Events
Upcoming Events:
Bountiful Bowl Benefit - May 29, 2010 
Well as they say, “you missed a good one”. The Bountiful Bowl Benefit was held on May 29th and over 100 supporters of the Adirondack Folk School came and had their bowls filled with chili, soup and salad and some awesome desserts! The weather was perfect. Thank you to everyone who attended. We had the “Mixed Nuts” entertain us with some rocking great music. Those gathered were able to see the nearly completed fire ring being build by George Mosca, who also played lead guitar and sang with the “Mixed Nuts.” Our new Adirondack Chair arrived and was on display for everyone to find our school. Rene Hamell, who has been helping almost daily with projects around the school, made a HUGE Adirondack Chair which put a smile on everyone’s face who ventured up into it to have their picture taken. Grace Mandle’s efforts of endless nights throwing over 100 bowls and Sue Waterhouse’s “creature bowls” were a hit beyond our wildest expectations – all found a bowl that spoke to them – all the various colors and shapes were marked “AFS 2010” – could this be the start of an annual event in support of AFS & the Maxfield Community Food Pantry?
So many people helped and we thank them all for their efforts – Kathleen Hurley did a fantastic job of organizing and getting all the food, logistics and tables, which were loaned to us by the American Legion of Lake Luzerne. The delicious food was donated by some of our wonderful local eateries – Ciro’s Restaurant, The Longhorn Cafe, Nino’s Pizzeria, The ½ Mile Ranch, Mollie’s Mason Jar Restaurant and Rocco’s II Pizza – thank you all for your kind support. Stewart’s of Lake Luzerne provided our drinks so we all stayed hydrated. Pastor Michael Burkley of the Rockwell Falls Presbyterian Church had lines forming to get his homemade breads and mouthwatering cheesecakes – simply heavenly treats!
Volunteers – well, without these great folks an event like this just doesn’t happen – so a BIG thank you to you all – Sandy & Bob Sherman, Peter & Dorothy Waldt and their entire family, Sue & Ernie Wilder, Jim Schreiner, Mark & Michelle Mayhew, Marika Jones, Patrice Jaras-Weber, Patricia Goldburg, Carol Maher, Grace Mandle, Rich & Gail Grimaldi, Lynn Benevento, and Demie Paulin-Rich.
And a big thank you goes to Bill & Marcia Campbell’s family and Elmer Gates for their major support of this event!
Through the efforts of all of those and many more, the Adirondack Folk School is happy to be contributing a check for $1,000 to the Maxfield Community Food Pantry in Lake Luzerne.
June 12 – Adirondack Logging
Dick Nason
Dick Nason is a walking library of knowledge when it comes to the early days of logging in the Adirondacks. We are thrilled that he is our first speaker to “kick off” the season at the new Fireside Saturday Night Programs. What will really bring this presentation alive for you is that right outside our doors is the Hudson River where after the presentation you can enjoy roasting marshmallows at our fire ring and outdoor presentation area and hear and see the river where the early loggers floated the logs down to the mills in Glens Falls. You won’t want to miss this presentation.
Dick graduated from the University of Maine with a BS in Forestry in 1964. Besides holding a never broken record in hammer throwing while in college, Dick also threw in the Master’s Division at the Empire State Games. Dick worked for Finch, Pruyn, and Company in Glens Falls until he retired in 1999 and still continues to consult for the company today. His interest and enthusiasm for logging and forest management is unmatched just like his hammer throwing skills.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
Kerry Mendez
Unstoppable Perennials for Adirondack Gardens – Friday, June 18, 2010, 6:30 – 8:00 pm.
Kerry Mendez, from Perenially Yours, (www.pyours.com) will talk about which perennials find the cold, blustery Adirondack winter conditions to be a real cakewalk. In addition to a colorful PowerPoint program, she will provide handouts that will introduce you to many perennial winners that will beautify your garden and save you money by not having to buy replacement plants. Fee: $10 for non-members, $5 for AFS members
June 19 – Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Steve Mackey
Local resident Steve Mackey did something few of us can even imagine – hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail as a through hiker! That is hiking all 2,187 miles across 14 states of it in a single long hike! Steve, as owner of the Luzerne Market in town, kept everyone posted on his progress last summer as he hiked from Georgia to Maine. Now come and see his slides, worn out boots and hear all about the encounters he had along the way. Who knows, you might be inspired enough to dust off your boots in the closet and get out there yourself!
Steve attended Paul Smiths and the Environmental College of Forestry at Syracuse, majoring in Forestry. He worked several interesting summer jobs, including banding raptors in Montana and being a Wilderness Ranger in the Catskills. Steve is an active member of the Glens Falls chapter of ADK and is an ADK 46’er and a Catskill 3,500’er and a Winter 46’er.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
June 26 – Adirondack Animals
Bernadette Hoffman of the Pember Museum
Bernadette will present an enlightening program about Adirondack Animals including museum taxidermy mounts of red fox, fisher and a great horned owl. Hands-on artifacts will include a moose antler, owl wings and talons, fisher and fox pelts. So come and hear a wonderful presentation and learn all about the animals that are in our woods – you may not see them all, but it is fascinating to learn about these wonderful creatures.
Bernadette Hoffman has worked for the Pember Museum for two years as their educator. She previously worked as a zookeeper and brings vast animal knowledge to the Pember. Aside from working at the museum, she presents wildlife programs of her own under her hobby name Wildlife Education by Bernie.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
July 3 – Quiet Reflections at the Fire Ring
During the 4th of July weekend there will be plenty of celebrations and activities around the town. We are planning a “major bash” as we officially have our Open House at the Adirondack Folk School on July 5th. All are invited to help celebrate and join in the festivities. On Saturday evening, join us at the Fire Ring as we honor all the volunteers who have helped to create the school. So, come on over and roast a few marshmallows and join in for our informal evening of pre-celebration.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission:
Free for both Members & Soon to be Members of the Adirondack Folk School
July 5 – Grand Opening Celebration 
All afternoon there will be events to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Adirondack Folk School. There is a lot in the works, so you won’t want to miss all the activities. For starters Chris Shaw, and a few real familiar Adirondack singer/pickers are scheduled to be jamming on the back porch at 2:00 pm.
We are also honored that joining in the celebration will be Carl Heilman II, an award winning outdoor photographer who specializes in nature panoramas, murals and nature photography of the Adirondacks. Carl has been photographing the wilderness landscape since 1975, working to capture on film both the grandeur of these special places, and the emotional and spiritual connection he has felt as well. His passion for spending as much time as possible in some of the wildest regions of the Adirondacks soon became a lifelong quest to create images that record the essence of a true wilderness experience, and help convey that feeling to others. His slide presentation is not to be missed! More details on this and our other activities will follow soon. See you at the Adirondack Folk School gala.
July 10 – Interiors of the Great Camps
Ralph Kylloe
As the most published author and authority on rustic design, furniture, and Adirondack camps, you won’t want to miss this presentation and get a chance to peek inside some of the most beautiful camps and cabins in our region. Ralph has written more books on these subjects than anyone, and we’re thrilled that he will be sharing his knowledge with us in this most informative slide presentation. The photography is stunning and you will leave with a keen perspective of what makes the Adirondack style so unique. So, come grab a chair, and sit back and enjoy a fantastic evening – who knows, you might even get inspired enough to take one of our rustic furniture classes!
Ralph Kylloe, PhD, began in Rustic Furniture over 30 years ago and is one of the best known and respected authorities in the Rustic Industry today. The Ralph Kylloe Gallery is one of a kind and located in Lake George, NY.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
July 17 – Chainsaw Carving Demonstration
Bruce Levett
Ever wonder how someone is able to carve one of those massive logs into one of the incredible carved animals we see in the Adirondacks? Whether it is a Bear or Eagle, the skills and artistic talent required to carve with a chainsaw can not be fully appreciated until you see an artist at work and hear all about the process required to make one of these massive creations. Lake Luzerne, master chainsaw carver Bruce Levett will show you how it’s done in his step-by-step presentation right here at the school. We doubt you will pick up a chainsaw, nor do we advise it, but you will leave with a greater appreciation of the talents required and enjoy the evening.
Bruce Levett has lived in Lake Luzerne since 1969 and is a retired teacher who now spends his time as a master carver of large-scale animals, birds and other wonderfully detailed creations from his workshop in Corinth, NY. With a love of art his entire life, he finds the challenge of creating with a chainsaw a magnet. The tedious job of “taking away” wood to create a sculpture combined with the rugged use of pine logs and specialized chainsaws will thrill onlookers. Bruce uses a combination of chainsaws and electric carving tools to sculpt details, character and part of himself in his delightful carvings.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
July 24 – With Anvil & Hammer – A Blacksmith Demonstration
Mike Parwana & Jeannette Brandt
If you have never seen a master blacksmith at work as they heat, hammer and form metal into beautiful scrolls, leaves and more, you will be amazed when you see the process and the creativity these two blacksmiths possess. Mike and Jeannette are master blacksmiths who started their business, Chicken Coop Forge right here in Lake Luzerne. Their work can be seen in numerous homes and great camps throughout the Adirondacks, such as The Whiteface lodge in Lake Placid. At this lodge, each of the guest rooms, great room and lobby were equipped with the unique one of a kind lighting, and fire screens created by these artisans. After you’ve seen this blacksmithing demonstration, we hope you will be one of the first to sign up for an upcoming class here at AFS.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
July 31 – An Evening with Chris Shaw - Adirondack Singer, Songwriter, & Storyteller
The Adirondack Folk School is honored to be able to present Chris Shaw for this special evening performance. Chris is one of those rare Adirondack folk, who called and said, “Hey I think what you guys are doing is GREAT and I want to help.” Chris we cannot thank you enough and hope everyone comes out to make this performance a blockbuster. Chris – you’re the real thing – a true Adirondack Legend!
Christopher Shaw was raised in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. He was born the son, of the son, of a commercial steamboat pilot on Lake George. Chris worked the big boats and grew up listening to the songs and stories passed down in those mountains from generation to generation, never suspecting he would bring those same songs and stories to audiences all over the world.
For over ten years he toured for Taylor Guitars as a clinician demonstrating American Folk and country style guitar from Anchorage to Berlin. In addition to his trips for Taylor, he has appeared at such highly respected venues as the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, two appearances for the Smithsonian Institute, the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Old Songs Folk Festival, and the Chautauqua Institute, as well as music halls, festivals, and coffee houses across the US and Europe. He has produced a number of TV soundtracks for Public Television. Chris wrote the soundtrack and was “the voice of Seneca Ray” on the television special “Seneca Ray Stoddard: An American Original” seen coast to coast on PBS. Most recently, a live concert special called “Chris Shaw: Live in Concert” is showing on PBS stations across the country.
Chris has made nine recordings with another one to be released this spring. His 1988 debut, “Adirondack”, has been inducted into the Library of Congress Folk Archives. Performers who have contributed to Chris’ recordings include such acoustic innovators as Artie Traum, John Sebastian, Garth Hudson (The Band), Vassar Clements, Cindy Cashdollar (Asleep at the Wheel), Tony Trischka, Jay Ungar, and Steve Riley.
Time: 8:00 p.m.
Admission: Tickets are $25/family, $15 for Adult. Member’s admission is $5 less per ticket. Thank you for supporting AFS!
Great Flowering Shrubs for Adirondack Gardens – Thursday, August 5, 2010, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Kerry Mendez, from Perennially Yours, (www.pyours.com) will return to talk about adding drama, winter interest and colorful flowers to your gardens while reducing maintenance time. Her talk will include some of the spectacular
flowering shrubs that can be used to add color to your garden. A colorful PowerPoint will introduce you to some terrific plants for northern gardens. Fee: $10 for non-members, $5 for AFS members
August 7 – James Bruchac – Story Teller Extraordinair
The Adirondack Folk School is proud to welcome James Bruchac for this edge of your chair presentation. Jim is an award-winning author, storyteller, tracking expert, wilderness instructor, guide, as well as a “neighbor” just down the road in Greenfield Center, NY. Jim is the eldest son of World-renowned Abenaki Indian storyteller and author Joseph Bruchac III. Of Abenaki and Slovak descent Jim grew up immersed in the outdoors and the art of storytelling right here in the foothills of the Adirondacks. Due to their combined efforts to educate others about the natural world in March of 2005 Jim and his father were awarded a CONSERVATION ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION.
As a storyteller, Jim provides programs for countless schools and colleges across the country as well as for numerous libraries, museums and storytelling festivals including the Smithsonian Discovery Theater in Washington DC, the Corn Island Storytelling Festival in Kentucky, Noble Tales Festival in Indiana, Indian Summer and Riverbend Festivals in Wisconsin, John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Boston MA, and many others. He has published a number of picture books of traditional Native stories including the classic How Chipmunk Got His Stripes and The Girl Who Helped Thunder, a comprehensive anthology of Native American legends co-authored by Jim and his father Joseph. In Fall of 2002 Jim and others members of his family were featured on the PBS special ADIRONDACK STORYTELLERS (WMHT/PBS). In 1999 the Wordcraft Circle of Native Authors and Storytellers nominated Jim as STORYTELLER OF THE YEAR.
This is the perfect way to spend a summer evening in the Adirondacks!
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission: Tickets are $25/family, $15 for Adult. Member’s admission is $5 less per ticket. Thank you for supporting AFS!
August 14 – “Boats and Boating in the Adirondacks” 
Hallie Bond
For millennia the lakes, rivers and streams of the Adirondacks have formed important transportation routes through the region. For most of that time, until the 1920s, the waterways were essential for transportation. Since the ascendance of the automobile they have been used primarily for recreation. This slide-illustrated lecture reviews the story of boats and boating in the Adirondacks, drawing on the rich resources of artifacts, documents and photographs at the Adirondack Museum. From birch barks and dugouts to canoes, guide boats, steamboats, and gasoline powered race boats, the boats of the region will be placed in the context of the people who made and used them.
Hallie E. Bond has been Curator at the Adirondack Museum since 1987. She has written extensively on regional history and material culture including Boats and Boating in the Adirondacks, published by Syracuse University Press in 1995, and numerous articles in magazines and contributions to books. Ms. Bond has a B.A. in History from the University of Colorado, an M.A. in Medieval Studies from the University of York (England) and an M.A. in American History with a Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Delaware. She lives in Long Lake, NY, with her husband Mason Smith and two children.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
August 21 – An Adirondack Guide & His Beautiful Adirondacks
Paul Gibaldi
Paul is one unique kind of guy! Paul Gibaldi’s love of the outdoors and nature is absolutely infectious! He own personal life is an amazing story as well, but to see the Adirondacks through the eyes – those of a true Adirondack Guide, will get your heart pumping and re-ignite your love of this park. Is it any wonder why AFS is located right here? In his presentation Paul serves as your virtual tour guide through “his” beloved Adirondack Mountains, which he calls home. You’ll see in this slide show the wonder of the flora, fauna and scenery that exists in our natural paradise in upstate New York.
As operator of Gibaldi Guide Service, Paul guides visitors by canoe deep into the Adirondack wilderness. “Some come for the fishing,” he says. “Some come for the spiritual enrichment the Adirondack beauty brings.”
We think you’ll leave with a new appreciation for our park.
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
August 28 – Open Pit Cooking with Local Ingredients
Mary Turner
What’s that about cooking in the great outdoors not being fine fare? Well you’ll have to see Mary demonstrate how to choose, prepare and cook these delicious recipes with ingredients that are available in season. And to top that, these recipes are straightforward, yet flavorful and nutritious. The best part is that they can be replicated on an open campfire or a propane camp stove – WOW! Now you will want to dig out that old camping gear and don’t forget to bring a big appetite to this Fireside program. You’re going to find this one both enjoyable and informative.
Mary Turner has a background in the retail industry as an owner and operator of a health food store, and then she began a transition out of retail into a direct approach to overall health and well-being. Aware of the connection between diet and health, education seemed to be an effective avenue to share her knowledge and help people to understand where their food comes from and how to work with what is available in season.
Mary has worked closely with the local farming communities in New York and Central California over the years. You can find her often giving cooking demonstrations at the local farmers markets in Glens Falls, Saratoga and New York.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated
September 25 – “Bear-Proofing Your Camp” 
Cliff Jacobson
Bears: Learn the diffferences between black bears, polar bears and grizzlies, and the different strategies that encounters with each of these species require. There are significant differences between bears that are habituated to people, and those that are wild. Learn what to do if you meet a bear on the trail. What should you do if a predacious bear stalks you, or one comes into your camp? Learn to properly use pepper spray to discourage a bear. Discover how to keep your food on a camping trip safe from bears. You’ll learn that storing food “in trees” doesn’t always work. While you may see only a few bears in the Adirondacks, Cliff has had encounters with all kinds of bears over the years leading trips on some of the most remote rivers in North America.
Cliff Jacobson is one of North America’s most respected outdoors writers and wilderness paddlers. He is a retired environmental science teacher, an outdoors skills instructor, a canoeing and camping consultant, and the author of more than a dozen top-selling books and a video on canoeing and camping. He is a distinguished Eagle Scout, a recipient of the American Canoe Association’s prestigious Legends of Paddling Award and a member of the ACA Hall of Fame. This is one presentation you won’t want to miss and you will leave thinking very differently about bears after Cliff’s presentation.
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Admission:
Free for Members of the Adirondack Folk School
A donation for non-members is suggested and appreciated