Event Details and Programs for the

Adirondack Nature Festival
for People with Disabilities

About the event, opening remarks, activity providers, food options, total care resources, and media information for the festival.

Girl in wheelchair in nature smiling Adirondack Nature Festival for People with Disabilities

Event Information

Welcome!

When: Saturday, August 16, 2025 from 10am to 4pm

Where: Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center (the ‘VIC’), Paul Smiths, NY

Event Program

Beginning with the opening remarks, the festival offers many programs and activities for everyone. Works from talented artisans and artists, three music groups, and a demonstration by the local Special Olympics team known as Adirondack Rednecks. This Bocce Team trains weekly in Saranac Lake and competes at Regional and State Special Olympic Events during the summer and fall seasons., and lots of available food to feed our guests. Take a look at the program schedule below, followed by explanations of each item.

We look forward to seeing you at the Adirondack Nature Festival for People with Disabilities!

Outdoor Programs

Title: Bocce Demos with the Special Olympics Rednecks Team of Saranac Lake

Times: 10:15am-Noon and 12:30pm – 2:00pm

Location: Butterfly House Field – Map Location 4

Come join athletes from the Adirondack Rednecks, our local (Saranac Lake) Special Olympics Bocce team, demonstrating the techniques and rules of the game. Join in and try this fun and competitive sport! Bocce is an Italian game. The basic principle of the sport is to roll a bocce ball closest to the target ball, which is called a pallina.

Title: Adaptive Outdoor Equipment Demos: Cam Cardinale & April Diffee, SAIL

Times: 10:30am–3:30pm

Location: Back Lawn – Map Location 14

Southern Adirondack Independent Living is back with even more TRAID equipment to help you enjoy the outdoors comfortably — and maybe even try something new. From adaptive gardening tools and hiking gear to a golf club, mountain bike, beach wheelchair, and even a fully adapted kayak, we’re here to make outdoor activities more accessible than ever.

Title: Butterfly House Tours with Paul Smiths VIC Staff

Times: 10:30am-4:00pm

Location: Butterfly House – Map Location 5

Visit the Butterfly House to enjoy butterflies in all stages of development in this space where they can move freely. Learn about their stages of life, their habits and habitats. Learn how you can create an environment at home that attracts and supports our beloved Monarch Butterflies.

Title: Camping & Outdoor Skills with Diana Nyland and Team Members, SARNAK

Times: 10:30am – 3:30pm

Location: Butterfly House Field – Map Location 2

What do we need to be camping or outdoors in nature safely? Stop by our table to see and learn some key principles and items that will keep you safe outdoors. Whether you like to hike, boat or go camping, get invaluable tools and tips to get more out of your time in nature. SARNAK works closely with law enforcement and emergency response organizations to provide assistance during backcountry emergencies.

Title: Learn About Woodpeckers with Rich Hanlon, Wild Neighbors Nature Connection

Times: 10:30am – Noon and 2:00- 3:00pm

Location: Butterfly House Field – Map Location 1

Investigate woodpecker-carved branches and learn more about their habits and their habitat at the Wild Neighbors Nature Connection table.

Title: Nature Sensory Walk with Suzanne Weirich, Adirondack Riverwalking

Times: 10:30am–11:30am and 2:30pm-3:30pm

Location: Barnum Brook Trail, Map Reference 16

On this guided walk, we’ll explore together the magic of the forest and its many treasures in mid-August. We’ll slow down and use our available senses to get up close to nature, with some playful, fun sensory activities to rekindle our sense of awe and wonder, to feel ourselves a part of nature again. Discover how nature can help you feel more relaxed, calmer, and more at peace.

Title: Tai Chi Flow in Nature with Josy D, Josy Delaney, Tai Chi with Josy

Times:
Standing mini-class -10:30am-11:00am and Noon-12:30pm Location: Back Deck – Map Location 11
Seated mini-class – 11:00-11:30am and 12:30-1:00pm Location: Back Deck – Map Location 11

Come try Tai Chi – gentle, easy movements that connect you to the natural world, which can be done seated or standing. Enjoy this ancient Chinese wellness art on the deck, set to relaxing music. Created for newcomers to Tai Chi Flow as well as those with experience. Josy is a Certified Taiji Fit instructor and Community Wellness Educator

Title: Adaptive Orienteering with Russ & Rebecca Myer, Capital Region Nordic Alliance

Times:
Short Course: 10:45am – 11:15am and 2:45pm – 3:15pm Location: Boreal Life Trail – Map Location 16
Full course: 11:30am-12:15pm and 1:30pm-2:15pm Location: Barnum Brook Trail – Map Location 16

Discover CRNA’s Soundscape Community – Audio Digital Navigation Technology, that guides you through trail or terrain navigation routes set in nature by sound, which guides you through a course set in nature by sound, making navigation out of doors more accessible for people with all levels of visual impairment. Soundscape Community currently works with iPhones only; CRNA will have a limited number of iPhones available for use with Russ & Rebecca gladly helping. People without visual impairment welcome and blindfolds will be available so you can have a similar experience. Bring your Bluetooth Ear Buds to enhance your experience.

Title: Wondrous Woodpeckers Guided Walk with Rich Hanlon, Wild Neighbors Nature Connection

Times: 12:30pm-1:30pm

Location: Barnum Brook Trail – Map Location 16

Woodpeckers may be perceived as the feathered embodiment of the enchantment of our forests. What other birds use trees for food, for nesting, for sleeping, for perching and for communication?! Join us for a look into the lives of woodpeckers that will leave you feeling more deeply connected with the forest.

Title: Wild Edibles Interpretive Walk with Pat Banker, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Times: Noon-12:45pm and 1:45-2:30pm

Location: Front Gardens – Map Location 6

Join interpretive guide Pat Banker in the gardens outside the front of the center, as well around the building to learn about the plants around you that are safe to eat. Learn to identify these common plants that grow wild around us, as well as how you could use them in your cooking.

Music, Nature, and Arts and Crafts Programs

Title: Basket Making Demos with Artisans from Mountain Lake Services

Times: 10:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-pm-3:30pm

Location: Display Area – Map Location 10

Weavers from Mountain Lake Services will be demonstrating the techniques of basket weaving, completing baskets throughout the course of the day. Would you like to try weaving? Weavers will provide you with instructions and tools to start a basket of your own.

Title: Nature Sensory Play with Minda Lee Briaddy, Hope Essentials

Times: 10:30am-Noon and 1:30pm-3:30pm

Location: Center Classroom 1 – Map Location 7

Discover the treasures of nature in our sensory boxes. Create your nature art work. Explore different plant life forms through playful sensory activities. Share with others your discoveries through drawing and stories. Led by Minda Lee Briaddy, Special Education Teacher.

Title: Campfire Singalong and S’Mores with Tom Techman and Andy Walkow

Times: 11am-12:15pm and 1:45pm – 3:00pm

Location: Lean-to – Map Location 15

One of last year’s most popular activities is back! Stop by the lean to and sing along to some of your favorites with local musicians Tom and Andy. Requests are always welcome, and Tom is excited to share some of his compositions. It’s a great opportunity to make new friends and create lasting memories. To complete your campfire experience, we’ll have S’mores supplies on hand for everyone.

Title: Nature’s Percussions and Music Making with Klaus and Lisa Meissner, Rustic Riders

Times: 12:45PM – 1:45pm

Location: Butterfly House Field – Map Location 3

Explore the treasures of nature that can be used to create your own percussion instrument, which us yours to keep and to decorate at home. With our newly created musical instruments, we’ll make music together to enjoy, to be playful, to have fun and to uplift ourselves and others. Led by musicians, songwriters and singers Klaus and Lida Meissner of The Rustic Riders.

Title: Storytelling with Tamara Jolly, Adirondack Diversity Initiative

Times: 1:00pm-2:30pm

Location: Back Deck – Map Location 11

Sharing our stories helps us heal, inspires others, and builds powerful connections, allowing us to feel loved and supported. This workshop will celebrate the richness of our diverse voices and unique experiences, knowing that every story matters and every perspective adds depth to our collective understanding. Join Tamara Jolly from the Adirondack Diversity Initiative in a safe and welcoming space where you’ll laugh, reflect, and experience the magic of being truly seen and heard. Come prepared to build new friendships and share the stories that define who you are.

Title: Paint a Nature Scene with Patrice with Patrice Jarvis-Weber, Paint with Patrice

Times: 1:30pm-3:45pm

Location: Center Classroom 2 – Map Location 8

Artist Patrice Jarvis-Weber will guide you in creating your own nature painting of an Adirondack moonlit scene over the water. This workshop is geared for beginners, open to all ages and artistic abilities. Participants will use acrylic paints on an 8×10-inch stretched canvas and take home their finished painting. All supplies are included. Patrice has been creating art and leading art workshops throughout the Adirondacks for events and organizations.

Please note that you will be participating in an outdoor program at Paul Smith’s College. Activities outdoors carry inherent risks, including but not limited to weather conditions, uneven terrain, wildlife encounters, and potential injuries. By participating, you acknowledge and assume these risks. Please use caution and good judgment while enjoying Paul Smith’s College VIC (Visitor Interpretive Center).

Opening Remarks

Susan E. Griskonis Assistant Attorney General in Charge

Susan E. Griskonis

Assistant Attorney General In Charge
Office of the New York State Attorney General
Plattsburgh Regional Office

Susan Griskonis is the Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Plattsburgh Regional Office of the New York State Attorney General (OAG) where she leads a talented team responsible for defensive and affirmative litigation, regulatory oversight, consumer complaints, and community outreach in Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties. Before being appointed to this role in August 2021, Susan was the Managing Attorney of the Canton and Plattsburgh offices of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Inc., (LASNNY), where she supervised LASNNY’s family law and housing units, substantially expanded LASNNY’s funding and grant partnerships, and established the first legal services contract between a Civil Legal Services provider and a Tribal Nation in New York State to bring LASNNY’s free civil legal services to the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe. Since joining the OAG, Susan has amplified the OAG’s North Country presence by assembling a dynamic litigation team, expanding outreach, elevating regional issues to the Attorney General, and tackling systemic civil rights violations and discrimination.

Susan is a proud graduate of the State University of New York’s Erie Community College-City Campus, University at Buffalo, and University at Buffalo School of Law. Out of the office, Susan enjoys yoga, qigong, gardening, music, sailing, hiking, cycling, skiing, traveling, and relishing life with her loving husband, Dean, four beautiful adult children, Autumn, Jeffrey, Zachary, and Sophia, an exuberant English Cream Golden Retriever, Nigel, and a disinterested cat, Monty.

Leah Akins is DEC’s Statewide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Coordinator. She focuses on improving access for people with disabilities to outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, camping, boating, paddling, birding, and nature observation. In this role, she is a diligent advocate for greater equity in access to the outdoors, diversifying visitors to State lands, and providing a more inclusive environment for all.

Infusing DEI into environmental conservation is her passion, as she sees this integrated approach as fundamental to improving the health of humans and ecosystems. Leah feeds this passion by creating opportunities for people who have limited access to the outdoors to get outside and by working directly with community groups to deepen their connection with nature.

Leah came to DEI and environmental conservation from a wide-ranging background in environmental science, policy, planning, and community engagement. Just like the marine animals she studied as a graduate student, she has been migrating upriver throughout her career, spanning research on sea turtles in Florida, shrimp fisheries in North Carolina, strategic planning, and policy for marine reserves in California, and coastal protection in New York State.

Leah has a Master of Science in ecology from the University of California, Davis, and a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is a certified ADA Coordinator and Trainer in a broad range of diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. Read her article on page 14 the June/July 2023 issue of DEC’s Conservationist magazine to learn more about accessible recreation on New York State lands.

Leah Akins New York State DEC ADA Accessibility Coordinator

Leah Akins

New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation
Statewide Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)
Accessibility Coordinator

Free Transportation to the Festival

In partnership with the Franklin County Department of Transporation, and the Village of Saranac Lake, we are excited to announce the following free transportation options to assist the general public, and particularly people with disabilities, in getting to and from the Adirondack Nature Festival for People with Disabilities.

Franklin County Department of Transportation

Franklin County Transportation will provide transportation to the Adirondack Nature Festival for People with Disabilities, at Paul Smiths College VIC, on Saturday, August 16, 2025, from 9am to 5pm. in accordance with the following schedule:

Malone: Pickup and dropoffs will be at the Malone Adult Center, located at 14906 NY-30, Malone, NY 12953.
Get directions to the Malone Adult Center on Google Maps.

Pickup: 9:00am with arrival at the VIC at approximately 10am.
Dropoff: Leave from the VIC at 4:00pm with arrival at the Malone Adult Center at approximately 4:30pm

Saranac Lake: Pickup and dropoffs will be at the Saranac Lake Adult Center, located at 135 Broadway, Saranac Lake, NY 12983.
Get directions to the Saranac Lake Adult Center on Google Maps.

Pickup: 10:30am with arrival at the VIC at approximately 11:00am
Dropoff: Leave from the VIC at 3:00pm, with arrival at the Saranac Lake Adult Center at approximately 3:30p

Village of Saranac Lake

The Village of Saranac Lake is providing $50 vouchers from the Village's Ride Share Program for Uber rides for Village residents only to and from the Adirondack Nature Festival for People with Disabilities. Vouchers will be delivered via text message to the cell phone number you provide in the Transportation Request Form. Sign up today and reserve your ride early!

Total Care Resources

Changing Treatment Table with Rails
Changing tables and mechanical lifts are designed to safely and efficiently support individuals who may have limited mobility or require assistance with personal care tasks. These devices ensure that caregivers can perform transfers and positioning without straining themselves, reducing the risk of injury for both the caregiver and the person being assisted. The mechanical lift allows for smooth transitions from wheelchairs or other mobility devices to the changing table, enhancing the user’s comfort and safety.

A changing table and mechanical lift will be available for people requiring total care. For more information please use our Contact Form, and send a message with the Changing Table and Mechanical Lift subject.

Media Information

People with Disabilities on Adirondack Pine Forest Trail

Thank you to all of our great media partners who have covered the Adirondack Nature Festival for People with Disabilities with such compassion, and care. You have all been supportive and gracious.

As you know, the festival is focused on providing opportunities for people with disabilities, their families, friends and supporters, to connect with nature together in an environment that is as undisturbed as possible.

We need your help to ensure that everyone can peacefully enjoy the festival, so we ask that you limit your interactions during the event. This includes;

  • Restricting interviews with participants, vendors, speakers, staff, and volunteers.
  • Not recording on any of the trails or program areas while they are being used by our program participants. This includes cameras, cell phones, video cameras, audio recorders, etc.

The only exceptions are during the opening ceremony (ribbon cutting), and opening remarks.

These measures are in place to create a safe, comfortable, and undisturbed environment for all attendees.

We will have professional photographers and cinematographers that will document various aspects of the festival. You can request images, and/or an interview, by using our Contact form, and selecting Media Inquiry as your message subject.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.