To the editor:

The Enterprise’s March 4 front-page article, “Smiles for miles” captured the quirky delight, competitive spirit, and the palpable and widespread love for community that the Second Annual Saranac Lake 3P (Pole, Pedal, Paddle) was meant to showcase.

More than 170-racers — including 35 youngsters who participated in our first-ever Kids 3P — leaned-in to what was left of winter last Saturday, smiling, laughing and competing their way through a special event that we believe highlights some of the best attributes of North Country living.

It was classic Saranac Lake in that it bordered on the absurd, benefited from an incredible amount of community-based support, and left nearly everyone associated with it — volunteers, organizers, and racers alike — with a whimsical smile on their faces and the feeling of having been part of something special. The Saranac Lake 3P Race Committee thanks our spirited participants for joining this event. The smiles, positivity, can-do attitudes, and contagious spirits you brought with you benefits our mission and reminds us all that we can do big things together when we’ve got each others’ backs.

The pictures you ran of the beaming, energetic children who competed in the Kids race this year ought to make us all feel good about our community’s future. We know some of the kids are already training for next year! We cannot wait to watch them someday advance to the adult race. In many ways, this race has always been about these kids.

This event could not be possible without the support of over 60 community sponsors and partners. Major sponsors include: RiverTrail Beerworks, Hotel Saranac, Hudson Headwaters Health Network Adirondack Health, Hyde Fuel, Cape Air, Nori’s, North Country Savings Bank, Tissot Construction, and Price Chopper/Market32, with additional support from Adirondack Bank, Adirondack Lakes and Trails Outfitters, Ameriprise, Ampersound, Bean-to Coffee, Bitters and Bones, Blueline Sports, Capisce Coffee and Espresso Bar, Carcuzzi, Casier Furniture, Coakley Hardware, Edward Jones, Fallen Arch, Fidelity Charitable, Guideboat Realty, High Peaks Cyclery, Hornbeck Boats, Ibex, Malojoa/Mt. Road Outfitters, Maplefields, Northern Electric, Northern Power and Light, NRS, Origin Coffee, Rice Furniture, Scheefer’s ADK Builders, Spencer Boatworks, Stewart’s Shops, Stio, Swix, Taylor Rental, Tops Grocery, Traverse Lodge, Tri-Lakes Marine, Trudeau Sand and Gravel, Upstate Auto, Wayne Darrah Auto Body, Craig Weatherup, Wilkins Agency, and the Women’s Civic Chamber. Major partners include: Village of Saranac Lake, Friends of Mt. Pisgah, Mt. Pisgah Rec Center, Dewey Mt Rec. Center, Town of Harrietstown, VIS, SLF&G Club, Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce, ADK Amateur Radio Association, and SLVRS.

Special gratitude to the dozens of capable volunteers who donated their day to help out at the race selling T-shirts, keeping racers on-course, and serving as time-keepers, safety boaters, transition area captains, river spotters, and many other tasks that enabled the race to go off without a hitch. If you ask, they will likely tell you they volunteered because they love their community and what it has to offer.

Special thanks to the Saranac Lake village police and Troop B officers in Ray Brook for overseeing road intersections during the race to keep our bikers and runners safe, and to the many local residents along the route who cheered our competitors on. And thank you to the Enterprise for covering the event and for helping keep racers informed.

Add this event to the ever-growing list of reasons why we enjoy living here. We dreamt up the 3P to be a community-wide celebration of our outstanding recreation venues — a shoulder-season event to bridge what can often a tough time of year for folks, and to build community. We are happy to say it checked all those boxes and more. We are looking forward to doing it again next year.

Scott McKim

Saranac Lake 3P Race Committee