08/15/2024
ACC aids in the mission of the ADK Climate Project
MINEVILLE, NY – A unique project that is helping tell the story of how climate change has impacted the lives of Adirondack Park residents will soon take its mission to the water in a pair of canoes manufactured by the Adirondack Canoe Company (ACC).
The canoes will be attached together by an aluminum and wood platform that was also designed and manufactured by the artisans at ACC.
The plan, according to University of Rochester Professor Stephanie Ashenfelder, includes outfitting the platform between the canoes with a booth that can be paddled around Adirondack waterways and offloaded on shore for people to enter and record their personal stories about how climate change has impacted their lives.
These audio stories will be collected by students of Ashenfelder’s Digital Media Class and provided to artists who will create artwork in response to the narratives. The final result is being compiled as part of Ashenfelder’s project known as the “ADK Climate Project.”
The project, which began collecting audio recordings in 2022, is a collaboration between the University of Rochester and the Adirondack Council, which believes in the mission of the ADK Climate Project and that the arts can inspire climate action, Ashenfelder said.
On the project’s website, Ashenfelder wrote: “Research has demonstrated that personal stories serve as powerful catalysts, dispelling the notion that climate change will solely affect future generations. To foster the development of meaningful, climate-resilient communities, it proves more effective to absorb and contemplate the ways in which climate change is influencing our localities, rather than rely on scientific data.”
Now, Ashenfelder and her students will take to the waterways with their Adirondack Canoe Company boats, with a lightweight version of the booth they have been transporting throughout the Adirondacks placed on the platform in between.
The goal, Ashenfelder said, is to raise even more awareness and capture more audio stories as they paddle Adirondack lakes and ponds.
“We are taking our climate project to the water this year to collect more stories from residents and park goers. As part of the collection process, we are paddling a collapsible version of our booth around parts of the Raquette Watershed,” Ashenfelder said.
John Gereau, Director of the Adirondack Canoe Company and its sister company Essex Industries, said he is delighted to be a part of such a worthwhile project.
“When Stephanie first approached us and explained what she was trying to do – we jumped at the chance to help,” Gereau said. “We employ individuals with developmental disabilities who manufacture the beautiful products we sell, so our own mission of helping people live their very best lives dovetails nicely with Stephanie’s goals and objectives.”
“And, we thought having Adirondack Canoe Company boats involved in the Adirondack Climate Project had a really nice ring to it,” Gereau added.
To learn more about the ADK Climate Change project, visit ADK Climate Project. To contact the Adirondack Canoe Company, call (518)-942-6671 or visit www.AdirondackCanoeCompany.com.
Adirondack Canoe Company is a division of Mountain Lake Services, the Essex County Chapter of The Arc New York, dedicated to providing employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Together with its sister company, Essex Industries, ACC supports over 30 individuals with disabilities, contributing to the production of their high-quality products. Through its dedication to craftsmanship and community support, ACC continues to be a leader in the canoeing industry.
