to restore homes crushed in a 2017 earthquake.

“We build something adapted for the culture,” explained Cooperación Comunitaria A.C. Executive Director Isadora Hastings.

Many of GlobalGiving's partners around the world have long-standing methods and traditions, passed down over generations, to reduce vulnerability in their communities.

For donors, GlobalGiving provides a way to help quickly and effectively, with the peace of mind that each nonprofit has been vetted, and their funds are delivering high-impact solutions for local communities.

For communities, GlobalGiving gets behind the local organizations, ensuring they have access to the resources they need to drive the recovery and better prepare for future disasters. The only way we'll rebuild better and make the future brighter is if local changemakers and communities are in the lead.

Your Partner in Doing Good Making it easy to support local changemakers everywhere Learn more at globalgiving.org/heroes

BUSINESS SCHOOL FOR RURAL WOMEN IN MAHARASHTRA © MANN DESHI FOUNDATION

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

From Farm To Fork...via App:

How Tech is Tackling Food Waste RISING PRICES

CAREY L. BIRON

Since Susan Teaford began seeking out cheap food—chasing discounts as end-dates neared— the U.S. retiree has slashed her grocery bills and made a virtue out of bargain hunting.

Now when Teaford needs groceries, she simply checks the Flashfood app, which lists all manner of goods nearing their expiration date at her local store in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Arlington.

Greens, fruit, bread, smoked fish, cuts of meat and more—all on sale at half to two-thirds the usual price in chains such as Giant and Meijer, as the clock ticks down on their shelf life.

The result: lower bills for Teaford, even as prices spiraled higher post-pandemic—plus a deep sense of satisfaction.

"I hate food waste and love a good bargain," Teaford, 66, told the Thomson Reuters

Foundation, as she baked a rack of ribs snagged at half price through the Flashfood app.

Teaford said she has saved around $450 on her grocery bills this year—savings that have prompted several of her neighbors to sign up, too.

"It just makes sense," she said.

"We're just used to economizing."

Food waste apps not only save people money—they can also play a role in reducing climate changing emissions.

Farming, food processing and delivery all consume fossil fuels, while rising food production is a major driver of deforestation.

The world produces enough food for everyone but about a third of it is lost or wasted along the supply chain, according to the United Nations, which says the average person wastes 163 pounds of food each year.

Food waste apps have been around for years, but close observers say the economic chaos of late—from COVID-19 to war in Ukraine—has raised their profile and boosted takeup.

Flashfood, now in nearly 1,500 stores across North America, has been downloaded about 2.5 million times and says its user base has jumped more than 40 percent in the past year alone as the cost-of-living crisis has squeezed people's budgets.

Inflation rose at its fastest rate since the 1970s in the United States this year to hit eight percent, while Russia's war

in Ukraine and supply chain problems have driven up food and energy prices.

About 10 percent of U.S. households—or 13.5 million homes—are food insecure, according to government data.

The food bank network Feeding America says hunger has worsened with the pandemic due to job losses and poverty, particularly among families with children and communities of color.

"The frequency that people are looking at the app has increased as the price of groceries has increased," said chief executive Josh Domingues,

who founded Flashfood in 2016.

Since then, the company says it has diverted more than 50 million pounds of food from landfills and saved shoppers more than $130 million.

"We're seeing incredible adoption of the Flashfood program," said Sepideh Burkett, a vice president of store experience with the Meijer grocery chain, which has 240 stores.

Meijer was able to cut in-store food waste with Flashfood by 10 percent in early testing, she said, as the grocery chain works towards a 50 percent reduction by the end of the decade.

BELOW: © PEXELS/NORMA MORTENSON

A CUSTOMER RECEIVES A BAG OF FOOD THROUGH THE TOO GOOD TO GO APP © TOO GOOD TO GO/HANDOUT VIA THOMSON REUTERS FOUNDATION

TECH SOLUTIONS The pandemic fueled interest in food waste and how best to combat it, said Dana Gunders, executive director of ReFED, a nonprofit that advocates for systemic change and hopes to halve U.S. food waste and loss by 2030.

"In the last few years, we have not only seen an explosion in innovation around food-waste-reduction solutions, but we've seen some of them succeed," she said.

This has created a "flywheel effect," with investments of $500 million in 2019 blooming to $2 billion last year, she said.

Waste remains a challenge as it is so unpredictable and varied, Gunders shared, ranging across unharvested fields, home leftovers, windfall fruit or soggy catered canapes.

But "technology has come in with a new ability to broadcast information in real time to a whole bunch of people and make (some of) this food available," Gunders said.

An app called Too Good to Go, for instance, seeks to address the sheer range of potential waste by letting users put in a $5 "order" with a restaurant, bakery or other local outlets, which buys them a surprise bag of whatever must go by closing time.

"Retailers didn't really have a solution [to food waste]," said Lucie Basch, co-founder of the Copenhagen-based app which was launched in 2016.

Big charities do a lot but cannot visit every urban bakery

near closing time, she said, meaning much gets binned.

Typically, users get food worth three times what they pay.

"As COVID came and inflation became a huge thing, to pay for just a third is great," she said. "It's a way to align your economic and ecological interests."

The approach has proved a huge draw: Too Good to Go boasts nearly 70 million users in 17 countries, every day saving some 300,000 meals.

Apps have helped the hungry, too, as the pandemic raised awareness among Americans about deprivation close to home, said Melissa Spiesman, chief operating officer for Food Rescue US. The nonprofit runs an app that connects farms, restaurants and others with thousands of volunteers in 21 states who pick up excess food and deliver it to soup kitchens, shelters and hunger relief organizations.

"In the beginning of COVID-19, businesses began to close down or reduce their hours, and we got phone calls from everybody," she said. "We were inundated with tons of food."

Later, as supply chains became snarled, farms called too, as they ran short of workers or orders dried up.

"There was something that woke up in a lot of people," she said. "More people are aware that there are services to help them, and more communities want to do good."

—Reuters

LEFT: © PEXELS/NATALIYA VAITKEVICH; BELOW: © PEXELS/RODNAE PRODUCTIONS

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

TRAVEL

January • 2023

ADVERTORIAL

“We help people when they’re at their most vulnerable, and are often alone,” said Medjet CEO, Mike Hallman. “Accidents, illness, and safety concerns can happen anywhere, we’re here to help our members get home.” © ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF MEDJET

Companies That Care:

Medjet ~ The Ultimate Peace of Mind For Travelers No one thinks it will happen to them, but one in 30 trips end in a medical emergency, and safety while traveling is a growing concern. Whether it’s an unexpected illness, or a sudden threat to your security, having the right travel coverage is priceless.

Medjet, the top-rated air medical transport and travel security membership program for travelers, makes sure you get home for treatment and recovery, rather than being “stuck” in a hospital far away. It can also provide an added layer of protection, someone to call if you feel your safety is threatened (and security evacuation if necessary)!

AFRICA WAS NOT WHERE THIS TRAVEL ADVISOR WANTED HER BROKEN HIP FIXED While staying at a beautiful hotel at Lake Malawi, Duffel & Compass travel advisor Carol Oken slipped and fell, fracturing her left hip.

Unable to walk and in need of surgery, she immediately called Medjet, who arranged for an air ambulance with a paramedic, a nurse, and two pilots on board to get her to an orthopedic surgeon at home in Chicago. The hospital-to-hospital transport became Medjet’s most expensive

to date: $198,989. The Medjet Membership Oken had, which left her with zero responsibility for any bills related to the transport, costs just $315 per year. Short-term, single-trip memberships with the same benefits start as low as $99.

“After missing one step with a terrible result, I’m the f irst one to say [a Medjet Membership] is totally worth it!”

FOR THE FAMILY

For David and Rhiannon Kamo, their Medjet membership made all the difference in getting their three-year-old son, Kobe, home for more specialized treatment at a children’s hospital in Idaho.

“We joined Medjet for David.

He’s a professional desert racer, racing motorcycles at speeds of over 100 mph at times through extreme terrain. I was worried about getting him home if something happened during a race, especially from a foreign country. I never expected to have to call Medjet about Kobe."

While attending a family funeral just one state away, Kobe became sick, and the Kamos were not comfortable with the treatment suggested by the local hospital they had taken him to. “He’s a child, and their treatment suggestion just seemed too extreme,” said Rhiannon. “We wanted a second opinion from people we knew who specialized in children. Medjet immediately got Kobe moved. His treatment was very different from what the other hospital wanted to do, and it was very successful. We are eternally thankful we had a Medjet membership.”

WHEN SECURITY IS ALSO A CONCERN

With growing global tensions, and an increase in crime brought on by stressed economies, safety while traveling is also a top concern these days, especially for solo travelers.

LA-based talent manager Katie Rowley relies on the security ben ef its of h er MedjetHorizon membership.

“When touring and traveling with one of our artists, I’m ty p i c a l l y s u rro u n d e d by security. I don’t have that luxury while off on an adventure on my own. I’m headed to Guatemala with a friend from high school, a little bit nervous about my safety. If I get hurt, I want to be moved home.

If I just disappear, I want to be found.”

The security benef its on Rowley’s membership include crisis response and security extraction, if necessary, for a wide range of safety threats,

including disappearance, kidnapping, violent crime, p o l i t i c a l t h rea t , n a t u r a l disasters, and more.

“It’s like the ultimate safety net. Help at your fingertips should you ever need it. It’s just unbelievable peace of mind.”

If You Were Stuck in a Hospital While Traveling, Who Would Get YOU Home?

Most travel insurance will only provide medevac to the “nearest acceptable facility.”

Medjet gets members moved to their hospital at home.

®

Air Medical Transport + Travel Security Memberships International + Domestic Travel Protection Includes Global Transport for COVID-19 Learn More

Medjet.com

800.527.7478

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

FIND YOUR WAY

TO THE HEART OF PA

RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER

ADVERTORIAL

Enjoy an Adventure in Central Pennsylvania: Columbia and Montour Counties Nestled in the heart of Central Pennsylvania, Columbia and Montour Counties are located only a few short hours west of New York City—the perfect distance for a long weekend getaway.

The area is renowned for its rural beauty and outstanding adventure opportunities, but the quaint countryside also offers a treasure trove of local history and culture.

The landscape is comprised of rolling hills, farmlands, charming riverside communities, forests, parks, and state game lands.

One must-see outdoor attraction is Ricketts Glen State Park, where hikers can enjoy a vast network of trails that take them past more than 20 stunning waterfalls. There is also a beach, lake, campground, cabins, and kayak rentals. Another outdoor hotspot, the Montour Preserve is home to a 165-acre lake perfect for fishing and boating, educational maple sugaring programs in the early spring, and plenty of hiking trails.

For archaeology lovers, a one-acre exposed Mahantango shale pit at

© SEUNGHYO HONG

© CHRIS COOLEY/TERRY WILD STOCK

the Preserve is open to the public for finders-keepers fossil hunting.

And just south of the Preserve in Danville, the J. Manley Robbins Rail Trail is America’s oldest-known rails-to-trails system.

Those looking for an aquatic adventure will appreciate the Susquehanna River, the longest and oldest river on the east coast, which weaves directly through the counties. The slow-moving Susquehanna is the perfect spot

for a leisurely summer kayak, canoe, or tubing excursion. If fishing is on the mind, Fishing Creek is one of the best trout streams in the state.

Nostalgia is heavy in the air at Knoebels Amusement Resort, where the old-fashioned rides and secluded woodland setting evoke sweet childhood memories. Knoebels has no entrance fee and offers free parking. The park has been named the “Favorite

Traditional Amusement Park” in the country and the “Best Park for Families” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.

The park also boasts the number one wooden roller coaster in the world—the “Phoenix”—as awarded by Amusement Today in their annual Golden Ticket Awards.

Columbia and Montour counties are also home to 25 covered bridges, the third most in the nation. These "kissing bridges" symbolize small-town America, and coax travelers off the beaten path to explore little streams and forgotten dirt roads. Every year, visitors from all over the world come to admire the antique craftsmanship of the bridges and relax in the quiet countryside.

When planning your visit, the counties offer over a dozen bed and breakfast options and several hotels, motels, and campgrounds.

After a tasty home-cooked breakfast, set out for a day filled with antiquing, local farmers’ markets, and sampling flavors at the area’s wineries and craft breweries.

The ever-popular River Rat Brew Trail is Central Pennsylvania’s premier craft beer trail and encompasses 13 enterprising breweries with countless specialty drafts.

From the earliest blossoms of spring to the last leaves of autumn, the counties have no shortage of fairs, festivals, and carnivals.

Many towns host weekend street fairs in April and May featuring local artisans, entertainment, and delicious homemade foods. July brings cowboys and cowgirls to the Benton Rodeo and blues lovers find their way to the Briggs Farm Blues Festival. The counties are also prime destinations for fall foliage lovers. Local corn mazes, seasonal foods, pumpkin patches, and train rides all make for an unforgettable fall family getaway.

To request a free Travel Guide and to get more information, visit: iTourColumbiaMontour.com.

You may also contact the Visitors Bureau by calling 1-800-847-4810.

Showing Off Songs and Sequins, Museum of Broadway Opens in New York Right on Times Square in the heart of New York's theater district, a new Museum of Broadway is designed to take fans behind the curtain of some of its biggest musicals.

Rooms in the museum on 45th Street, which opened in November, use music, videos, glittering costumes and walk-through sets to tell the history of how the theater district came to be. It also covers groundbreaking shows from West Side Story to Cats, with details on who does what behind the scenes.

Similarly, the rooms detail the hold Broadway has on modernday Times Square and all the pieces that go into the making of a Broadway show.

The Museum of Broadway was founded by Julie Boardman and Diane Nicoletti, who wanted to find a way to honor Broadway in its home city.

Boardman is a Tony Award winning Broadway producer

IMAGES: A GENERAL VIEW SHOWS THE INTERIORS OF THE MUSEUM OF BROADWAY, IN NEW YORK, U.S. © MONIQUE CARBONI/THE MUSEUM OF BROADWAY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

and founder of event staffing agency Boardman Productions.

Having worked with Nicoletti in the past, she joined forces with her longtime friend to open the historical, educational, and exciting museum.

“We have really collaborated with the community on what would be the best experience for fans,” Nicoletti shared in a sneak peek video. “We use visual

storytelling, it’s interactive. It’s experiential and Instagrammable and immersive.”

To create the one-of-a-kind museum, Museum of Broadway teamed up with internationally renowned artists, designers, and theater historians to create an interactive experience that highlights groundbreaking moments in Broadway’s history.

"Broadway's been around, you

know, since the 1700s. And so we just are really wanting to bring that to life," Boardman said.

The heart of Broadway Theater was located downtown in Union Square in the 1850s and arrived in Times Square in the early 1900s. A show is considered "Broadway" when performed in about 40 theaters with 500 or more seats in the Broadway District in Midtown Manhattan.

"It's a very uniquely American art form that's developed here.

And so, you know, it should be here, and it should be in Times Square," Boardman said.

The museum was created in partnership with a variety of Broadway charities, including Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, which is known by artists at the philanthropic heart of Broadway. A portion of the proceeds of ticket sales are donated to the charity to assist in their mission to raise funds for services for people living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses.

Tickets start at $39 and the museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“Broadway is the second reason tourists come to NYC,” the website reads. “It is an international brand, and a tentpole of American culture, yet there has never been a museum or a place to honor it properly.

(Source: Reuters)

ADVERTORIAL

Step Back in Time With a Visit to Mackinac Island WORLD-FAMOUS FUDGE

Maybe you’ve never been to Mackinac Island, MI. Perhaps you don’t even know where it is. But you’ve heard that Travel + Leisure just named it the number one island in the Continental U.S. And you wonder, what’s so special about Mackinac Island?

You’ll have to visit yourself to really understand, but here’s a glimpse of what makes Mackinac Island so extraordinary:

CLIP-CLOP PACE OF LIFE

Mackinac Island has been carf ree since 1898. People get around using real horsepower!

And bicycles, too. That gives Mackinac Island a timeless character. It’s not the kind of place where your vacation is held hostage by the clock. There’s no hurry. You can just slow down and relax.

What to do on your f irst visit? Enjoy a narrated horsedrawn carriage tour that stops at well-known sites, including Arch Rock, Fort Mackinac and Grand Hotel. Been to Mackinac Island before? Grab the reins of a Drive-It-Yourself horsedrawn carriage!

© COURTESY OF MACKINAC ISLAND TOURISM

BICYCLES, BICYCLES, BICYCLES

With no cars to get around, two-wheeled vehicles are everywhere. In fact, there are more bicycles per capita on Mackinac Island than anywhere else in the world! You can rent single and tandem bikes and even tagalongs for kids at any of the several bike shops on the island.

What to do on your first visit? Pedal all the way around Mackinac Island on the only state highway in the country

that doesn’t allow motor vehicles. It’s a spectacular 8.2-mile waterfront ride that takes about an hour at a leisurely pace.

Been to Mackinac Island before? Head up into the island’s interior, where there are more than 70 miles of paved and dirt trails to explore, with fascinating landmarks hidden off the beaten path.

HISTORIC CHARM

From horse-drawn carriages and quaint, Victorian architecture to historic sites and attractions, a

visit to Mackinac Island feels as if you’re stepping back in time.

What to do on your first visit? Visit historic Fort Mackinac and watch live reenactments of life as a soldier and civilian in the 19th century. Been to Mackinac Island before? Experience the many other historical attractions, including an old blacksmith shop, early 19th-century homes and a fur company store museum that details a fort surgeon’s experiments on a man with a window into his stomach!

Voted Best Island in the Continental U.S.

World-F am

ous Fud ge

Come experience Mackinac Island for yourself and see what the excitement is all about. Plan your trip at mackinacisland.org

1

#

.

ce of Life..

Clop Pa Our Clip-

Where else in the world can you visit 13 fudge shops—yes, 13!— all within a short walk of each other? Mackinac Island fudge makers churn out five tons of the tasty treat each day during peak tourism season.

What to do on your first visit? Watch fudge-making in person with marble slabs, wooden paddles and all. Plus, the shops all offer f ree samples! Been to Mackinac Island before? Sample more fudge. It’s still delicious!

Of course, this isn’t all that makes Mackinac Island so special. There’s also the ferry boat ride f rom the mainland, picturesque natural rock formations, a golf course built atop a 200-year-old battlef ield, extraordinary restaurants, bars and places to stay, including the incredible Grand Hotel, home to the longest f ront porch in the world!

MACKINACISLAND.ORG

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

TRAVEL

ADVERTORIAL

The Valley that Changed the World:

Exploring Pennsylvania’s Oil Region Pennsylvania’s Oil Region is rich with history. The birthplace of the Oil Industry not only changed the area—it changed the world. What was once the site of the world’s f irst commercially successful oil well, gritty and industrial, is now a picturesque, biodiverse, second-growth forest with several cold water fishery creeks.

Oil Creek and the pristine French Creek, recognized as the most biologically diverse stream of its size in the state of Pennsylvania!

French Creek was also named the 2022 PA River of the Year. They fish for smallmouth bass, walleye, musky and flathead catfish on the Allegheny River. The Allegheny Wild and Scenic River Water Trail, a 107-mile section from Kinzua Dam to Emlenton, is ideal for paddling, jetboating, bird watching and more for the whole family.

THE OIL REGION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA

With impressive Victorian architecture dating back to the mid1800s, there’s history and beauty to be found behind every corner.

Experience all that the region has to offer, from museums, lively local arts, brewpubs, shops, and a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities—the Oil Region has something for everyone.

One of only 55 National Heritage Areas in the U.S., Congress designated the ORNHA in 2004 because of the significant influence the oil industry’s start had on the regional culture and world history. The ORNHA is managed by the nonprofit Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism (ORA). The ORNHA consists mainly of the communities of Oil City, Franklin, and Titusville and their surrounding areas.

Founded on land given to Seneca Chief Cornplanter as a thank you for his support during the Revolutionary War, Oil City has three historic districts. Contributing buildings/resources include the National Transit Building and Annex, an 1890s headquarters for a Standard Oil subsidiary now home to an entry mural on the history of oil and gallery and artist studio spaces, and the Venango Museum of Art, Science & Industry, housed in a 1905 former post office, featuring regular and changing exhibits.

The Scheide House in Titusville is a historic home, once owned

by John Scheide. The Scheide family were avid bibliophiles and

OIL REGION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA LOOKS TO THE FUTURE:

© MICHAEL HENDERSON

built a collection of rare books, including a 1455 Gutenberg Bible, an original printing of the Declaration of Independence, and Shakespeare’s first folios.

The collection was donated to Princeton University, constituting their largest single donation to date, valued at $300 million.

Princeton keeps the collection in a reproduction of the Scheide House’s fireproof masonry library wing on campus.

Investigative journalism pioneer Ida Tarbell grew up in Titusville during the oil era.

She wrote The History of the Standard Oil Company, a scathing exposé of John D. Rockefeller’s business that led to anti-monopoly legislation. Her historically preserved childhood home is now a house museum and site for special events.

In 1753, young colonial officer George Washington was assigned to deliver a message to the French, who had a string

of forts in what would become western Pennsylvania. He and his contingent traveled f rom Williamsburg, VA, pausing at what is now known as Riverfront Park in Franklin. Their f inal destination was Fort LeBoeuf in Erie County. They returned via a waterway that Washington named French Creek. The full trip took 14 and a half months to complete. His route is now known as Washington’s Trail and can be followed through western PA to the Maryland border. A new visitor center on Liberty Street in Franklin’s retail core highlights this story.

The Drake Well Museum & Park commemorates the exact location of the first commercially successful oil well. The museum and grounds celebrate “the Valley that Changed the World,” and showcase how the discovery of oil impacts every day and every life since August 27, 1859.

The Oil Creek & Titusville

Railroad (OC&T Railroad) is the best way to tour the valley and experience the rich wildlife! The three-hour tour starts at Perry Street Station in Titusville and follows Oil Creek by Drake Well and through Oil Creek State Park to the turning point at Rynd Farm.

DISCOVER HOW THE BIRTHPLACE OF A WORLD-CHANGING INDUSTRY HAS BECOME AN AMAZING PLACE TO GET AWAY & EXPLORE

Travel the Oil Creek valley via the OC&T Railroad or explore the Oil Creek State Park Trail.

Once home to the epicenter of the oil industry, this scenic park is now a treasure trove of outdoor recreation. The 9.7-mile paved trail is part of more than 65 miles of paved trail and hundreds of miles of multi-use trails throughout the region.

Fishing enthusiasts enjoy world-class fly f ishing on

The Oil Region Alliance has recently received multiple grants f rom the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to clean up and redevelop brownf ields, properties that may be harmful to the environment due to the potential presence of a hazardous substance. This allows the ORA to take an active role in reclaiming lands once damaged by the early petroleum industry and turn them into contributions to community vitality. Oil Creek State Park is a beautiful example of how this process took place naturally over the better part of a century. The ORA hopes to speed up the timetable.

“Brownfield redevelopment is just one component of our multi-faceted mission. We will always be stewards of the ORNHA, preserving and interpreting our heritage and promoting and developing recreational assets.

As a Regional Development Hub Organization, we have the opportunity to do even more in terms of conservation and ecology. Everything is connected.”

—John R. Phillips, II, ORA President & CEO To learn more about the valley that changed the world, visit OilRegion.org/Tourism

NW PENNSYLVANIA'S OIL REGION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA A Museum You Can Hike, Bike, Float, & Fish

PLAN YOUR VISIT OR REQUEST A VISITOR GUIDE OILREGION.ORG/TOURISM © SCOTT AIRBORNE IMAGERY

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

TRAVEL

January • 2023

ADVERTORIAL

© COURTESY OF LEWIS COUNTY

Adventure Awaits in the Adirondacks Tug Hill Region Home to clear skies and open spaces, the Adirondacks Tug Hill Region is a must-visit destination. Whether you’re looking for family fun or an adrenaline rush, our backyard is your next adventure. Play, eat, and experience all that Lewis County, NY, has to offer.

• • • • •

YOUR ADVENTURE

• •

With over 400 miles of trails, the Adirondacks Tug Hill Region has no shortage of opportunities!

SNOWSHOEING & CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

With naturally beautiful attractions, Lewis County is home to great State Forests and Wilderness areas. Enjoy hiking in a number of local parks and state parks, and be sure to check out the scenic views hidden in the tranquility of our small, charming communities. Take a trip to Osceola Ski & Sport Resort to access a range of cross-country trails and endless scenic views!

Need gear? Osceola Ski & Sport Resort offers rentals to keep your adventure on track.

While you’re out, join the LC33 Hiking Challenge! Trails in the challenge are: • Carpenter Road Recreational Road | Turin, NY • Gleasmans Falls | Lowville, NY

• •

• • • •

Green Pond | Diana, NY Harlequin Rock | Harrisville, NY Inman Glide | Pinckney, NY John Young Trail | Pinckney, NY Little Silver Dawn Lake | Diana, NY NYS DEC Demonstration Area | Lowville, NY Otter Creek Horse Trails | Glenfield, NY Panther Pond | Glenfield, NY Pinckney Bike Trails | Pinckney, NY Pine Lake | Brantingham, NY Sand Pond | Watson, NY Whetstone Gulf – Camp & Exercise Trails | Lowville, NY Whetstone Gulf – Gorge Trail | Lowville, NY

Take a hike, take in the Adirondacks Tug Hill views, and enjoy your adventure in our backyard!

SNOWMOBILING

Home to record-setting snowfall, the Tug Hill is known for some of the best snowmobiling in the Northeast! Lake effect snowstorms cover the Adirondacks Tug Hill Region in a canvas of white, perfect for a winter adventure.

Bring your friends, join a club, thank a volunteer and enjoy!

Snowmobile Clubs in Lewis County, NY: • Barners Corners Sno-Pals Inc.

• Brantingham SnoMads Inc. • Lewis County Area Snowmobile Association Inc. • Long Pond Sno Sled Club Inc. • Missing Link Snowmobile Club, Inc. • Osceola Snowmobile Club Inc. • Southern Tug Hill Snow Riders Inc. • Turin Ridge Riders Inc. • Valley Sno Travelers of Lewis County Inc.

DOWNHILL SKIING & SNOW TUBING

Find your adrenaline rush on the slopes! Home to Snow Ridge Ski Resort, the Adirondacks Tug Hill Region has plenty of opportunities for adventure!

Take a trip down The Mountain, hone your skills on a terrain park, or catch the annual Pond Skim. No matter what you’re looking for, our backyard is your adventure! Find more fun at the Snow Park at Maple Ridge— the longest snow tubing hill in Northern New York!

ICE FISHING

While snow piles on the Hill, fish are biting in the water! Catch Brown Trout, Chain Pickerel, Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Tiger Muskellunge, Walleye and Yellow Perch in our abundant waters!

Head to these spots to join the ice fishing community: • Francis Lake | Watson, NY • Lake Bonaparte | Diana, NY • Soft Maple Reservoir | Croghan, NY • Whetstone Marsh Pond | Martinsburg, NY

LOCAL FOODS

LEWIS COUNTY CUISINE TRAIL

The Lewis County Cuisine Trail travels through back roads to the Villages of Lowville, Croghan, Castorland and Copenhagen to showcase locally sourced and produced foods unique to the area. From goat farms, cow dairies, farmer-owned cooperatives, the International Maple Museum, famous Croghan Bologna, and restaurants carrying local products, the Lewis County Cuisine Trail offers a little (and delicious!) taste of Lewis County to everyone.

Members of the Lewis County Cuisine Trail are: • Autumn Ridge Goat Farm | Turin, NY • Cedar Hedge Farm | Lowville, NY • Colwell’s Farm Market & Garden Center | Glenfield, NY • Croghan Meat Market | Croghan, NY • Hidden Pastures Dairy | Glenfield, NY • Hopenhagen Farm | Copenhagen, NY

• International Maple Museum Centre | Croghan, NY • jeb’s Restaurant | Lowville, NY • Lowville Producer’s Dairy Cooperative | Lowville, NY • Miller’s Meat Market | Lowville, NY • Tug Hill Estate | Lowville, NY • West Martinsburg Mercantile | Lowville, NY

EXTEND YOUR VISIT LODGING

The best way to experience adventure is to stay in the heart of it! Enjoy the action at a rustic cabin, or stay warm in a cozy bed and breakfast. No matter which experience you’re looking for, the Adirondacks Tug Hill Region has opportunities for you. Check out these lodging picks: • Buckheart Pond Retreat | Croghan, NY • Flat Rock Inn & Campgrounds | Lowville, NY • Florissante the Mansion | Lyons Falls, NY • Judge’s Quarters Bed & Breakfast | Lowville, NY • Ridge View Lodge | Lowville, NY • The Edge Hotel | Lyons Falls, NY • Timberview Resort | Turin, NY Let our backyard be your next adventure. Plan your trip to the Adirondacks Tug Hill Region at adirondackstughill.com

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

TRAVEL

ADVERTORIAL

A Warm Winter Respite Indoors and Out in the Sullivan Catskills When the mercury dips below f reezing and the cold winds whistle down the Manhattan canyons, make your winter escape to New York’s Sullivan Catskills. This legendary location, known as America’s f irst vacationland, is a 90-minute drive from Manhattan and the Metro New York area. In winter, the scent of woodsmoke fills the air and luxury accommodations envelope your soul.

Hide away at a romantic midweek or weekend getaway at one of several boutique inns.

Many are located near the trendy towns of Narrowsburg, Callicoon, Livingston Manor, Roscoe, and Mountaindale.

The Bradstan Boutique Hotel at the Eldred Preserve offers 28 luxury accommodations resplendently decorated and lovingly furnished. Floor-toceiling windows bring the winter in while you curl up by the fireplace with a book. Sleep on f irst class linens and wrap yourself in a monogrammed bathrobe. The complimentary European-style continental breakfast is second only to farm-to-table dinner fare at the property’s Old Homestead Restaurant. Venture out into the ref reshing winter air for a private two-mile walk on the trail with outdoor exercise stations. Inside is a 1,300 square foot fitness studio and hot tub.

Ke n oz a H a l l , a 55 - a c re property overlooking Kenoza Lake offers “earthy luxury” with 22 lavish, Victorian-inspired guest rooms featuring Sferra Linens and Down Bedding.

Separate f rom th e main building, 10 Bungalows with custom-designed armoires that harken back to 19th century Catskills. Chef Oscar Vargas serves up f ine dining daily. Indulge in Swiss and German Kneipp-inspired body treatments at the Hemlock Spa. Then snuggle up with a cocktail at the intimate bar or by the parlor’s fieldstone fireplace.

Chatwal Lodge, an 11-room retreat and private restaurant, is redefining rustic elegance.

Inspired by the great Catskills camps, this stylish refuge with bespoke touches sits on the shores of Toronto Lake Reservoir.

Unwind in complete privacy. Melt your cares away by a roaring f ire or relax in a soaking tub surrounded by nature in all its winter white glory. Callicoon Hills is a historic, restored boarding house nestled in the tiny hamlet of Callicoon Center. With 65 guest rooms, this informal vacation resort is perfect for couples and friends. If you’re into winter trout stream fishing, it’s located near five of America’s top trout streams. The on-site Conover Club Restaurant, named for its link to dry fly fishing—a Conover is a wingless dry fly—serves seasonal food and beverages in a relaxing atmosphere.

Other places well worth a stay: Resorts World Catskills, where gaming meets the luxury of an all-suite hotel, 10 dining and lounge options, and the Crystal Life Spa. A luxurious healing experience awaits visitors at Yo1 Health Resort.

This 68,000 square foot facility with 131 luxurious rooms and a f itness center is a premier Ayurvedic resort focusing on restoring health and balance through an authentic Indian perspective. The Stickett Inn in scenic Barryville offers four two-room casual rooms, close to the town center and its bars and restaurants, and feels like an urban haven in the woods.

The Boarding House at Seminary Hill Cidery includes 17 wellappointed bedrooms across eight separate apartment units. Shaker design accented with period fixtures, hardwood floors and antique furnishings lend country charm. Two fullservice resorts here focus on year-round family fun. Kartrite Resort and Indoor Waterpark in Monticello is close to Resorts World Catskills, while Villa Roma

Wander through our legendary vacationland this winter

Resort and Conference Center is the closest resort to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and the trendy town of Callicoon.

Cottages, cabins, and vacation rentals dot the landscape here too—perfect for family DIY vacations, girlfriend getaways, or snowmobile trips.

When the snow flies, try cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. Trailkeeper.org can help find trails suitable to your f itness level. When the lakes and ponds freeze over ice-fishing is one of the most popular pastimes here. Don’t miss the Ice Fishing Derby at the Arnold House or the King of the Ice contest on White Lake in February.

Eagle watching on the shores of the Upper Delaware River is a popular pastime. As many as 150 to 200 eagles winter here, some flying here from as far as 900 miles away.

The Sullivan Catskills Dove Trail is very selfie-worthy in winter. The trail honors the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Fair held in Bethel and features 60 dove sculptures “perched” in villages, towns, and businesses. Each is permanently mounted and was hand-painted by a local artist.

The adult-only award-winning Good Taste Beverage Trail traverses the county, too. Lined with over a dozen craft wineries, breweries, distilleries, and cideries, most locations offer food.

Some have live music, and one includes a trek up picturesque Beer Mountain. Fuel up for the trails at any number of restaurants. The food scene here, dubbed “Catskill-icious,” ranges from wood-fired pizza at Benji and Jakes and hand-crafted pasta at Northern Farmhouse Pasta, to the Italian steakhouse cuisine of celebrity chef Scott Conant’s Cellaio at Resorts World Catskills.

For details on a cozy winter getaway, visit SullivanCatskills.com

© COURTESY OF SULLIVAN CATSKILLS

Enjoy a winter-ful life.

snuggle up, or enjoy our great big outdoors. Go hike,

download our APP

SullivanCatskills.com 1.800.882.CATS

January • 2023

So Unexpected just 90 minutes from New York City

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

TRAVEL

ADVERTORIAL

Chenango County: Open for You, 365 Days a Year We are currently looking for visitors who want to enjoy the beautiful sparkling winter landscapes, the bright, cheerful spring days, the hazy, crazy, lazy sun-kissed days of summer, and the changing of the colorful fall leaves and crisp air.

Welcome to Chenango County!

What wonderful things can we inspire you to seek out? Our seasonal changes are just one of the things that make us unique.

How about outdoor recreation?

Chenango provides a wide-open canvas for seeking out and exploring 80,000 bountiful acres of state land. The area offers endless miles of hiking options that tout several trail systems. Our snowmobile trails are well-maintained and posted, and we have some of the best snow in New York State for riding.

Several area lakes provide excellent ice fishing opportunities.

Cross-country skiing and winter biking are becoming more popular. And the newly expanded Stone Quarry west of Norwich is great for both of those winter sports and is a favorite for locals and a preferred family exploration spot. The views are spectacular

no matter what time of the year (or season) that you use the trails.

Historic sites and museums provide opportunities for interpreting our heritage and engaging the visitor as well as learning about the history and heritage of the “land of the bull thistle.” The Northeast Classic Car Museum, our premier draw to the County, is filled with cars that entice visitors from all over the country. The numerous displays and automobiles depict the history of the automobile from the beginning of batterypowered vehicles to the vehicles of today. The ‘Museum District’ also includes the Chenango County Historical Society Museum and the Bullthistle Train Museum.

Learn about the history of the ball-peen hammer, Pepto-Bismol, Unguentine, Chloraseptic, and Borden’s Evaporated Milk—all products produced in Norwich, NY. Our area is rich with festivals and events. Although most of our well-known events are between the months of May through October, other activities encourage visitors and

© BIGSTOCK

residents alike to explore other exciting options.

Chenango County is also part of the Southern Tier Beverage Trail, and we encourage you to participate in the passport program that leads you to five of our breweries and wineries, as well as more throughout the region.

Visit us at VISITchenango.com 24/7 for our complete list of activities, or call us at 1-(607) 334-1400 during normal business hours, Monday – Friday, for a free copy of our visitors’ guide or outdoor adventure brochure.

Slow Travel in the Wild Scottish Highlands Eco-Tourism That Gets You in Touch With Your Wild Side RAYE MOCIOIU

As you plan your travels this year, consider an adventure that puts wildlife first—and gives you a front-row seat. The Scottish Highlands, known for dramatic landscapes and romantic castles, is home to various unique experiences. Immerse yourself in heritage, culture, and wildlife as you marvel at castles, explore lush woodlands and lochs, and get up close and personal with nature.

EMBRACE THE WILD SIDE

Scotland was once a haven for wildlife, home to the Highland tiger, lynx, wild boars, polecats, and more that settled in the country’s lush pine forests.

But over time, as the land was used for timber, charcoal, and agriculture, the forests disappeared, and so did the native species that called the land home.

With climate change as a driving force, Scotland is shifting their focus toward bringing wildlife back home, working to rebuild its ecosystems. With this focus underway, Scotland will become the world’s first successfully rewilded nation, a bucket list travel destination for nature lovers and those who like their adventures to be on the wild side.

The Dundreggan Rewilding Centre, run by Trees of Life and set to open this spring, is prepared to welcome travelers

to “discover a landscape restored after centuries of exploitation and leave inspired to engage with rewilding.” The landscape is home to thousands of native plant and animal species, including the pine marten, the European badger, and the Scottish wildcat.

Surrounded by pinewoods and juniper trees, the new wild landscape will encourage visitors to “rewild” themselves by getting in touch with nature and exploring the heritage and history of the Highlands.

The Highlands is also home to The Cairngorms, the U.K.’s biggest national park, where you’ll find more mountains, forest paths, lochs, and wildlife hotspots than you can imagine, including five of the U.K.'s six highest mountains. Within the park lies Cairngorms Connect, another rewilding project, which has embarked on a 200year plan to restore rivers and reseed ancient Caledonian pine forest—visitors can join in on ranger-led tours and rewilding weekends to get a closer look at the landscape.

doesn’t begin to describe what an experience here is like.

Become a voluntourist and take part in caring for one of the world’s most beautiful destinations while meeting friendly locals and other travelers—it’s a chance to immerse yourself in the magic of the Isle while off-setting your carbon footprint and leaving behind not just footprints, but a positive impact.

Movie buffs will love touring the Isle’s iconic filming locations, and wildlife watchers will be astounded by the beauty of the Isle’s lush forests and notable native species like the red deer and the golden eagle.

Many of Skye's most majestic geological features, such

as the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, and the Cuillin, can be viewed from your car as you drive through the picturesque scenery, but exploring these wonders on your feet is an experience not to be missed.

A trip to the Isle isn’t complete without exploring the majestic castles and museums, like the Armadale Castle, Gardens & Museum of the Isles found on the Highland Estate, or the ancestral Dunvegan Castle.

These incredible structures, preserved by generations of clan members, are filled with legends, attractions, and spectacular views that make this trip unforgettable.

Just a 25-minute ferry ride from the Isle of Skye lies the

Isle of Raasay, one of the most geologically diverse landmasses in the world. Here, rolling hills and secluded beaches create breathtaking views, and the charm of the community feels like a home away from home.

While one of the smaller islands of the Hebrides, the Isle boasts enough adventure to take up several days, from walking and cycling to kayaking, wildlife viewing, whisky and gin tasting, and much more.

Strap on your hiking boots and climb to the top of Dun Can, Rasaay’s highest point, where the flat-topped summit is the perfect place to take in endless views of mountains and sea that will stay with you long after you return home.

AN ENCHANTING ADVENTURE

A must-visit for romantics and those who love a good mystery, the Isle of Skye is a magical place home to some of Scotland’s most beloved landscapes. With miles of dramatic coastline, captivating stories that capture its history, and new opportunities for ecofriendly adventures, wonder

© UNSPLASH / MASSIMILIANO MOROSINOTTO

ADVERTORIAL

Your Winter Adventure Starts in St. Lawrence County New York’s northern border is a winter wonderland for new and experienced adventurers, culture seekers, and those who love to relax.

It’s normal to embrace winter when snow and ice are the ingredients for fun in St. Lawrence County. On New York’s northern border, stretching from the banks of the mighty St. Lawrence River to the foothills of the Adirondack, the region has several indoor and outdoor activities for a unique getaway from December through early March.

A cozy collection of bed and breakfasts, vacation rentals, and hotels with full amenities allow you to choose your home base and discover a variety of new experiences. Those new to winter recreation can try out snowshoeing or Nordic skiing at Higley Flow State Park (Colton) or the Nicandri Nature Center (Massena) by renting equipment and enjoying beautiful, easy trails designed for people of all ages. If you have your own equipment, the numerous waterfall and

FROZEN WATERFALL © COURTESY OF ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY

riverside hikes become a crystal paradise accessible by novice outdoors people. Visitors can easily plan with trailhead directions and trail descriptions (including length and difficulty)

by browsing an interactive trails site at www.STLCtrails.com.

Community ice rinks scatter the landscape with skating rentals and open hours for trying a spin around the rink or

New York’s Northern Border

VisitSTLC.com | 1-877-228-7810

Co m m a n d P e r f o r m a n c e , Community Performance Series, and the Crane School of Music, in addition to several historic opera houses and community spaces.

Interactive workshops can be found at SLC Arts (Potsdam) and the TAUNY Center (Canton), in addition to several art-based small businesses.

St. Lawrence County is yet to be discovered, making its trails, museums, and lodging properties authentic and unique to visitors. A relaxing, low-stress, no-crowd, no-traffic experience ensures your vacation itinerary can be as full or minimal as you would like during a long weekend or weeklong winter stay. Due to the landscape of the valley, the County is ideal for beginning a love of the outdoors, trying out something new, and not worrying about high-intensity equipment and training.

Plan your winter escape and request a free visitor, waterfall, or anglers guide at VisitSTLC.com or call toll-free 1-877-228-7810. ®NYSDED

Explore Four Seasons of Trails

renewing a love of gliding. After your own skating adventure, join the boisterous audience at one of four college hockey arenas nearly every weekend for men’s and women’s competitions. Clarkson and St. Lawrence University are Division 1 hockey teams, playing the major northeast college teams during a season of intense play.

If snowmobiling is more your style, the County boasts over 700 miles of groomed trails with warming huts, trailside restaurants, and organized rides throughout the rolling hills, mountain overlooks, and protected forests of New York State’s largest County. Pair your snowmobiling trip with ice fishing on Black Lake or bays along the St. Lawrence River (or one of the 200+ rivers, lakes, and streams) to catch perch, walleye, or pike.

Indoor entertainment ranges from the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg to the North Country Children’s Museum in Potsdam. Music and theater are on the calendar with shows at Ogdensburg

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

TRAVEL

January • 2023

ADVERTORIAL

© COURTESY OF THE REGIONAL OFFICE OF SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Saranac Lake: A Decidedly Fun Winter Getaway Snuggled into the stunning wilderness of the Adirondack Mountains, the charming town of Saranac Lake offers classic winter adventures and activities with a nostalgic feel. It’s the kind of place where you can go sledding, skating, and skiing all in one day, with plenty of time for hot cocoa and relaxing by the fireside.

With mountains, lakes, and forests in abundance here, outdoor adventure has long been part of life in Saranac Lake. From its earliest days as the hunting grounds of the Iroquois to the logging of the first European settlers, the first vacationers on guided adventures to the village’s storied history as a place of healing and rejuvenation, Saranac Lake’s beautiful, rugged wild spaces have always been the center of life.

Today, winter adventures have a classic feel that never gets old and makes it the ideal destination for you to enjoy a winter experience that is totally unique to you!

The newly created Adirondack Rail Trail is a hub for winter activities. Located on the former trail of the Adirondack and Saint Lawrence Railroad, the trail is open to the public, whether you travel on cross-country skis, snowshoes,

snowmobiles, or horseback! Linking the communities of Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake, and Lake Placid, the trail offers adventures from a short morning jaunt to a full-day outing. Easy to get to, as it travels through the village, the trail gets you out into snowy Adirondack scenery in just minutes, where forests, frozen ponds, and wildlife converge. Other local, close-to-town spots for skiing and snowshoeing are the peaceful Jackrabbit Trail; Dewey Mountain, where local Olympians train; and the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center, which also has indoor exhibits on natural history.

How many towns do you know that have a ski slope right in the middle of town? Saranac Lake has one! Just a minute or two of driving from downtown will get you to Mount Pisgah, a ski area beloved by generations of locals and visitors alike. Gentle slopes mean that Pisgah is an ideal location for beginners and families, and there’s even a wonderful tubing area that will bring out the kid in anyone.

In the mood for something a bit icier? Visit the Civic Center for open skating on indoor and outdoor rinks, or check in at a

gear shop to get the scoop on ice f ishing on local lakes and ponds. You’ll even f ind guides who can take you out and show you how to get lured in by this classic Adirondack sport.

In the late 1800s, people from around the world began to come to Saranac Lake seeking treatment for tuberculosis. Cure cottages and elegant mini hospitals tucked into the landscape were a refuge of fresh air and welcoming care. One of the activities created to cheer patients was the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, which continues to this day with eagerly anticipated themes, activities, a handcrafted ice palace, and celebrations of all things winter. Each year, local volunteers cut blocks of ice from Lake Flower and assemble them into a stunning, sparkling palace complete with lights, tunnels for kids to crawl through, and distinctive ice sculptures. Days during the Carnival are filled with ice skating, curling, a version of bowling on ice, live music, restaurant specials, and a grand, must-see parade.

The outdoor adventures are grand, but so are the hotels and restaurants, galleries, and shops.

Downtown, with its numerous

historic buildings, including the fabled Hotel Saranac, is a great place to enjoy a leisurely stroll on a snowy day. As you stroll downtown, you can take the time to peek into the numerous art galleries, which host exhibits and sales of the work of local painters, potters, and jewelry artisans. In fact, art is everywhere, from scenic murals to sculptures inspired by nature. While downtown, you can treat yourself to a cozy new jacket or sweater from locally owned-and-operated clothing and gear stores, some of which have been around for decades and are much beloved by the locals.

Good food is kind of a big deal in Saranac Lake, with plenty of local flavor, local ingredients, and Adirondack-inspired dishes on the menu. Local chefs have fun with their menus, whether it’s at a fine dining experience or a casual bistro. Since this is classic Adirondack, and decidedly Saranac Lake, visitors will find the atmosphere in our restaurants to be just the right shade of relaxed, where it’s encouraged to linger over dessert with friends or extend the experience by wandering over to the bar for a seasonally inspired

cocktail or locally brewed ale.

Saranac Lake is a wonderful place to raise a family and for a family vacation, there can’t be anything better. Outdoor activities are a must, but there is an abundance of indoor activities that appeal to children (of all ages!) and will keep them enthused and entertained. The Adirondack Carousel, which features hand-carved and painted Adirondack animals, is a sweet, classic treat that is one-of-a-kind.

Just around the corner, downtown has fun offerings such as a toy store with regular game nights, a Lego-themed shop with building experiences in-store, events at the library, and Play ADK’s Main Street Clubhouse, the preview of what will be an exciting children’s museum.

Despite all there is to do here, Saranac Lake maintains a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere with a charming downtown, easily accessible activities, and a welcoming local community. This is the place to go when you want to get away from it all, when snowshoeing up a gentle wooded trail sounds like heaven, and when you want to share the joys of a classic winter with family and friends.

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER ADVERTORIAL

Find Your Peace of Mind in Ellijay Where else but Ellijay, GA, can you find the best of both worlds—a charming, small-town way of life and a variety of food and drink choices that rival big cities? Located between Atlanta, GA, and Chattanooga, TN, Ellijay boasts an abundance of outdoor adventures for every skill level. Still, nature's thrills are just part of what makes this town magical.

Between health-conscious selfcare rituals, sustainability-focused lodging opportunities, and wellness-focused food and drink options, there's no better destination for an all-natural vacation.

SELF CARE STARTS HERE

Vacations are a chance for adventure, but the sense of retreat one finds on holiday away is equally important. In Ellijay, there are so many ways to indulge in health-conscious self-care. Wellness begins within, so foods that fuel us are key to feeling our best.

In downtown Ellijay, there are a variety of wellness-focused food and drink options, like The Shack of Ellijay, known for its mouthwatering Asian-fusion cuisine,

and Zen & Juice for fresh coldpressed juices and artfully prepared sandwiches. Of course, no trip to Ellijay would be complete without a trip to our local wine industry—find vineyards, wineries and tasting rooms across the area, all complete with incredible wines that give you a taste of Ellijay.

TAKE YOUR PICK

Ellijay is perhaps best known as Georgia's Apple Capital, and apples are indeed abundant in this idyllic town. Even after apple season has come and gone, Ellijay's R&A Orchards continue to offer apple delights, like jams, jellies, ciders, and much more. If your Ellijay apple craving hits in the early winter, R&A Orchards can even ship you locally grown apples.

After picking out some sweet apple treats, head to Mountain Valley Farm Store, one of the many places to shop for locally harvested food. Located in beautiful Clear Creek, this family-owned business offers delicious homegrown foods ranging

from meat to vegetables so that you can take your pick of the freshest goods.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

If you want a breath of fresh air for the weekend, be sure to bundle up and head outdoors. Ellijay has hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails in the beautiful north Georgia mountains.

True to its nickname as the Mountain Bike Capital of Georgia, Ellijay is home to incredible mountain biking trails f it for every experience level, f rom newbies to biking enthusiasts.

Find a like-minded community with the top trail recommendations at Cartecay Bike Shop, known for its mountain bike classes, top-of-the-line biking attire, and exciting Saturday Social Ride.

The adventure continues in unique and sustainably focused lodging options, from small log cabins deep within the mountains for a warm and cozy aesthetic to quaint in-town cottages close to the stores and restaurants. For a stay like no other,

you'll want to head to Wagging Tails Farm, where you'll enjoy a farm atmosphere complete with f riendly farm animals and an eco-friendly garden. Or head to Gingershack Farms, a cabin villa

rental and homestead where peace is paramount and smalltown charm abounds.

Visit pickellijay.com to book your all-natural adventure today.

© OUTLIVE CREATIVE

Travel Brand Contiki Working to MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® With Local Bronx Hero "I fight for children who are born in places most people would not want to be caught dead in.” This is Stephen Ritz’s mission and Green Bronx Machine is his vessel.

In the heart of the Bronx, where food deserts are a common phenomenon and the nearest fresh produce can be at least 30 minutes away, Green Bronx Machine is addressing the issue systemically. The TreadRight Foundation, the not-for-profit arm of global travel provider The Travel Corporation (TTC), has partnered with Green Bronx Machine to support their efforts towards sustainable urban agriculture, and the education and empowerment of the community’s future: its underprivileged youth.

Green Bronx Machine is a non-profit organization at the forefront of addressing a growing and urgent issue facing many underserved communities in America—

the critical need for health education and accessibility to healthy food for students in low-income areas. The indoor gardening curriculum was founded by lifelong educator Stephen Ritz, who this year was named a 2022 Best in Bronx Award winner via the Bronx Times. The organization addresses education through better health by developing an indoor gardening curriculum that allows children to grow vegetables in the classroom, helping them eat better, be more engaged with school and give them pathways for jobs.

Sustainable food production is a priority that goes beyond philanthropy for TTC through its climate action efforts. A family of 40 award-winning brands including Insight Vacations, Trafalgar, Contiki, Red Carnation Hotels, and Uniworld river cruises, TTC takes travelers on guided vacations all around the world, while working diligently to ensure

STEPHEN RITZ © COURTESY OF THE TREADRIGHT FOUNDATION

that travel has a positive impact on both the visitors, and the places, people, and wildlife that are visited. Increasing its local and organic food supply chain, and decreasing food waste, are two of the group’s 11 measurable goals in its five-year sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right.

As part of its MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience program,

TTC provides immersive and impactful experiences, which both educate travelers and support local organizations. On Contiki’s New York to Miami, New York Uncovered, as well as Best of USA trips, guests will have the chance to make their travels meaningful with a visit to Green Bronx Machine.

In Green Bronx Machine’s newly released

mini-documentary via Food Inspiration, Ritz sits down with New York Mayor Eric Adams to discuss the many incredible impacts of the program. As Ritz and his students have observed, physical health and educational engagement and opportunities are directly linked. Without proper nutrition and a balanced diet, school performance suffers, and hope and ambition become minimized. Originally an alternative after-school program for high school students, it has now evolved into a K – 12+ model fully integrated into core curriculum, reaching 50,000 students daily across the U.S. and has enabled students to harvest more than 165,000 pounds of vegetables in the Bronx for communities.

"I am determined to pay it forward and love and support as many students and teachers as possible rooted in the belief that from our humble corner of the globe, we just might change the world!" Ritz said.

ADVERTORIAL

The Trip of a Lifetime: Discover Lafayette Immerse yourself in the untouched purity of a cypress and tupelo swamp. Sway your hips to the upbeat tempo of accordions and washboards, or let the seductive flavors of Cajun and Creole cooking dance on your palate. Join in on a colorful Mardi Gras celebration and experience the largest nonticketed Francophone festival in the country. All these experiences await in Lafayette, Louisiana, the Happiest City in America. Set within the heartbeat of Acadiana, Lafayette is unquestionably uniquely seasoned. Each time of year presents new possibilities making this the place you'll want to visit often. Read on to discover why.

SAVOR WORLD-CLASS CAJUN & CREOLE CUISINE

Craving delightfully smoked boudin, mouthwatering gumbo, and piping hot jambalaya seasoned to perfection? Beyond being delicious, there's a reason Cajun food is known worldwide: because there's nothing like it. Plan your food adventure at LafayetteTravel. com/FoodiesGuide.

Trail, Lafayette Parish is a mustvisit destination for birding enthusiasts. Discover why at LafayetteTravel.com/Birding.

TWO-STEP YOUR WAY THROUGH LAFAYETTE

© COURTESY OF LAFAYETTE CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU

EXPERIENCE LIVELY FESTIVALS

From the toe-tapping rhythms of zydeco and Cajun music to the delicious savory and sweet festival treats, Lafayette knows how to celebrate. One of the best ways to immerse yourself in its one-of-a-kind heritage is by making your way here for one of its festivals, a treat for all your senses. See below for a list of upcoming festivals, or visit LafayetteTravel.com/Festivals for a complete list.

• Mardi Gras - February 10-11, 17-21, 2023 • Festival International April 26-30, 2023

• Crawfish Festival - May 5-7, 2023 • Pride Acadiana - June 2023 • Latin Music Festival October 7, 2023 • Festivals Acadiens et Creole October 13-15, 2023 • Gulf Brew - October 21, 2023 • Boudin Cook-Off & Bacon Festival - October 21, 2023 • Blackpot Festival & Cook-Off October 27-28, 2023 • Cajun & Creole Christmas November & December 2023

EXPLORE MAGNIFICENT TRAILS

When you're ready for an escape, tie on your walking shoes and find your way to Lafayette.

From culinary trails like crawfish, boudin, and gumbo to ancient oaks, dancehalls, and history, there's a trail in Lafayette for just about everyone. Visit LafayetteTravel.com/Trails for trip ideas.

DISCOVER ONE OF NORTH AMERICA'S BEST BIRDING LOCATIONS

Dense forests, trickling bayous shaded by towering cypress trees, and sweeping shorelines form Lafayette's native landscapes and create the ideal habitat for a stunning array of birds. Located within the Mississippi Flyway and the Atchafalaya Loop of America's Wetland Birding

No matter when you visit, you'll discover that Lafayette is Uniquely Seasoned. From the rich cultural history and the vibrant flavors of Cajun and Creole cooking to the wealth of ways to enjoy the outdoors, few places better represent the heart and spirit of Louisiana.

Plan your next getaway at LafayetteTravel.com.

LAFAYETTE

d e n o s a e S

Celebrate

Lafayette is known as the Heartbeat of Acadiana, and with good reason.

Their one-of-a-kind mix of Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco can be heard any night of the week while sampling some authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine and sipping on one of the many local beers or spirits that will have your taste buds dancing as much as your feet. For a weekly playlist and schedule of live music, visit LafayetteTravel.com/ LafayetteWeekly.

L O U I S I A N A

Seasoned to Celebrate

to

To get the itinerary please visit

Whatever time of year you come, there’s always something to celebrate in Lafayette. Come on over, we’ll add the spice.

800 346 1958

LafayetteTravel.com/Seasons

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

TRAVEL

January • 2023

Welcome

everyone under the sun Welcome thrill-seekers and chill-seekers and kids of all ages.

One of the world’s most welcoming destinations awaits in Greater Fort Lauderdale with miles of golden beaches and scenic waterways, cosmopolitan dining and nightlife, amazing Everglades eco-tours and more. Come share unforgettable moments in a beach playground unlike any other.

ADVERTORIAL

Plan Your Adventure at VisitLauderdale.com

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

TRAVEL

January • 2023

A VIEW OF A FILM SET ON MOLI‘I POND AT KUALOA RANCH © COURTESY OF KIND TRAVELER

My Regenerative Journey in Oahu with Kind Traveler CASEY CARROLL

The Hawaiian word for family is “ohana." This is exactly how I felt in Hawaii while staying at Waikiki’s Kind Hotel, The Equus, and touring the island of Oahu with the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii. Each piece of my journey painted a beautiful picture of my first trip since getting sober just before the pandemic started.

A trip that would give me the opportunity to not only be a Kind Traveler who is a steward for the planet and gives back to the destinations I visit, but to be a traveler who turns kindness around onto themselves. To take each day moment by moment—slowly, mindfully, and compassionately.

I couldn’t imagine a better home base for my journey than The Equus. From the moment I checked in, I felt like I was with ohana. I met with the owner, Mike Dailey, whose passion for hospitality, cowboy culture and Hawaii is palpable. We sat in the elegantly western styled lobby and talked about how hospitality runs in Mike’s blood. “I grew up in a hotel," he told me. Mike’s parents settled in Hawaii, built the Waikikian

Hotel in 1956, and founded the Mokuleia Polo club (now the Hawaii Polo Club) in 1963.

Fast forward about 40 years when Mike and his wife, Becca, bought the Driftwood Hotel (now The Equus) in 1990. The Equus is where Mike is carrying on the tradition of raising his kids and grandkids in a hotel.

And what a family they are!

The Dailey’s are as dedicated to being a sustainable hotel as they are to the community.

During my stay, I overheard a front desk agent letting a departing guest know they could leave their unused sunscreen to be donated to the homeless, and the Polo Club was running a holiday toy drive on the North Shore. Kind is simply who the Dailey’s are.

When booking with Kind Traveler, each Kind Hotel partners with a local charity beneficiary who is the recipient of a $10 minimum donation each time a guest stays at their property. The Equus chose Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii (STAH). This local non-profit is dedicated to conserving Hawaii’s beautiful landscape and cultural history through certifying tour operators who

follow sustainable business practices. They also originated the exemplary Travel Pono Tips. Pono means “consciously.”

These tips lay out how to be the kindest (most conscious) traveler possible while in Hawaii. Truly, they can be applied anywhere in the world!

Part of my journey included spending a day with STAH board member June Matsumoto. I could tell from the moment I met June that I was in good hands. She has a caring, soulful way about her and was sensitive to my traveling for the first time sober and since the pandemic started. We visited STAH member Kualoa Ranch for the Malama Experience.

Malama means “care for the land." This voluntourism experience is listed as an activity alongside tours including horseback riding and the Hollywood Tour (Jurassic Park was filmed here).

Also, on the Malama Experience was Kualoa Ranch Sustainability Coordinator powerhouse, Stephanie Mock.

Stephanie was hired right before the pandemic began and quickly pivoted to a COVID-19 Coordinator role. She started the KualoGrown Market

MALAMA EXPERIENCE AT KOALUA RANCH WITH IWI, JUNE, CASEY CARROLL, STEPHANIE, AND OUR BOAT CAPTAIN, JOSH

where the ranch team and locals could safely buy ranchgrown provisions during the height of the pandemic. Not only is the ranch a playground to explore, but it’s also an agricultural mecca. They grow everything from guava to cacao and are a working cattle ranch. The ranch also raises delectable oysters in Moli‘i Pond, a native Hawaiian fishpond. This fishpond is where we had our Malama experience. Our job was to remove mangrove propagules (seed pods) from the pond’s shore. “While mangroves are venerated elsewhere, they are not native to Hawaii, and our unique ecosystems, and actually choke out native plants," Stephanie explained to us. A very important job we had to regenerate Hawaii's natural ecosystem!

During the boat ride to our volunteer site we heard stories from our tour guide Iwi, about the history of the ranch. I also got to know the other guests in our group, a husband and wife from New Hampshire, Andre Dean and Casey McCabe.

When I asked Casey what made her choose to volunteer while she was vacationing in Hawaii,

she told me she travels with a different mindset now that she’s sober. I loved this answer for so many reasons, but especially because she’s sober. Sobriety does feel like a completely different mindset. And can you believe I met another sober Casey while working the land on a ranch on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean?

Just wow! Not only were we regenerating the land, but also perhaps investing in regeneration within ourselves.

After the Malama Experience, June and I continued on our way to explore the North Shore’s beaches and enjoy the famous Mastumoto Shave Ice in Haleiwa. As we talked about the day, I was overwhelmed with love and gratitude for everyone I’d met, the adventures I’d had, and the kindness I’d felt. All these feelings can be wrapped up in the Hawaiian word “aloha." I was full to the brim with the aloha spirit. This trip was the perfect bridge from my quarantine to being in the world again. The perfect reminder of the power of kindness—the kindness of others, kindness to the land, and kindness to ourselves. A trip I will not soon forget!

CASEY MCCABE, ANDRE DEAN, AND CASEY CARROLL GATHERING SEED PODS FOR THE MALAMA EXPERIENCE ON MOLI‘I POND AT KUALOA RANCH

ADVERTORIAL

Plan an Inspiring Adventure in Clarksville, TN Clarksville, Tennessee, is a place where adventure meets art, where courage gives birth to creativity, and where hipster complements historic. Two Olympic Champions were born among the natural beauty of the city’s rivers and trails. The stories of Wilma Rudolph and Pat Head Summitt continue to inspire athletes and dreamers today.

Visitors cannot help but sense this determination and passion among brewers, sculptors, muralists, small business owners, and many more who make Clarksville a truly memorable destination.

The city’s mild year-round temperatures make outdoor activities enjoyable throughout the year. Boating, fishing, kayaking, golf, mountain biking, hiking, cycling, and rock climbing are popular every season. May through September, visitors can also enjoy guided tours to explore Dunbar Cave, the only public cave in the world with visible 14th Century Native American Mississippian art.

Unwind with refreshing activities like sampling at Beachaven

© JON DUNCAN

Vineyards & Winery. Now in its third generation of leadership, the award-winning operation is the oldest single-family-owned winery in Tennessee. The winery is equally adored for its music series. Singer-songwriters take the stage every weekend, May through October, and larger

Jazz on the Lawn events take place monthly. If you prefer mead, whiskey, craft beers, or creative cocktails to wind down, there’s no shortage of those spirits throughout the city as well.

A city’s creative talents and passions are evident in its commitment to public art.

Visitors can find inspiration from more than 30 sculptures, murals, and fountains throughout the community. Most of these impressive pieces were created by Clarksville’s own resident artists. Explore them using the Visit Clarksville app Public Art Trail to navigate your adventure.

Add in gallery visits, a live theater performance, and time at the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center with its blend of art, cultural and interactive exhibits for all ages.

Art, history, and inspiration intersect in the stories of legends Wilma Rudolph and Pat Head Summitt. Born into odds that told them they couldn’t succeed, these two ladies overcame challenging circumstances to achieve greatness in their fields. Although told she would never walk without a brace, Wilma Rudolph became known as the fastest woman in the world at age 20 when she won three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics.

Playing high school basketball was not an option for Pat Head in Clarksville schools at the

time, so her family moved to a neighboring county where she could compete. Within a few years, she earned a silver medal as a teammate and, four years later, a gold medal as a coach. Pat spent 38 years as head coach of the University of Tennessee Lady Vols. At the time of her retirement, she had coached more winning NCAA games than any other men’s, or women’s basketball coach had at that time.

Planning a getaway to Clarksville also means you’ll find a surprisingly global flair among local restaurants. As home to the 101st Airborne Division and Austin Peay State University, the city’s ethnic diversity is apparent in its culinary scene. Indian, Korean, Mediterranean, Filipino, French, German, and more all hold their own alongside triedand-true Southern staples like smoked pulled pork, biscuits, and fried catfish.

Explore more about this middle Tennessee city and start planning your 2023 adventure at visitclarksvilletn.com

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

Haverhill Shoe © Nancy Gardella/NBCVB

TRAVEL

Breaching Whale Courtesy of 7 Seas Whale Watch

January • 2023

Courtesy of Woodman's of Essex

Make Waves

Courtesy Misselwood Events

Courtesy of Essex River Cruises & Charters

Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury © Sarah Musumeci

Salem Mural Artist Mr Cenz © Holly Perry/NBCVB

Schooner Lannon @ Karen Nascembeni

Salem So Sweet Kids © JaredCharney

Courtesy of Addison Choate Inn

Anila Agha Exhibit © Bob Packert Peabody Essex Museum

Salisbury Beach © Bryan Eaton

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER ADVERTORIAL

A Page Worth Revisiting For globe-trotters looking to venture beyond the Grand Canyon, there’s a place that holds its own list of must-see and must-experience destinations: Page, Arizona.

With Lake Powell and the Colorado River on its doorstep, Page puts you right at the heart of unparalleled outdoor beauty, offering a unique exploration of Arizona. Page is perhaps best known as being home to one of the most Instagrammable spots in the world: Horseshoe Bend, featuring a shimmering blue U-shaped ribbon of the Colorado River cutting through red-rock canyon cliffs. Less known is the 11-mile continuous Rim Trail in Page, a hike that provides more than enough photo-ops with views of red rocks, blue water, and beautiful wild flowers.

There’s more to love about Page if you’re looking for that perfect photo. The area is home to a network of slot canyons, narrow trails that wind their way through wildly wavy rock formations. The most popular is Lower and Upper Antelope Canyon. Another excellent slot

© COURTESY OF CITY OF PAGE

canyon trail is called Buckskin Gulch and provides one of the southwest’s longest and deepest canyon experiences.

When it’s time to shake the dust off your boots f rom all the outdoor fun, Lake Powell is where you want to be. Created when the Glen Canyon Dam was formed, Lake Powell is over 186 miles long and offers over 2,000 miles of shoreline, surrounded by beautiful canyon structures.

The best way to see the lake is by watercraft. Rent a kayak, powerboat, pontoon boat, or even a houseboat. Or simply zip around for a while on the back of a Jet Ski. How about a float trip down the Colorado River? Half-day trips from Page to Lee’s Ferry are available through Wilderness Adventure Company. Wind down f rom your explorations by f inding the perfect spot to enjoy the lake and go for a swim.

Want even more? Make Page your Basecamp and make day trips to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Zion National Park, and Bryce National Park.

New in 2022! Come to Page to experience the world-famous Wave. The Wave is the premier photographic destination in the Southwest. Located in Coyote Buttes, it is just a 30-minute drive from Page.

After all your adventures, be sure to make it back to Page’s downtown. Enjoy a beer at the new Grand Canyon Brewery, elevated dining at Rim View Terrace, or a movie in the park. With over 20 hotels to accommodate you and your family, from affordable stays for the whole family to luxurious nights of spoiling yourself, Page’s hotels have something for everyone. Page is home to many mom-and-pop familyowned small businesses. From our one-of-a-kind donut shop to the Sugar Factory, your family will love their time in Page, Arizona.

When making your Arizona itinerary, bookmark Page as your top destination. The best time to visit is spring, summer, and fall!

Start planning your adventure at VisitPageLakePowell.com

Calanoa: Paradise in the Jungle RAYE MOCIOIU

Deep in the heart of the Amazon jungle lies an offthe-grid experience unlike any other. The Calanoa Jungle Hotel, described as a jewel of a hotel, is a laboratory for a sustainable Amazon settlement.

Designed and operated by Diego and Marlene Samper, the hotel is a unique compound of cabins designed and built with locals in mind.

The Sampers met on a science and research expedition in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park in 1980 and settled in the Colombian Amazon soon after falling in love.

They founded the first Calanoa here, a self-sufficient farm where they lived and worked on conservation projects.

In 1988, the Colombian drug wars forced the Sampers and their daughters to flee. A decade later, they migrated to Canada, but their love of the country stayed strong. Ten years ago, the family returned to the Amazon with a mission in mind:

rebuild Calanoa, better and stronger than ever.

A COMMUNITY PROJECT

Diego designed the eightcabin lodge, combining traditional techniques with a contemporary approach, and enlisted the help of locals of the Mocagua community to bring their dream to life.

A community endeavor, the locals are as much a part of the magic of Calanoa as the art, and as such, the hotel has invested in their home region time and time again.

In creating Calanoa, carpentry classes were provided, as none of the locals had the skills needed to build. The staff is local to the region, and their passion for the jungle spreads to visitors, sharing the beauty and magic in every experience.

Every part of the jungle hotel was created with sustainability in mind, from the materials used in building the structure to the replanting of the trees and palms used for the future maintenance of the buildings,

A SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE FOR THE HUMID TROPICS © COURTESY OF CALANOA

and even the roofs, woven from palms. Rain is harvested, and the energy comes from solar panels. The team made use of local materials and resources, keeping each part of the process as sustainable as possible.

Everything is from the jungle, and each aspect is unique. The architecture

enhances the experience: ethereal walls and light spaces improve the natural air circulation, allowing visitors to open their senses to the jungle without limits. This is all by design; Calanoa is both a living work of art and a place to educate guests on the importance of conservation.

A space of alternative

educational processes, the jungle lodge seeks to contribute to the conservation of the biological and cultural diversity of the Amazon region through art, design, architecture, scientific research, community education and sustainable tourism.

CONT. NEXT PAGE

ADVERTORIAL

Discover Bisbee, a Living Museum in the Mule Mountains In 1877, a reconnaissance detail of U.S. army scouts and cavalrymen was sent to the Mule Mountains to search the area for renegade Apaches. What civilian tracker Jack Dunn found instead were signs of mineralization indicating the presence of lead, copper, and possibly silver.

The first mining claim was staked in what would later become the City of Bisbee. The filing of this claim and many others sent prospectors and speculators scurrying to the Mule Mountains in hopes of striking it rich. Numerous ore bodies were located, and Bisbee soon became known as the "Queen of the Copper Camps."

Mining in the Mule Mountains was quite successful, and Bisbee proved to be one of the richest mineral sites in the world, producing nearly three million ounces of gold and more than eight billion pounds of copper, not to mention the silver, lead, and zinc that came from these rich lands.

By the early 1900s, driven by the booming mining industry, Bisbee had become the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco.

With a population of over 20,000

people by the beginning of the century, Bisbee was one of the most cultured cities in the west.

The town is still home to the nation’s (arguably) oldest ballfield (Warren Ballpark), Arizona’s first golf course (Turquoise Valley), and the state's first community library (Copper Queen), all dating from this period, and all still currently in operation and open to the public.

Along with Bisbee's

© LIAM O SHEA PHOTOGRAPHY

cosmopolitan character, the colorful, rough edges of the mining camp could still be found in the notorious Brewery Gulch, with its saloons and brothels. In its heyday, the Gulch boasted nearly 50 saloons and was considered one of the liveliest spots in the west.

Historic taverns still retain the rich character and boom-town flavor of this period.

Today, Bisbee is a culturally rich

community with an active and varied population. Bisbee retains its welcoming spirit, offering visitors a rich mix of art, music, history, architecture, outdoor activities, dining, and nightlife.

The Smithsonian-aff iliated Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum has welcomed, educated, and entertained more than a half-million visitors over recent decades. Among its exhibits is

© DISCOVER BISBEE

Creativity, Friendliness, Style Come be Bisbee for awhile discoverbisbee.com © JOHN ALLEN

"Bisbee: Urban Outpost on the Frontier," an in-depth look at the lives of the miners and settlers of this unique area of the Southwest.

And the world-famous Queen Mine Tour offers a fascinating, up-close experience of the underground world of the miners who carved their community and a living out of bedrock.

A must-see in Bisbee is the Copper Queen Mine tour, where you get to suit up in a mining hat and light and take a tour underground to see what it was like to live and work as a miner.

Bisbee is a family-f riendly town with tours, parks, shops, e-bikes and even the community pool and outdoor recreation center. Our community respects and loves all types of people, and we welcome our tourists and travelers to experience what Bisbee has to offer. Our artist community is booming, and we have an eclectic group of artists who grace the town.

Immerse yourself in history, art, and nightlife.

Come be Bisbee for awhile.

Visit www.discoverbisbee.com

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

January • 2023

RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER ADVERTORIAL

Sierra Vista is Something to Tweet About!

It’s official. Sierra Vista, Arizona, is the Hummingbird Capital of Arizona. And it lays claim as the Hummingbird Capital of the United States since this area hosts the most hummingbird varieties that visit the U.S.—and welcomes one found nowhere else north of Mexico. Sierra Vista is truly an Instaworthy destination for birders or tweeple looking for scrollhalting vistas.

The list of bird species doesn’t end with 15 species of hummers! The high, cool canyons and lush riparian areas create a migrator y superhighway that more than 350 bird species pass through or take up year-round residency around this southeastern Arizona community.

Those canyons ripple across the Huachuca Mountains that bracket Sierra Vista to the west and have earned international fame among birders for, well, birding. Miller Canyon, with trails leading to Miller Peak, the highest southernmost peak in the U.S. at 9,465 feet, offers fantastic CONT. PREVIOUS PAGE

Residences, workshops, and multidisciplinary projects, including cultural activities, make Calanoa a place of luxury and learning, an immersive dive into the power of alternative energies and the beauty of living off the land.

The Calanoa Foundation For more than a decade, Calanoa has contributed to the conservation of the biological and cultural diversity of the Colombian Amazon in the

birding spots. Part way up the canyon, Beatty’s Guest Ranch ($5 fee for birding), with charming cabin rentals, holds the record for the most hummingbird

species spotted in one day—14!

Public bird viewing areas offer a chance to see some of them, as well as a wide variety of other fliers.

FALL COLOR AT GARDEN CANYON TRAIL BRIDGE © COURTESY OF THE CITY OF SIERRA VISTA

Indigenous territories near the reserve, Tikuna, Cocama, Huitoto, and Yagua.

The Foundation seeks to enrich the local communities, using funding from the hotel to support community projects and participate in the conservation and recovery of ancestral knowledge and cultural practices. Currently, the Foundation is seeking funds for projects like El Yacaré, a boat that travels down the Amazon River at the request of the communities,

carrying books, art, and experts on carefully curated subjects for the Amazonian population. Calanoa is also working with local experts to promote research projects that will create a biodiversity inventory of the Calanoa Reserve’s flora and fauna, creating a record of the medicinal plants found in the gardens and traditional community orchards.

The children’s choir of El Vergel, supported by Calanoa, preserves the dances, songs,

A bit further down Highway 92, Ash Canyon hosts the aptly named Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary ($10 recommended donation). Owned and managed by the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, the sanctuary makes for excellent birding all year. Nearly 200 species have been spotted here, including some of the Southwest’s most sought-after and rarely seen avian species. Check the sanctuary’s website for directions and parking and to reserve a photo blind.

Ramsey Canyon Preserve, a 300-acre nature conservancy site, is world-famous for birding opportunities, and for good reason. Here you can spot some life-list birds, like the Elegant trogon, Blue-throated and White-eared hummingbirds, Sulphur-bellied and Buffbreasted flycatchers, and Painted redstart, to namedrop a few. While walking along the stream, Coues deer will pose for photos, and a Gould’s turkey or two might show up for a cameo.

A riparian excursion along

the San Pedro River is an easy stroll that parallels the waterway.

Although the riverbed may be dry in places, rest assured that water is flowing underground.

Sometimes hidden, sometimes flooding, the San Pedro creates a lush life zone for Freemont cottonwoods—some more than a century old—and serves as a major resting place for migrating birds. Keep your binocs at the ready for Gray hawks, Bell’s vireos, and Yellow-billed cuckoos.

Bright Vermillion flycatchers are hard to miss in the spring and summer, and resident Kingfishers are always elusive.

It’s like a treasure hunt without a shovel! Make your first stop at the San Pedro House visitor center for maps and helpful info about the wildlife that lives in this National Conservation Area.

and the Tikuna language. The Yacaré project contributes to conserving Indigenous languages and traditions by recording the stories and songs of the elders and generating an archive available to the communities. The Calanoa Foundation also contributes to a scholarship program for Indigenous students and provides encyclopedias and dictionaries for schools—and the students often return to contribute to Calanoa.

conservation,” meaning that each artistic venture contributes significantly to the community’s economic wellbeing, strengthening cultural and ethnic identity, and environmental conservation.

The Mural Painting in Mocagua project, in which community members paint the facades of their houses with relevant motives to each family’s Indigenous clans, is a perfect example of this mission.

The Amazon offers endless opportunities for art and learning, but Calanoa takes it one step further. In 2013, in partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Vancouver, Diego and Marlene established the Amazon Field School, offering students the opportunity to seek alternative learning opportunities in a new and exciting environment: the jungle. The Amazon Field School explores topics such as creativity, imagination and aesthetic inquiry, academic research, ecology, conservation and environmental awareness, cultural awareness, community development, and environmental design.

ART IN THE AMAZON

Art is integral to Calanoa. As artists and conservationists, the Sampers believe that creativity is the greatest economic resource possible, and they seek to nurture it through Calanoa’s projects, combining traditional art and culture with sustainable management of forest and river resources. The result is a strengthening of cultural identity, a deeper understanding and appreciation for the land, and stronger economic well-being for the community as a whole.

Calanoa focuses on what they describe as “art for

MURAL ART AT A TIKUNA VILLAGE © COURTESY OF CALANOA

Discover more about Sierra Vista’s extraordinary skies and the birds that f ill them, plus cozy places to stay, tasty things to eat, and amazing places to explore at VisitSierraVista.com

ADVERTORIAL

Small-Town Charm and Adventures From the Past in Dubois County In the rolling hills of Southern Indiana, you can hear a train whistle in Dubois County as the conductor shouts, “All Aboard!” The Spirit of Jasper Train is about to leave for one of its many excursions, such as the Chocolate, Wine, and Dinner ride, where a great memory is about to be made. In Dubois County, it is easy to create many lasting memories and adventures.

The three main towns of the county—Ferdinand, Jasper, and Huntingburg—invite visitors to spend the day exploring, shopping, eating, and more. Dubois County can be your complete getaway with small-town charm, offering historical attractions, family fun, and entertainment.

Within the county limits, historians will love to find the 20 churches that are over 100 years old, one of which resides in Ferdinand with the Monastery Immaculate Conception. Founded in 1867, the Monastery, also known as the “Castle on the Hill,” has a Romanesque architectural style dome and is home to one of the nation’s largest communities of Benedictine women. Adjacent to the gift shop and on the monastery

grounds, stop at the brewery—St. Benedict’s Brew Works.

Huntingburg Historic 4th Street is also on the National Register of Historic Places, offering more than two dozen locally owned stores for visitors to shop unique gifts, home décor, and antiques. In this area, Market Street Park hosts multiple music festivals and events on the backside of the historic Old Town Hall.

Huntingburg, Indiana’s claim to fame are the three movies filmed in the small town. Less than a mile from the historic 4th Street, stop in at League Stadium, which was featured as the home field for the Rockford Peaches in the filming of “A League of Their Own,” starring Tom Hanks and Geena Davis.

Stand in the same place as Tom Hanks as he told Bitty Schram’s character Evelyn Gardener that there was “no crying in baseball...”

Original advertisements from the film remain along the outfield fence. In June and July, the Dubois County Bombers take the field in retro-styled uniforms, while the “peaches” entertain the crowd in costumes replicated from the movie. The other two movies filmed in

Huntingburg were “Hard Rain” and HBO’s “Soul of the Game.”

Shopping will continue in Ferdinand and downtown Jasper. Also in the heart of Jasper, a multitude of attractions await your arrival with the Spirit of Jasper Train and Depot, High Pointe Rooftop Venue, Astra Theatre, Thyen Clark Cultural Center / Art Gallery, Jasper City Mill, Schaeffer Barn and Alexander One Room School House, Jumping Jasper

(arcade and inflatables), HTK Airsoft (the country’s largest indoor airsoft campus), and the nationally renowned Schnitzelbank Restaurant—to name a few.

Outdoor opportunities are available, including the 8,800-acre Patoka Lake and its recreation area, featuring boat rentals, fishing, hiking, bird watching, wine and dinner cruises, swimming, and more. For golfers, be sure to tee off at Sultan’s Run, a national

award-winning golf course.

Just a short drive from Louisville, KY, and right next to Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari, Dubois County welcomes all and invites visitors to explore the county’s heritage, attractions, and events.

Your next small-town adventure awaits…create a memory today.

Experience small-town charm in Southern Indiana! For details, go to visitduboiscounty.com

THE SPIRIT OF JASPER TRAIN AT THE TRAIN DEPOT © COURTESY OF DUBOIS COUNTY

ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT

FIND YOUR WINTER WONDERLAND

January • 2023

From relaxing retreats to outdoor adventures, your winter wonderland awaits in Sarnia-Lambton

ONTBLUECOAST.COM

IN SARNIA-LAMBTON

RESPONSIBLE TRAVELER ADVERTORIAL

Experience the Winter Wonderland in Sarnia-Lambton When the winter season hits Southwestern Ontario, it brings out two types of adventurers: those who are looking to escape f rom the cold days and those who fully embrace the winter weather and seek

exciting winter activities outside. Just a few hours west of the Greater Toronto Area, Sarnia-Lambton is the perfect place for both types of winter-season explorers.

Relaxing winter getaways,

endless indoor and outdoor entertainment and activity options for you and your family, and a perfect backdrop of a winter wonderland along Ontario’s Blue Coast make Sarnia-Lambton your next destination to explore and create lasting winter memories.

With so many choices, here are some travel ideas to help you explore your winter wonderland in Sarnia-Lambton.

GET COZY AND RELAX

Those who want to escape the colder weather and prefer a cozy getaway to relax and recharge from everyday life can pamper themselves with a complete relaxation getaway, including high-end accommodations, mindful reflection, decadent meals, and local drinks. First, settle into your perfect accommodation location at the Colonial Hotel, Kiwi Motel in Grand Bend, or the Insignia Hotel in Sarnia. Then get pampered with a complete spa treatment at the Glass and Pillar Spa in Sarnia, or find your inner calm with yoga and meditation f rom Raven Heart Studio in

INSIGNIA HOTEL © PEONY AND SAFFRON PHOTOGRAPHY

Sarnia or West Coast Yoga Studio in Grand Bend. Finally, top off the perfect cozy and relaxing weekend by indulging in a local food and beverage pairing.

With 16 different craft drink producers and amazing culinary experiences, every area of SarniaLambton provides a culinary experience to complement your cozy and relaxing winter getaway.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

When the f resh snow hits the ground, it creates a perfect invitation to explore the outdoor winter wonderland in SarniaLambton. Try your skill at crosscountry skiing or snowshoeing over 373 miles of winter trails f rom St. Clair to Sarnia and throughout Lambton Shores. If you are looking for an outdoor activity for the family, the Canatara Animal Farm in Sarnia is a perfect setting to explore the shores of Ontario’s Blue Coast in Sarnia-Lambton while meeting some new furry animal friends. For those looking for a picturesque winter moment, the shorelines of Ontario’s Blue Coast in Sarnia-Lambton provide

a perfect winter sunset backdrop to commemorate your amazing winter wonderland weekend.

ENTERTAINMENT FOR ALL AGES

Sometimes your winter wonderland includes a little bit of both indoor and outdoor adventures for you and your family. If that sounds like your perfect winter getaway, try your hand at the new and exciting sport of disc golf at Forest Golf Club and Inn, explore one of the many museums, play a round of indoor golf at one of Sarnia-Lambton’s three indoor golf facilities, or get your game on at District Beta’s video and VR arcade.

Whether your winter wonderland is calm and relaxing, exciting and adventurous, or a mix of both, Sarnia-Lambton has so many options that you can explore and discover a perfect winter getaway.

Plan your winter wonderland getaway today at ontbluecoast.com. @tourismsarnialambton @ontariosbluecoast

A Winter Road Trip in Canada: Five Destinations to Explore ALLIE MURRAY

historic sites and places to explore. Point Pelee is the southernmost point of mainland Canada and the first national park in Canada to be established for conservation.

Throughout the winter, the park is the perfect place for hiking and cross-country skiing—and, on a clear night enjoy stargazing and charting the constellations.

Known as The Great White North, Canada has an abundance of exciting winter travel.

From annual winter events to cold weather fun, there is no shortage of things to discover.

BLUE MOUNTAIN

Just two hours north of Toronto, Blue Mountain is home to one of the best ski villages in Ontario.

The slopes have 42 trails and are not only perfect for skiing and snowboarding, but visitors also enjoy sledding and snow tubing.

After a long day on the slopes, explore the pedestrian village of Blue Mountain Village. It’s filled with gift shops, restaurants, pubs, and fun for the whole family to explore—and be sure to grab the Canadian delicacy BeaverTails before heading home.

The trip to Blue Mountain from New York State is made easier with buses and trains available daily.

OTTAWA

Every winter, the historic Rideau Canal in Ottawa turns into the world’s largest skating rink.

TORONTO

© PEXELS/TWELVE VISUALZ

Weaving through the nation’s capital, the trail creates a skating rink that is a total length of 4.8 miles and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The skating season typically runs from January to March, but is depending on weather conditions, as ice experts need 10 to 14 consecutive days of temperatures between 14°F and -4°F for good quality ice.

KINGSTON

Kingston is located just outside the Thousand Islands border crossing and is a charming town full of Canadian history. In 1841 when Canada was known as the United Province of Canada, Kingston was named the country’s first capital city and served as a fort during the first and second world wars.

Now, Kingston is a bustling

city, drawing in visitors from across Canada and the U.S.— especially in February when the city hosts its annual Feb Fest.

The month-long festival boasts hockey games, light shows, ice sculptures, and more.

WINDSOR

Along the Canadian-United States border sits Windsor, an exciting region filled with

In 2020, Toronto was named the top city in North America for sustainable travel, garnering top points for its focus on public transport, green spaces, and renewable energy.

The city, which brings in millions of tourists and locals alike, is home to countless things to do and explore. For a sustainable stay, visit Chelsea Hotel Toronto, which is a certified green hotel by Earth Check. The hotel uses energysaving light bulbs, showerheads, biodegradable liquids, and soaps; and sustainability elements are integrated into all levels of design.

ADVERTORIAL

Elevate Your Pride Game at Pride Toronto 2023 Toronto is home to one of the largest pride celebrations across the globe. With more than 2.4 million attendees in 2022, Pride Toronto came out of the pandemic with a f ierce and thunderous roar! With one of the most diverse populations in the world, Pride Toronto is a massive celebration of diversity, inclusion, and all things queer.

If you’re looking to elevate your pride game, Pride Toronto is an absolute must!

Pride has been a long time in the making, from a small gathering of dedicated activists fighting for their right to love and be seen to the vibrant celebration we know and love today. Since 1970, the pride movement has supported 2SLGBTQ+ communities in pursuing the unequivocal right to be heard, understood, accepted, and respected.

From the f irst picnic organized by Toronto’s f irst queer activist organizations that became the “Gay Day Picnic” to the f irst Toronto Pride Week march in 1974 and the addition of the Trans March in 2009, Pride Toronto celebrates the

communities that have continued to gather and celebrate the beauty and confidence that comes from being your most authentic self.

Pride Toronto was founded on the fundamental truth that love prevails, and we are all deserving of it. It continues a legacy that is deeply intertwined with the rich, progressive history of Toronto’s queer community.

“While we celebrate how far we have come as a community, Pride Month is also a critical time to lift up and advocate for many vulnerable groups within the 2SLGBTQ+ community who continue to be marginalized and left behind,” shared Board Co-Chairs Grant Gonzales and Yuri Hernandez.

Pride Toronto is a celebration of love and diversity, but there is always room to include important conversations about how we can help change our world for the better and improve acceptance and accessibility across our communities.

Toronto starts to celebrate all things queer with the coming of June, also known as Pride Month.

The Pride festivities culminate on Festival Weekend—June 2325—when the city’s world-renowned Pride Parade takes over Yonge Street, the longest street in the world.

The weekend is known for being the best celebration in

CENTRAL STAGE © MEGAN MOORE

elevate your pride game... pridetoronto.com

the country, and hotels and flights to the city book up well in advance. Make sure you book early to get in on the best deals and experiences Pride Toronto has to offer. In addition to the city’s famous Pride Parade, Pride Toronto offers other

exciting flagship events during Festival Weekend, including the Trans March, Dyke March, and StreetFair. With everyone wanting to get in on the celebration, Pride Toronto provides opportunities to experience some of the best DJs and performers in the world. And if drag is your thing, Pride Toronto has a vibrant Drag Ball planned as well! Toronto also offers some of the country's best cultural and culinary experiences.

Toronto is extremely accessible to New York. A flight to Toronto is just over an hour and a half, and you can land directly in the city center by flying into the island airport. Come for the parade and stay for the whimsical and exciting performances, thought-provoking conversations, and immersive art installations.

Supporting Pride Toronto means amplifying these voices and prioritizing local, community-focused advocacy. With an even bigger and more fabulous festival in the works for 2023, make sure to firm up your plans soon, and elevate your Pride game!