To the editor:

Kudos to the community of Lake Placid and North Elba! I am overwhelmed with gratitude as I have watched the community come together to create a new home for our local food pantry and thrift shop. The fundraiser at Mr. Mike’s, with over 300 attending, showed the depth of support for this vital outreach in our community. As we move closer to construction the generous funds continue to pour in for this project.

Now we need you to show that support by voting yes for the school land transfer to the town of North Elba. The Lake Placid Central School District is limited in its options to lease the proposed land to us. The land transfer will enable the town to create better options in that regard and secure a future for the food pantry and thrift shop within our community.

This school vote will take place on Monday, June 24 from 2 to 8 p.m. with two voting locations: the Lake Placid Elementary School and the Wilmington Community Center. If you are a registered voter within the Lake Placid Central School District, please take the time to vote.

As a pastor in Lake Placid for over a decade, I cannot adequately express how much I appreciate the Ecumenical Charity Program that has served our community since 1985. Linda Young and the many volunteers of the food pantry that continues to operate, and the thrift shop which closed late last year, have expertly and faithfully provided these vital services without fail. Their involvement, along with the centralizing of emergency assistance, has deeply benefited all of us.

Not only will these vital services have a new building, but the previous ecumenical team has transitioned to a new board that includes not just local clergy, but also town and village leaders, a school representative and several volunteers from the food pantry. This is truly a community wide organization that seeks your support.

Pastor Jim Koenig

Board President

Lake Placid’s new food pantry and thrift shop