AE Blog

A Poem By Brianna

2012-03-30T16:08:00.001-04:00

My Experiences
By: Brianna

Skiing was a blast
The fun will always last
Deep within my heart
What we did and what I’ll start
Getting things from sheds
And racing on sleds
Most fun that I rate
Is running over Kate
Orienteering was cool
But mostly the pool
Splish slash I go
I did a handstand and I glow
We did rock climbing last week
I had a goal to seek
Went up three times
And everyone climbed
My experience this year
Could use a cheer
In the woods I went deep
The memories I’ll keep
Oh the fun that I had
When I leave I’ll be sad
I have learned to try
And now my limits the sky!

Winter to Spring

2012-03-30T15:52:00.003-04:00

Placid winters usually last longer than March, but this year is different. Here at Adirondack Experience we love all seasons. We have had fun sledding, cross-country skiing, ice climbing, and making snowmen, yet the sunny weather has beckoned us to break out the flip flops and start the summer activities. We recently had a 2 week girls program that enjoyed winter the first week, and had 80 degree summer weather the second week. It was great!

Message from AE kid

2012-01-12T16:25:00.001-05:00

Hey! I wanted to thank you guys for the little card. Its very nice! Please let everyone know i said thank you. And i am doing very very well. In school i have not gotten in one bit of trouble! I am almost off probation and my home life is going awesome too! Me and my mom get along so much better, I listen more. I couldnt have done it without you guys! So please let everyone know i miss them..and tell them i said thank you. You guys are awesome :) Im gonna try and go up for a reunion pretty soon! Hope to see all of you guys soon.

Merry Christmas to all of you.

Summer 2011

2011-09-22T09:41:00.008-04:00

Hi everyone! It has been a busy summer here at AE. We have had a blast working with blind and visually impaired kids. We have had fun camping, paddling, swimming, cliff jumping, rappelling, Tyrolean Traversing, high ropes, low ropes, and much more. Our kids have travelled to faraway places and have ventured through all different dangers such as lava pits, crossing the Amazon River, escaping out of burning ships, boarding a wavy whale watch, and much, much more on the low ropes. These challenges have been full of fun, problem solving, and team work. Best of all, They have all made it through!

Now I am not sure what happened to summer, but our leaves are now turning a beautiful array of oranges and reds. That means that the month of September was full of day programs with schools, hockey teams, and groups from St. Joe's drug rehab. Groups have enjoyed building teamwork and support by problem solving on the low ropes, and putting their trust and confidence in themselves, the staff, and their support teams while attempting the high rope challenges. These men, women, and kids have taken up the "Challenge by choice" option and have taken that "leap of faith" to climb, swing, jump, and soar 25 feet in the air. It has been so much fun! Great job everyone!

Hello and Goodbye

2011-06-07T14:36:00.003-04:00

Hello, my name is Kristine and I am an intern here at AE for the summer. I look forward to meeting each person who comes through AE. I will be posting the blog as Seth is leaving AE. He and his family are moving to Missouri to live. Seth left a message for all of you about his time here. Seth will be missed by both staff and participants.

To all my friends,

Working at AE has been an experience I will treasure. I have enjoyed everything from our wonderful foosball tournaments, to great times around the table one-biting enormous spoonfuls of food, to crying with kids as they share their stories and reach out for comfort and hope. It has all been worth the money, time and energy that has been invested. I love you all and will be praying for each of you that God will bless your work and generousity.

Seth Kiser

Come to AE this Summer!

2011-04-12T15:06:00.004-04:00

Dear AE Campers,

AE has been a very fun place to spend part of my summer. At camp you get to experience things that most people never do and spend an unprecedented amount of time in the peace of the Adirondack woods.
I went to AE not really knowing what to expect. I knew that I would get to meet new people and make friendships but I had no idea of how much fun I would have or how AE would become one of the best parts of my summer. One of AE's goals is not to force the campers into anything, but to simply encourage and coach them to challenge their personal limits and fears. You will develop a new sense of what you can accomplish through individual challenges. You will also be amazed at what your group can accomplish together.
The counselors are all amazing people: Matt, Kaysie, Ally, Seth, Dione, Bob, and Jan just to name a few. If you choose not to attend AE you will be missing out on all the activities, new friendships and a new found sense of self accomplishment. I hope to see many of you readers at AE this summer for 10 days of non-stop fun.

Alex (a former AE camper)

What kind of friend are you?

2011-04-05T11:08:00.012-04:00

“And the rest came
They tried to make me laugh
They played games with me
Some games for fun and some
For real and for keeps.
And then they went away
Leaving me in the ruin of the games
Not knowing which were for fun
And which were for keeps and
Leaving me alone with the echoes of
Laughter that wasn’t mine.

Then you came
With your funny way of being
Not quite human
And you made me cry.
And you didn’t seem to care if I did
You just said the games are over
And waited
Until all my tears turned into
Joy.”

A poem from Sheila to Torey
From the book One Child by Torey Hayden.

I'm Learning to Trust...

2011-02-21T10:33:00.005-05:00

“While I was at AE I realized that it is okay to trust others, and that I can rely on other people than myself. I've never really been able to do that so I couldn't communicate my emotions. Now that I'm home I don't put on the mask that I wore constantly. I am not afraid of people seeing me be weak. They [AE] showed me that we are all weak at some point and that we do need the ability to be honest about what’s hurting us. Now that I know how to talk to others about my troubles I am encouraging my friends and family to do the same. My friends/family and I have never been so close and it’s helped me with all of my other problems. Thank you sooo AE!!"

– Britney

Girls Reunion Update

2011-02-10T13:47:00.003-05:00

Eleven girls attended our Girls Reunion. Everyone seemed to really enjoy getting reconnected. It was so much fun sharing memories and experiences from previous visits. The staff was encouraged by reports from quite a few of the girls that their grades have improved since they were here last. We hope they continue to excel. "Way to go girls!"
Our activity for the day was sledding. There were some amazing stunts, close races, and a wonderful time was had by all.

Girls Reunion February 10th

2011-02-08T09:18:00.002-05:00

For all of you ladies who have become part of the AE family,
Make sure you check with your schools so they give you an excused absence instead of counting you absent. Try to be here by 9:30am. If your planning to attend please E-mail or call us so we know your coming. Hope to see you on Thursday.

Phone 1-800-300-1718
seth@adkexperience.com

Christmas Newsletter 2010

2011-01-13T09:17:00.001-05:00

Letters from our Kids

2010-11-30T10:55:00.003-05:00

Hey AE people that come here,
“I love it here. I cried when I left. I hope you guys get the same experience I did.
Love you guys,”

A girl from Lake Placid. October 4-15,2010

To Future AE Kids,
“This was the best week we’ve had in a very long time. Seth, Matt, Ally, and Kaysie made us realize a lot about ourselves. They listened too us, supported and encouraged us to keep trying. Some of you may not want to be here but in the end you won’t want to leave. So please just give them a chance. You won’t regret it. Even though they took our phones (Thanks to Matt!) we loved every second. We just ask that you save this letter for future kids.”
PS: “Even if you’re scared or worried… just do it! All will be fine! Don’t expect to be the same when you leave. I suggest the leap of faith.” <3
“Don’t give up on yourself and just have fun.”

A girl from Lake Placid. November 15-19, 2010

AE Newsletter 2010

2010-09-28T09:39:00.004-04:00

NYS Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

2010-09-23T11:28:00.003-04:00

This summer we had the privilege of working with some very outstanding and wonderful kids. We hosted three separate 10 day programs.

Sometimes it’s hard to express all the fun that one can have here at AE. As a counselor life can be difficult and at times, even uncomfortable. Like the night that some of the kids decided they wanted to duct tape me to a chair. They didn’t say that their goal was to take me outside and give me a shower with the garden hose when I was totally incapacitated! Lisa I am holding you responsible!
We also had some great games of Lions and Zebras out in the field. Dashawn almost fell on top of a yellow jackets nest but I was able to save him in the nick of time. Few! We had some great music this summer too. Blaize brought his violin and serenaded us with Irish airs, and rock and roll. He is the only person I have ever seen play violin and sing at the same time.

EA Golf Tournament 2010

2010-09-23T10:54:00.002-04:00

August 16th, 2010 marked our 3rd annual golf tournament. The participation was great and we raised $7,377. We had 15 foursomes and some wonderful raffle prizes (donated by local businesses and individuals.)
Some of these included: two one day passes to Whiteface Mountain, an Adirondack chair, and a $300 Gortex parka! Everyone seemed to have a great time. I must say that I sort of wonder at the motive behind some of the shots people took. A few landed mighty close to where I was relaxing on my golf cart! Oh well I guess I will never know…

July 26th Caseworker Day

2010-09-09T13:28:00.010-04:00

On July 26, 29 Caseworkers came to AE for a day of fun in the great outdoors. When they arrived one could tell that they were unsure what they were in for. The furtive glances and nervous laughs told the tale. Clinton, Essex, Saratoga, St. Lawrence and Washington counties were represented. After gathering in a large circle on the front lawn to introduce ourselves, we divided into two groups and commenced with activities.

While Team A endeavored to cross The Corporate Pastures without falling into the Sea of Consequences…

Bob’s Team B followed Tarzan across a jungle river taking much needed medicine to the sick and dying natives.

Everyone survived although a few fell in.

Meanwhile the Sea of Consequences was having its effect on members from Team A. One poor soul stepped in and lost her sight. The hand motions and sounds that she made were very entertaining though. The rest of the group was mute through the activity expect this man who was given a special role as a negative leader.

They team kept a stiff upper lip and pressed on in the face of adversity.

Bob’s Team B finished swinging on things and began preparations for crossing The Three Islands.

When everyone was finished with the low ropes, the adventurous attempted the climbing wall,

The Leap of Faith,

And the Zip line.

A great day was had by all.

Summer Update

2010-09-08T14:55:00.000-04:00

This summer has been great! July 25, was a day of lots of blood, sweat and tears as Rachel Butler, Dan Giblin, Joseph McMahon and Karen Champagne, swam, biked and ran the Ironman triathlon. Months before the big day these four saints began fundraising for Adirondack Experience to help make it possible for NYS youth to come to this wonderful program. When all the funds were in, they had raised over $120,000. Our program couldn’t continue without the funds our runners bring in every year. Our heartfelt thanks to each person who gave their time and money.

Pictures and Videos

2010-02-04T09:48:00.006-05:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Children of all ages....here are a bunch of pictures that update you on whats been going on here at AE. Enjoy :) We have had some great kids in the program in the past few months. The golf tournament was a great success this past summer with over $7,000 raised. Several donations have come in to help out as well in recent months. We all enjoyed our time off in December as well. All the families are doing very well and we wish you the best in the beginning of this new year.

SURPRISE BABY SHOWER

2009-04-06T14:37:00.006-04:00

On April 3rd, 2009 the Women of AE put together a surprise party for Dione who is expecting a beautiful baby girl named Devyn Taylor Quinn sometime within the next month. It was a complete surprise and she was certainly fooled when she pulled into the driveway. The night consisted of a 15 pound roast, potatoes, green beans, broccoli, an amazing ice cream sandwich desert and thanks to the list Jan made, plenty of Soda. Of course, she won't admit this but the Cherry Pepsi that didn't make her list was the hit of the party!! (sorry, inside joke) Dione got some wonderful gifts from baby clothes and diapers to a rose bush she can plant in her back yard...(when the snow disappears...sorry another inside joke). The party was just a great time that the whole AE family could get together and be a part of this wonderful time in Dione's life. I know she's in pain right now but she's handling it like an absolute super hero and the end of the beginning is in sight. So, again, we love you Dione and we wish you nothing but happiness in your upcoming adventure and we are all right here for you if you need anything!! Dione, Chad, and Caleb and Devyn. Has a nice ring to it doesn't it? :)

ps- My pick is April 24th, I know it's early but Devyn and D if you could help me out a little bit that would be great :)

( SURPRISE!!! It worked...she had no idea)
(Jan, Chad, Matt, Mia, Annette, Jesse, Bob, Josh, Kaysie, John, Sheron, Karen, Nick, Caleb, Aaron, and Greg)

(The happy Momma and the Tattooed Brother)

(The happy expecting Parents) :)

(Creativity at it's finest..haha...this is the first thing she saw when she pulled in an hour and a half later than we expected!!) So worth it!!

SPRING IS COMING!!

2009-04-03T13:49:00.002-04:00

HAHA told ya Spring was coming :)

The weather might toy with us back and forth over the next couple weeks but there is no doubt that spring is indeed on it's way. The last couple months have been fun. Two boys cycles, a girls cycle, a St. Lawrence county Cycle, and a Visually Impaired reunion all since the first of the year have kept us all here at AE very busy. The groups went very well though and we have had reports of of grades improving in several kids, another few have completely stopped smoking, and many are reporting great changes in their lives. It has been a successful start to the year for all of us here. The staff might get a little goofy sometimes but we always seem to find just enough humor in everything to keep on keeping on :) Matt's new baby Mia is beautiful and getting very big. Matt's son Jesse will be turning 2 this summer and he is also doing well. Dione is due for her second child in about a month, but I think I speak for her when I say she wouldn't care if it came out today!! She is healthy though and we are throwing a surpise shower for her in about 2 hours!! I will post pics on a later blog posting. Her other son Caleb is also doing very well and is always a energy boost when he comes to see us!! :) John is getting anxious to get out on the golf course and is counting down the days. His other grand-children are also doing very well minus a golf club to Levi's head courtesy of his older brother Noah (he's a champ though and was only left with a nice shiner). Kaysie is just about done with her EMT class which will be a huge weight off her shoulders I'm sure. As for myself (Aaron), I have not been up to much at all besides work. I will graduate with my Master's Degree in Special Education on August 14th of this year. Kaysie and I have no kids to discuss!! Finally, we recently had a meeting with both Jefferson County and the Fort Drum Army base to discuss possible contracts and both places are very excited about working further with us. There is a contract pending with Jefferson county and Fort Drum is a positive work in progress. So, here's to the upcoming spring and summer!

(Told ya we get goofy sometimes!!)

(She loves orienteering!)

(Matt on Cascade Lake)

(Aaron on Cascade Lake)

(Beautiful View from the top of Mt. Jo)

Golf Tourny!!!

2009-02-24T14:43:00.002-05:00

GOLF TOURNAMENT!!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Adirondack Experience is proud to announce that we will be holding the 2nd annual AE golf tournament August 17th of this year. The tournament was very successful last year and we raised over $5000 to benefit the youth of the Northern New York. We are hoping to go bigger and better this year with more great prizes, great raffles, and just as much fun!! Thank you so much to our sponsors last year and we will be in contact soon about this years tournament. So...save the date, August 17th. Look for a flyer in the mail if you participated last year or give us a call at 518-523-1718 if you have any questions. Thanks Again! Cya on the course :)

(Last years tournament participants)

Thank You ORDA and VI Kids

2009-02-20T14:10:00.012-05:00

The Olympic Authority has been awesome lately in helping us to provide our participants with new and fun activities. Most recently they have offered us a trip to whiteface mountain and they allowed our visually impaired group to skate for free on the olympic oval under the lights. The generous workers at the bobsled run allowed us access for free to their park as well. Having these opportunities made the week long event with these kids simply amazing. Students left with such comments as "memories for a lifetime", "I can't wait to take these friendships further", and "I love this place so much, I can't believe I have to wait so long to come back again". It's because of the time and the awesome experiences we have with them that they feel loved and in return we feel the same. As tears fell from their eyes leaving us today, we look forward to this summer when they return and we look forward to new and exciting ways to build strong relationships with both the Visually Impaired kids as well as the community. Thank You again ORDA for playing a big role in that. Also, we would like to thank Bowlwinkles for allowing us to go bowling at an extremely low cost and the Toboggan Chute on Mirror Lake for letting us go sledding for the low price of a plate of brownies :) The kids had the time of their lives this week and so did the staff :) Below you can see a few pictures of the kids doing a few activities as well as a short video clip of the first ever Visually Impaired/Blind Broomball game!!! Blaise is also playing his violin for us in the picture below. In a related note, he raised over 200 dollars for our program just by simply playing. Great Job Blaise! The group of four below is the chair activity and the boys held on to this for a new record of 3 mins and 4 secs!!! Yeah Boys!!! All in all it was a fantastic week and these young men and women will be missed. Remember Olivia and the rest of you, "It's not goodbye, it's only until next time".

(Off to the right you can see some of our kids watching or listening to the bobsled fly by)

(Chair Activity...Blaise, Olivia ;) hahaha, Matt, and Rachel)

(The ladies man himself (Blaise) and his instrument of choice)

(First ever Visually Impaired/Blind Broomball Game)

*This game was extremely successful and so much fun. It ended with some bumps and bruises but I think everyone would agree that they were well worth it*

December Newsletter

2008-12-08T10:36:00.003-05:00

Hey all, here is our newsletter for December. Hope this finds everyone happy and healthy. And before we know it, it will be 2009, Happy New Year!

First 46er

2008-11-20T08:48:00.005-05:00

For the first time in over 8 years, a girl's group here at the Adirondack Experience made it up a 46er. On a day where the temperatures were in the teens at the base of the mountain, and the trail was covered in ice, the girls slowly made their way all the way to the summit. The top of Cascade mountain was bitter and extremely cold but each girl literally crawled to the top. We left the house at 10am, started the climb at about 10:15am, reached the top at about 1:15. We then left and came down to the van at about 4:20. It was a long day of hiking but the girls just kept on going. It was a great day for us all and the view was fantastic on top. The following day left a few of the girls sore and tired but I'm sure the experience of being over 4000 feet up will stay with them forever. All in all a great day of hiking. We made it to the top and back to the bottom on a chilly day with only a few minor slips and zero injuries! :)

(This is the summit of Cascade, John is just coming off the top)
(View of the Great Range)

(Junction for Porter and Cascade Mtn.)

(Each girl standing around the dial on the very top of Cascade)

Fall Fun :)

2008-10-24T10:30:00.008-04:00

Sooooo.....got a little tricky with the tape and decided that kaysie needed to be locked in the "jail". Just part of the fun we have here even when the kids aren't here :) There was a pair of little blue spandex you cant see that made their way on to kaysie in order for her to get out...and she eventually freed herself from her office! The girls group who left last week was great and was certainly a success. That girls group were also the unwilling participants in the greatest scare ever by John, Matt, and myself. Kaysie and Christina helped from the inside of the cabin! Coyote calls are a wonderful thing!! Friday is a good day today and monday we have a boys group coming in for two weeks. Also, the electric company and village water hooked us up with several dump truck loads of free wood chips to place on our facility so a big thank you to them. We had snow on the ropes course yesterday so it looks like winter is just around the corner. Stay warm everyone, have a great weekend, and enjoy the end of fall!!

I think this might be fake, but still funny...sorry girls...we love you :)