2021 Intern Mixer in Long Lake, NY
Events Build Community for Young People in the Adirondacks
Young Professional events support community and create conditions that support young residents staying in the region.
Every year, hundreds of young people come to the Adirondacks to work internships and summer jobs. This infusion of young workers is a tremendous opportunity for a region in need of a younger workforce. While many summer staff return to the places they came from, some want to stay here long-term. To meet this opportunity, the Northern Forest Center hosts events to bring together the region’s young residents and build community. An annual intern and young professionals mixer will continue this tradition this Friday, August 11th in Long Lake.
For over two years, the Northern Forest Center has worked to address the question, “how do Adirondack towns attract and retain young residents?” This work is outlined within the Center’s Attracting New Residents Strategy and is the backbone for all the community investment work the Center performs in the region, including housing development and outdoor recreation work. Among many other factors, establishing and broadening their community of peers is critical to retaining young people.
Inspired by the positive reaction to its initial mixer in 2021, the Center partnered with Jess Grant of the Adirondack Council to host more events for young professionals. Events are hosted year-round, and have included skiing, bowling, trivia, and more, all open to anyone who feels they fit the self-defined category of “young professional.” More than 100 people have attended one of these events, frequently bringing along a friend or colleague. Staff and interns at regional non-profits, residents working at local businesses, agency employees, and entrepreneurs are all meeting and connecting. Some have been long-time residents of the Adirondacks; others are here for their first summer.
We have strong partners committed to building community among the region’s young professionals. The Wild Center, Adirondack Land Trust, Champlain Area Trails, Adirondack Council, ADKX, LivingADK and SUNY ESF have all partnered with the Center to host or advertise events for young professionals. So far this summer we’ve held two events in collaboration with other groups. In June, the Adirondack Land Trust hosted their porch happy hour, doubling the number of attendees from last year’s successful event. Recently, Champlain Area Trails hosted a picnic at DaCy Meadow Farm for young professionals and emerging leaders, complete with August sun and local pick-your-own vegetables. This Friday’s event in Long Lake will be the third event in the series this summer.
The reception by young people to these events has been nothing but positive, and interest in the events has only grown.
“The young professionals mixers do a really great job of bringing together folks who wouldn’t otherwise meet but who have and have had similar interests all along in a rural region,” said Jon Kislin, a remote worker out of Wilmington, NY. “My circles have grown with increasing numbers of warm and passionate people.”
Jon Ignatowski, who recently joined the staff of Adirondack North Country Association and lives in North Elba, added: “Young Professional events provide an excellent forum for aspiring leaders to discuss issues that resonate with them in a relaxed and welcoming setting. It’s a great way to learn about all the good work that’s happening in the Adirondacks!”
To learn more about these events and the Center’s work in the region, join us from 3 to 5 on August 11th for our annual intern and young professional mixer in conjunction with North Country Public Radio’s live Beat Authority broadcast at the Long Lake Town Beach. We’ll be on site with a table and some snacks; please stop by and say hello! you can’t make it to Long Lake and you or someone you know would like to be added to our mailing list to learn about upcoming events, reach out to Adam at abailey@northernforest.org.
