Board President Scott McWharf’s remarks at the Open House

Welcome – I am Scott McWharf, President of the Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub Board

As we gather together in this historic space, we can all take great pride in the accomplishments of the last four years.

In 2018, when we held the first exploratory meetings, it was unclear what our path forward would be…

Due to the generosity of individuals around the community and foundations and organizations we have accomplished so much — you can see the list of all completed projects on the cards you were handed as you entered. (I will post this card in a separate Facebook post — please do take the survey and return a copy to us via mail — PO Box 614).

From the docks and breakwall to siding and roofing, none of this could have happened without the support of this wonderful community.

Leadership

The Cranberry Lake North Shore Hub would simply not be without the hard work of volunteers.

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the Board that has planned and implemented the property’s rehabilitation. I ask the board members to stand as their name is called. A few members could not join us today.

Denise Barstow
June McWharf
Bill Griffin
Ed Kipp
Clint Farnsworth
Nick Hunter
Darren Bullard

Retired: Terri Smith

Advisory Board Members have accepted responsibility of a key facet of our operations and we extend our thanks to them as well – please stand if you are here.

Mark Friden – history
Ron and Kay Dimon – landscaping
Marianne Holland – community engagement
Susan Sweeney Smith – community engagement
Leslie Anne and Jim King – web page cost, design and upkeep

We also extend thanks to Halsey Bagg, Deb Roberts, Scot Bigelow and Wendy Bigelow who took a whole day and helped us clean the building for this Open House.

Thank You

We thank all individual and family donors as your support was the backbone of the project – if I read that list we would be sitting here a very long time listening to the names of our generous neighbors and friends. Suffice it to say, every gift mattered to our success and we thank every individual donor.

We extend thanks to the organizations and foundations whose support was also essential to our success — as I read out their names, if you are in the leadership of one of these groups, please stand.

• Clifton Fine Economic Development Corporation Smart Growth Committee that awards both the Damoth Fund Awards and the Clifton Fine Community Fund Awards
• Pearsall Adirondack Foundation
• The Northern New York Community Foundation that provided the single largest gift to us and has provided fund management and logistical support throughout the project
• We are very proud of our partnership with the Cranberry Lake Boat Club — together we provide free community dock space, a safe breakwall and the steps you climbed on your way into the building
• The success of the transformation from the Western Adirondack Presbyterian Church to the HUB was also supported by the kindness and flexibility of the Church’s Presbytery — we thank them as well.

That is a lot of thank you’s — and a list we can all be proud of. It demonstrates the coming together of a community to achieve a common good.

Our next phase will be determining building uses, and to that end there is a very brief survey on the back of the card of accomplishments. (Shared in another post)

We ask that you let us know if you want this space preserved as is, or if you prefer, we can move in a direction of creating a more flexible use space… after indicating your choice, please leave your survey in the basket at the door.

Special Gift

We are blessed today, to receive a very unique and special gift to the HUB.

We thank Gary and Barb Casagrain for their donation of an original rendering of the church from an earlier era — they used a postcard from the collection of Kay and Ron Dimon as their inspiration.

Gary and Barb, we thank you — would you please share a few words about this lovely painting and your love of Cranberry Lake.

. . .

Thanks again to Gary and Barb Casagrain and every single person and organization who have supported the Cranberry Lake North Shore HUB and have made this Open House possible and special.

The HUB Board Members will be here until 4 so please feel free to stay and ask questions and enjoy our refreshments.