To the editor:

Gratitude best describes the feelings of the Board and volunteers at Lake Placid Thrive & Thrift. It is hard to believe that the building we operate from has been open for just a little over a year. We first opened to the public for the Thanksgiving 2024 basket giveaway. We were humbled at that point to be in a brand-new, debt-free building, thanks to the incredible generosity of our community.

Now, one year later, we continue to be amazed at the outpouring of community support for our mission. Every day the thrift shop is open, we receive fabulous donations and sell those items to our customers. In addition to keeping tons of items out of our local landfill, your donations and purchases feed and assist those in need in our community. We love our new shop and are thankful for the deep and ongoing support it has received.

On the other side of our lobby is the food pantry. Through donations and purchases, we passed out over 200 Thanksgiving baskets this year. We had fresh potatoes from Childstock Farms and all the fixings. Staff from FCI Ray Brook, our Board, and volunteers made that day easy work.

The pantry has also had the blessing of several food drives. Price Chopper’s bag program, Rotary Club, The Lake Placid Synagogue, Capisce Coffee, Adirondack Health, Community Bank, Zonta, Lake Placid Central Schools, Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, The Pickled Pig, St. Agnes School, ORDA, Kinney Drugs, North Country School, Northwood School and other groups have filled our shelves. A special thank you to Rotary, which is moving its December drives to the beginning of 2026, when the generosity of the holidays typically wanes, and we may once again find our shelves depleted.

The Board also wants to thank the Town of North Elba, Village of Lake Placid, and the Lake Placid Central Schools for their aid and services. With their partnerships, the building is maintained, snow is removed from the parking lot and vital support is provided. Our community is united in the cooperation offered to our organization.

To the many donors who give, thank you for loving our community and every person who calls it home. Your giving built our facility and sustained the funding that feeds, clothes, and assists your neighbors. Individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations are cooperating for the betterment of us all.

Lastly, to our customers of the food pantry and thrift shop, it is a pleasure to serve you.

Pastor Jim Koenig on behalf of the Lake Placid Thrive & Thrift Board

Lake Placid