High Peaks Resort offers opportunity for non-profits to raise money

High Peaks Resort Announces ‘Spring For Hope’

- Unprecedented Assistance for Non-Profit Organizations -

LAKE PLACID (Sept. 6, 2011) – High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid is seeking applications for its Spring For Hope℠ initiative, an opportunity for non-profit organizations to be awarded free use of meeting space, accommodations, and more at the beautiful Adirondacks resort.

This unprecedented opportunity will allow two non-profit organizations to each receive free use of the entire resort for three days during April 8 to 18, 2012. Included are two nights’ accommodations (up to 133 rooms), free meeting space (up to 10,000 square feet), free audiovisual and support services, and 50 percent off all related catering. The application deadline is midnight, October 15, 2011, and winners will be announced in mid-November.

“In these difficult times, it is important to give back to our community. By helping those who help others year round, we felt we could have the greatest impact,“ said Bill DeForrest, CEO and President of Lane Hospitality, owner of High Peaks Resort.

“The quality of life in our community is directly impacted by our active non-profits. ‘Spring for Hope’ isn’t just a way to recognize them, but by providing High Peaks Resort free of charge, we can add our support and hopefully increase the good they do,” added Truett Martin, Vice President of Operations and acting General Manager of High Peaks Resort.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for the winning organizations to do whatever they want with our gift – from holding a fundraiser, offering a thank you trip to staff and volunteers, to planning an annual meeting, seminar or retreat,” Martin said.

Spring For Hope is open to all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations actively engaged in fundraising for their organization. Participants will be judged by a panel of community leaders on their success and impact in benefiting the communities they serve.

High Peaks Resort offers the Adirondacks’ newest and most business-focused conference facilities with expansive meeting space and the latest in conference-support technology. Located in the heart of Lake Placid, overlooking Mirror Lake and steps from historic Main Street, the entire resort will be made available to the winning non-profits.

Click Here To Apply

Eligible non-profits can apply for consideration by visiting www.springforhope.net and completing the application and other requirements. For submissions, questions or other inquiries, email the application and paperwork tolfitzgerald@highpeaksresort.com with “Spring For Hope” in the subject line; or write Spring For Hope, High Peaks Resort, 2384 Saranac Ave, Lake Placid, NY 12946; or fax to 518-523-9908, or call Lori Fitzgerald at 518-523-4411, ext. 361.

About The High Peaks Resort

High Peaks Resort overlooks Mirror Lake while anchoring Lake Placid’s Main Street for an outstanding mountain getaway experience. Surrounded by the six-million-acre Adirondack wilderness park with thousands of miles of trails for hiking and biking, and hundreds of lakes for fishing, High Peak’s 133 beautiful accommodations offer direct waterfront access. Restaurants include the world-famous Dancing Bears and Outdoors at Dancing Bears - with unsurpassed views of the surrounding mountains and Mirror Lake. Other amenities include PR’s intimate lobby bar; two indoor and two outdoor swimming pools; expanded fitness center; Aveda Spa & Salon, and complimentary waterfront activities. Guestrooms feature breathtaking views, patios or balconies; European-style bathrooms with natural stone tiling and rainfall showerheads; high-quality bedding and linens; refrigerators; flat screen televisions with cable and movies; complimentary Wi-Fi, and multi-function music systems with MP3 players. For reservations, visit www.highpeaksresort.com or call 518-523-4411, toll-free800-755-5598.

Gillibrand Statement on Disaster Relief Bill

GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCES SENATE PASSAGE OF DISASTER RELIEF BILL

Bill Includes $5.1 Billion For FEMA, $266 Million For USDA

Washington, DC U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced Senate passage today of the Disaster Relief legislation. The $6.9 billion disaster funding bill included $5.1 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and $266 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Senator Gillibrand aggressively lobbied her Senate colleagues to pass this disaster package. Senator Gillibrand has traveled across the state, receiving briefings and viewing the damage caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, working to bring all federal resources to bear to aid in the recovery. Senator Gillibrand has toured damage on Long Island, in Westchester County, the Capital Region, Catskill, Schoharie County and Binghamton.


This legislation is a step forward to ensuring federal assistance to help our families, farmers, businesses and communities recover, said Senator Gillibrand. America has always stood by those suffering from disaster and helped them to rebuild. We have an obligation to help these families rebuild today. Across New York the North Country, Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, Hudson Valley, Southern Tier, and Long Island no one can question the devastation these storms left in these communities. We must stand with them in this time of great need.



$5.1 Billion For The FEMA Disaster Relief Fund

The FEMA Disaster Relief Fund provides Public Assistance and Individual Assistance to designated counties. Without final passage of this legislation, FEMA will likely run out of funding in the next few weeks and be unable to pay, reimburse, or loan money to families and communities.



FEMA's individual assistance program includes a range of programs, such as home repair, temporary housing, grants for serious disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs.


Public assistance is federal aid made available to public and certain nonprofit entities for emergency services and the repair or replacement of public facilities damaged in a natural disaster. Qualifying municipalities and entities can use public assistance funding for debris removal and cleanup, emergency protective measures to save lives and prevent further property damage following a storm and to repair washed out and heavily damaged roads and bridges. Local governments can also utilize this source of funding to repair water control facilities including dams and levees, to repair public buildings and equipment damaged from the storm, repair utilities, and repair or restore public parks and other recreational facilities.



$78 Million For The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP)
The ECP is coordinated through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide emergency funding and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers to repair farmland damaged by natural disasters, and to carry out emergency water conservation measures during severe drought. Conservation practices include removing debris, restoring fences and conservation structures, and providing water for livestock.

For land to be eligible for ECP resources, the natural disaster must create new conservation problems that if left untreated would impair or endanger the land, materially affect the lands productive capacity, represent unusual damage, and be so costly to repair that federal assistance is or will be required to return the land to productive agricultural use.

ECP program participants receive cost-share assistance of up to 75 percent of the cost to implement approved conservation practices determined by county FSA committees. Individual or cumulative requests for cost-sharing of $50,000 or less per person, per disaster are approved at the county committee level, $50,001 to $100,000 is approved at the state level, and over $100,000 is approved at the federal level. Technical assistance may be provided by the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).


$139 Million For The Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP)
The EWP was established to help conserve natural resources following natural disasters by relieving imminent hazards to life and property caused by floods, fires, drought, windstorms and other severe weather. The EWP responds to hazards including debris-clogged streams and channels, undermined and unstable stream banks, jeopardized water control structures and public infrastructure, wind-borne debris removal, and damaged upland sites stripped of protective vegetation by fire or drought.

Protection efforts can include purchasing floodplain easements to restore, protect, maintain and enhance the floodplain, including wetlands and riparian areas. It can also conserve natural values, including fish and wildlife habitat, water quality, flood water retention and groundwater recharge, and safeguard lives and property from floods, drought and erosion.

NRCS may bear up to 75 percent of the construction cost of emergency measures. The remaining costs must come from local sources, and can be in the form of cash or in-kind services. Public and private landowners are eligible for assistance but must be represented by a project sponsor, such as the state, local government, or conservation district.

All EWP work must reduce the threat to life and property, be economically, environmentally and socially defensible, and come from a sound technical standpoint.



$100 Million For Community Development Block Grants (CDBG)

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would specifically use this funding for disaster recovery. HUD gives states and localities the flexibility to meet a variety of needs, from assisting individual homeowners and business owners, to buying out properties to make way for more robust flood protection in the future, to developing infrastructure to rebuild homes and business zones away from flood danger.



$135 Million For The Economic Development Administration (EDA)

EDA would use this funding to provide financial resources and technical assistance to help rebuild economic development plans following a disaster and grants to build new infrastructure (e.g. business incubators, technology parks, research facilities, basic utilities such as water treatment) that foster economic development to retain or attract jobs to the region.

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES FEDERAL DISASTER AID APPROVED FOR COUNTIES AFFECTED BY RECENT TROPICAL STORM LEE FLOODING

State of New York Executive Chamber
Andrew M. Cuomo Governor
For Immediate Release: September 13, 2011

GOVERNOR CUOMO ANNOUNCES FEDERAL DISASTER AID APPROVED FOR COUNTIES AFFECTED BY RECENT TROPICAL STORM LEE FLOODING

Individual Assistance for Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego and Tioga Counties

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that federal disaster assistance is now available for homeowners, renters and small businesses in five counties affected by the recent flooding sustained by the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee.

"The recent flooding caused widespread damage across the Southern Tier and I thank FEMA for their prompt decision to help New Yorkers recover," Governor Cuomo said. "Throughout the past weeks the federal government has been a critical partner in our response to the recent storm damage inflicted by both Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. All residents and small businesses who have suffered losses should call FEMA's registration number – 1-800-621-3362, or register online as soon as possible."

Under this declaration, residents and small businesses in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, and Tioga counties are now eligible to apply for the following assistance: the Individuals and Households Program, Crisis Counseling, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, USDA food coupons and distribution, USDA food commodities, Disaster Legal Services, the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Small Business Administration disaster loans. The declaration also includes statewide implementation of FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

State emergency officials are working closely with the state legislative delegation, including Senate Deputy Majority Leader Tom Libous, to get the message out about the federal assistance that is available. Those who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362. Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

Additional counties may be made eligible for federal assistance as ongoing damage assessments are completed.

Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga (CCTT) Announces New ED

The CCTT Board of Directors has appointed Ms. Diane E. DeMuth to the agency's chief executive office effective November 7, 2011. Ms. DeMuth is currently the CEO and Executive Director for the AIM Independent Living Center, headquartered in Corning, New York.
The mission of Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga (CCTT) is to help build communities that care for all people by reducing poverty, promoting healthy individual and family life. This is made possible by collaborating with our community’s civic and governmental agencies and faith communities-Catholic and non-Catholic, advocating for social justice.

Ms. DeMuth earned Bachelor of Arts degrees from both Richmond College, Staten Island, N.Y. and from City University of New York. She also earned a Master of Science degree in Industrial & Labor Relations, jointly from Baruch College and Cornell University.

She has devoted her entire professional career to human services, working with and leading non-profit organizations.

Ms. DeMuth, an Ithaca resident, will oversee the operations of professional staff and volunteers at both the headquarters office at 324 W. Buffalo Street, Ithaca and at 464 Broad Street, Waverly.

For additional details contact:

Philip L. Cox, President, Board of Directors

607-273-5170

or

Mary Pat Dolan,Interim Executive Director

mpdolan@dor.org

607-272-5062 x 13

Humane Society Flood Update and Supplies Needed

The Flood of 2011 forced the Humane Society to evacuate our 2 Jackson Street Binghamton shelter and temporarily suspend operations. All the animals have been relocated and are safe. We are now working on the first phase of the recovery plan in an effort to return to full operations as soon as possible.

We are aware the shelter sustained damage and have received preliminary reports of 4 feet of water in the building. The extent of the damage cannot be assessed until we are able to return to the building.

When we evacuated we were unable to take food or supplies and are in need of the following:

Pedigree adult complete nutrition dog food
Canned dog food
Purina kitten chow
Purina cat chow
Canned cat food
Cat litter
Paper towels
Hand sanitizer
Laundry Soap
Dish Soap
Large heavy duty garbage bags
Towels and blankets
Monetary donations are also needed.

All supplies can be taken to 1946 NYS Rt.12, in the town of Chenango (Next to Allen Veterinary Hospital) where we are temporarily housing the animals. Allen Veterinary Hospital is assisting us with housing some of our animals which is allowing us to provide a more comfortable environment for all of them. We are grateful beyond words!

If you have any questions, please send an email to bhumanesoc@aol.com. We will respond as quickly as we can.

The Humane Society would like to thank everyone for their concern and generosity while we, likemuch of our community, rebound from this event.

Thank you.
Karen Matson
Executive Director

Professional Development Survey

Dear Friends,

A couple of weeks ago, I sent you a survey about your professional development interests. If you haven't responded to it, please consider doing so. The purpose of the survey is to provide the faculty and staff in the Public Administration Department at Binghamton University would like to learn more about the professional development needs and interests of local nonprofit sector professionals. We will use the results of the survey to assess whether our Department should develop a series of training workshops. The survey should take you less than 15 minutes to complete, and your answers are completely anonymous.

Take the survey by following this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LocalExecutiveEducation or pasting it into your browser.
If you have any questions about this survey, you can contact Steve Jackson at Binghamton University at (607)777-9154, or at sjackson@binghamton.edu.

We will close the survey later this week.

Best wishes,

David Campbell
Chair, Department of Public Administration
dcamp@binghamton.edu