Mountain Lake Services a not-for-profit organization supporting people with disabilities in Essex County has been awarded $21,207 in grants from the Trustee Management Board of NYSARC Trust Services to support Mountain Lake Services’ recreation opportunities and enrich the lives of more than 300 individuals it serves. These funds were used to enhance our current recreation program. The grant money this year improved our Therapeutic Recreation Center and garden program. In 2012, with the use of funds from this same recreation grant we established a Recreation Center in Elizabethtown.
Each year, grant funds received through the Trust Services allow for the addition of events and activities at this location, which benefit individuals in our residential, day, and community-based programs. Many items for art and crafts were purchased including; materials for canvas painting, jewelry making, beading, clay sculptures, sketching, baking, and cooking. Also purchased were supplies for wreath making, music therapy, and resin crafts. The grant money also enhanced our outdoor recreation opportunities by supporting our water activities, such as boating, kayaking, and canoeing, as well as an outdoor basketball hoop for the ball court at the Elizabethtown location. Our garden program purchased a new greenhouse and gardening supplies.