Honor Keuka Outlet Trail Volunteers

Senate Resolution No. 4843 BY: Senator O'MARA RECOGNIZING the profound historic significance of the Keuka Outlet Trail, and paying tribute to the members of Friends of the Outlet, Inc. for their tireless dedication to the preservation of this natural wonder WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the continuing welfare of the citizens of the State of New York is greatly enriched and reliably served by the purposeful endeavors of organizations and individuals who are committed to the preservation of our natural environment and the enhancement of the appreciation of the distinctive features of our surroundings, and to the economic well-being of the areas in which they exist; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to recognize the profound historic significance of the Keuka Outlet Trail, and pay tribute to the members of Friends of the Outlet, Inc. for their tireless dedication to the preservation of this natural wonder; this momentous occasion will be celebrated in conjunction with the observance of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 2, 2018; and WHEREAS, Friends of the Outlet, Inc. is a volunteer, non-profit organization that owns a nearly 6-mile long trail along the Keuka Outlet between Keuka and Seneca Lakes; the trail sits on the former rail bed of the Fall Brook Railway, built on the towpath of the Crooked Lake Canal, which operated in the early 1800s between the two lakes; and WHEREAS, This vital organization works with the community to preserve, protect and develop its properties along Keuka Outlet Creek to provide an area for natural, physical, outdoor and historic oriented recreation and education; and WHEREAS, The Keuka Outlet is the only natural waterway between two Finger Lakes, and since 1989, volunteers have worked to preserve the history and natural beauty along this corridor where some of the first post-Revolutionary war settlers made their homes in the late 1700s; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, the Keuka Outlet supplied power to dozens of mills and early industry of the new frontier; because of this rich history in the gorge, the property is now listed on the National and State Historic Registers; and WHEREAS, Today, large rusting gears sit silent by beautiful rushing waterfalls as sections of the trail meander through remnants of cut stone walls; while on this gentle trail, it is easy to appreciate the beauty of a countryside that hosts fields of farms and vineyards, and at the same time invokes the ghosts of 19th-century industrial America; and WHEREAS, The success of Friends of the Outlet, Inc. is in direct correlation to the efforts of its President, Gwen Chamberlain, whose involvement is, and always has been, characterized by an impressive commitment, an unbridled enthusiasm, and an uncompromising standard of excellence in all endeavors on behalf of the organization and the community it serves; and WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon all citizens to recognize and applaud the efforts of organizations such as the Friends of the Outlet, Inc. which work tirelessly on behalf of protecting our natural surroundings for the benefit of present and future generations of New Yorkers; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to recognize the profound historic significance of the Keuka Outlet Trail, and paying tribute to the members of Friends of the Outlet, Inc. for their tireless dedication to the preservation of this natural wonder; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Gwen Chamberlain, President, Friends of the Outlet, Inc.