Assemblywoman Russell kicking off annual Addie's Books for Children drive this week

Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell has announced the eighth annual Addie's Books for Children holiday book drive is launching on Wednesday.

Assemblywoman Russell is again partnering with Kinney Drugs for the program, and the books will be distributed by the St. Lawrence County Community Development Program and the Community Action Planning Council in Watertown.

New and gently used books will be collected at Kinney Drugs locations in St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties and will be redistributed to local families.

Books can also be dropped off at the Angel Trees at the Salmon Run Mall and the Dulles Office Building as well as at Assemblywoman Russell's offices in Canton at Suite 1, 3 Remington Ave., off Route 11, and Watertown at Suite 210 Dulles Office Building, 317 Washington St.

The books will be collected on Dec. 18.

Assemblywoman Russell says it is a full house at North Country Department Store

More than 90 vendors are signed up to participate in Saturday's sixth annual North Country Department Store event sponsored by Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell.

The North Country Department Store will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Indian River Middle School off Route 11 in Philadelphia.

“The Department Store is one of two "Rediscovering Your Backyard" events we do each year, and it represents a great opportunity to connect local merchants with local residents as we enter the holiday season. I'm always amazed by the talent and products available right here in the North Country," Assemblywoman Russell said.

"This is an effort to showcase the many small businesses that provide our North Country with a wide variety of unique products," she added.

She also sponsors a "Your Special Day" event each spring in Ogdensburg. The event, previously known as a bridal expo, was rebranded this year since many of the vendors cater to a number of special events ranging from weddings to graduation and anniversary parties.

The vendors registered for this year's event sell products ranging from jewelry, housewares, artwork and home decor to antiques, toys, sporting goods and honey and specialty foods.

This year's show features vendors from Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Lewis counties and includes a number of small businesses that are taking part in the show for the first time.

"There's something for everybody available at this show," Assemblywoman Russell said of the diversity of small business people that take part in the annual event. "I'm delighted to see so many new vendors coming to this year's show. This store concept provides an opportunity to be exposed to products from artisans, food producers, antique dealers and shop owners from a three-county area under one roof."

Proceeds from the event are divided between the Indian River FFA and Noah's Ark Preschool. The organizations provide volunteer support for the event.

For more information on the North Country Department Store check out the event's Facebook page,

https://www.facebook.com/events/1144375988982832/

IN THE PHOTOS:

TOP PHOTO:

Melanie Kimbler-Lago of Cat House Designs, Potsdam, is one of the new vendors taking part in the North Country Department Store on Saturday at Indian River Central School.

BOTTOM PHOTO:

The annual North Country Department Store, sponsored by Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell, has a record of drawing good crowds at the start of the holiday shopping season.

Assemblywoman Russell welcomes guests to 1000 Islands Bi-National Tourism Summit

Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell issues the welcoming remarks Wednesday morning at the 1000 Islands Bi-Nationalism Tourism Summit at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel in Clayton. Assemblywoman Russell secured a state fund to support creating to further bi-national relationships between Northern New York and Eastern Ontario. The morning sessions included New Developments in Agriculture & Tourism by Jefferson County Agriculture Coordinator Jay Matteson, Aquatarium: The Region's Discovery Centre by Executive Director Bill Rogerson and What's New at the Border Crossing? by Thousand Islands Bridge Authority Executive Director Robert Horr. The event drew tourism officials, small business owners and government leaders from the United States and Canada.

Assemblywoman Russell attends rededication of monuments at Potsdam's new Veterans Memorial Plaza

A cool breeze and occasional flurries couldn't chill the enthusiasm at the Veterans Day observance Friday morning in Potsdam.

The ceremony included the rededication of monuments moved earlier this fall from the lawn at Clarkson University's Old Snell Hall to the new Veterans Memorial Plaza at Ives Park in downtown Potsdam.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1194 Commander Robert S. Crary said Friday's observance marked the culmination of several years of planning, fundraising and hands on work to turn a dream into reality.

Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell was on hand for the ceremony after receiving an invitation to the event from Mr. Crary. She secured $15,000 in state funding for the Veterans Memorial Plaza project.

"Without her support, this wouldn't have happened," Mr. Crary told a large crowd gathered for the Veterans Day observance and rededication of the World War I and II, Korea and Vietnam monuments moved from the lawn at Old Snell Hall to Ives Park.

"It was quite an ordeal getting things to where they are today. Today we remember. We will never forget," the VFW commander said.

Mr. Crary praised a number of groups, organizations, businesses and local government that played a role in the establishment of the Veterans Memorial Plaza.

He said the effort was aided by Potsdam Village Administrator Everett Basford, Jim Corbett and his crew from the village's Department of Public Works, Willow Tree Florist, Pignona Memorials and volunteers from the VFW post and the Beta Tau fraternity.

DAV Chapter 164 Commander John Stafford said he was encouraged by the turnout for the Veterans Day observance.

"This is a large turnout. I noticed a lot of veterans. That makes me feel real good. This is a rededication of these monuments. Stanley Crump, my right hand man, worked long and hard along with Bob Crary to bring this to fruition," he said.

Mr. Stafford said as he looked into the crowd he saw veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are truly a bunch of veterans here today. This is our monument," he stressed.

Assemblywoman Russell, speaking after the ceremony, said she felt it was important to be on hand for the first Veterans Day observance at the new Veterans Memorial Plaza.

"It was wonderful to see this community of local veterans organize to make sure there was an appropriate space to reflect on the service of so many," she said.

"The setting is absolutely beautiful and more easily accessible by the community. Even more importantly this new location means the monuments will be viewed by more people as they visit Ives Park, including the young adults that come to the community to attend college," Assemblywoman Russell said.

"I just want to congratulate all the people who have made this possible," she noted.

The new plaza includes the existing memorials that honor the 57 members of the armed forces from the Potsdam-area that lost their lives in World War I and World War II. The other monuments honor those killed in Korea and Vietnam.

Monuments honoring those who have served in Iraq and Aghanistan, as well as prisoners of war, have been added, and poles flying the American and Prisoner of War flags were also installed at the new location. A pathway from the memorials to the Raquette River is planned, and additional park benches have been placed in the area.

Potsdam's Memorial Day observances have been held at Ives Park for years, but the Veterans' Day observances have been held on the lawn at Old Snell Hall, where the memorial tablet honoring the war dead from World Wars I and II was erected in the late 1940s.

Mr. Crary said the new location for the monuments is much more appropriate since the monuments had previously been located on the edge of the sidewalk next to the street on the lawn at the now vacant Old Snell Hall.

IN THE PHOTOS:

TOP PHOTO:

Members of the color guard raise the colors during the Veterans Day observance ceremony in Potsdam. The service marked the official opening of the Veterans Memorial Plaza at Ives Park.

BOTTOM PHOTO:

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Commander Bob Crary tells Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell about the steps taken to move a 2,300-pound monument honoring those from the Potsdam area killed in World War I and World War II from the lawn in front of Clarkson University's Old Snell Hall to its new home on the banks of the Raquette River in Ives Park.

Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell looks on as the color guard raises the POW-MIA flag during the Veterans Day observance at Potsdam's Veterans Memorial Plaza.

Assemblywoman Addie Jenne Russell examines the monuments now standing in Potsdam's Veterans Memorial Plaza.

A service member checks out a monument honoring those who lost their lives in World War I and World War II.

Monuments honoring those who made the supreme sacrifice in Iraq and Aghanistan have joined monuments honoring the war dead from World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam at Potsdam's Veterans Memorial Plaza.