News from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb
Assembly Office:
933 Legislative Office Building • Albany, NY 12248 • (518) 455-3751
District Offices:
607 West Washington Street • Suite 2 • Geneva, NY 14456 • (315) 781-2030
E-mail:

For Release: IMMEDIATELY, September 7, 2012
Contact: Doug Finch (315) 781-2030
Enjoy Fall In The Finger Lakes!
Legislative column from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C,I-Canandaigua)

As autumn unfolds, our attention turns to apple picking and pumpkin selection, signaling a time for the leaves to change to beautiful shades of red and orange, the air to turn crisp and the Finger Lakes to come alive with fall festivals and football tailgates. Friday nights and Saturday afternoons are spent huddled on the sidelines cheering on local teams, full of promising young athletes. Many of us will also trek to our local colleges and universities to enjoy similar events showing our school spirit throughout the autumn season.

FINGER LAKES OPPORTUNITIES FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

The Finger Lakes is a great place to live during the autumn months and while our children are returning to school, people of all ages have the opportunity to take advantage of continuing their education by taking a class or pursuing a new hobby, if even just for a few weeks.

Have you ever dreamed of learning Italian? Maybe you're interested in learning more about digital photography, graphic design or starting your own business? Learning new skills, passions and interests through local night and online classes is a great opportunity to broaden our minds.

Learning is not just for the young, but it is a lifelong journey. Luckily, we have plenty of award-winning institutions and educational opportunities right here in the region like Finger Lakes Community College (http://www.flcc.edu/) - where I am a proud distinguished alumnus - which offers a wealth of online courses designed to fit into any busy schedule (http://www.ed2go.com/flccbiz-pro/).

School districts often have classes - ranging from cake decorating to basic computer skills - taught by local individuals during the evening at your local high schools. There are also community libraries that can be found through the Finger Lakes Library System http://www.flls.org/, which offer educational programs for our pre-school children and gives them the resources for a lifetime of learning.

OUR FINGER LAKES COMMUNITY: RICH WITH OPPORTUNITIES

Beyond the great educational institutions in our region, there are so many wonderful outdoor activities to enjoy and fall festivals to experience.

I love calling the Finger Lakes home; it offers a great array of lakes, ponds and rivers for boating and fishing, as well as many unique experiences underscoring the regions diverse nature including:
  • Montezuma Wildlife Refuge: walk or drive through the home to hundreds of mammals, fish and birds including three bald eagle nests.
  • Seneca White Deer, Inc.: offers tours of the former Seneca Army Depot and a chance to spot the largest herd of white deer in the world (be sure to check for availability);
  • Fall Foliage Excursion Train: once a year ride the Finger Lakes Railway admiring the beautiful colors of fall that the region offers; and
  • Finger Lakes Discovery Trail: great for children and adults, eight educational stops promoting science, nature and local culture.

Looking for more? Click on the Finger Lakes Web site for recreational information for the entire region. Throughout the fall months many of our communities host festivals showcasing proud local businesses from our farmers, during Finger Lakes Cheese Trail events to various food and wine harvest celebrations like Keuka Lake's Wine Trail.

EXPLORE OUR AWARD-WINNING WINE TRAILS

The Finger Lakes is home to an abundance of activities and it has become synonymous with award-winning wine, offering a diverse group of aromas and tastes unique to the region. Throughout the year, over 50 of the region's wineries participate in multiple wine tasting events, offering participants the chance to taste world-renowned wines. Year in and year out, many of these wineries from right here in our backyard enter and win state, national and even worldwide competitions!

NOTHING BEATS FALL IN THE FINGER LAKES!

Fall back in love with the Finger Lakes this autumn season. It is the perfect time of year to experience all the wonderful and unique activities the region has to offer with your family and friends. I invite you to stop by my office at 607 West Washington Street in Geneva to pick up brochures on the countless ways we can all enjoy fall in the Finger Lakes.

As always, constituents wishing to discuss this topic or any other state-related matter should contact my district office at (315) 781-2030 or e-mail me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us.