Category: Our Neighbors

Neal Vandorsten pictured with his faithful dog, says he will never go on the frozen Lake again without having an ice axe with him. Neal shares his story about falling through the ice on one of the coldest nights of the winter.

Many readers of the Huletts Current know longtime Huletts resident and developer Neal Vandorsten. Neal emailed this story to us about an encounter with the lake he had a few weeks ago that he will never forget.

“Made an illconcieved plan to walk across the lake to an island with (son) Keating and visit some folks we know that live there … It is called Three Brothers Island and sits about a half mile from Bolton. Keating and I put our headlamps and gear on and took the dog and off we went. It was a beautiful night and the lake creaked a little, but seemed firm enough. We arrived at the island and had a nice visit with our friends. On our return we lost our tracks and took a different route.. Keating was ahead, the dog was way off, when suddenly I went thru the ice, into the freezing abyss.

The temp was minus 15 and I couldn’t get back out of the water. Every time I tried to climb onto the ice I was back in to the dark and frozen water. I screamed to Keating to stay away, as I didn’t want two of us to expire, but he came closer and closer. My large winter boots acted like anchors pulling me beneath the black waters, I struggled to get up, again and again. Finally, Keating risked all and made a mad dash toward me and pulled me out. We stayed on our bellies for a bit, then got up and ran off the weak ice toward land. We thought for sure we would both go back in but it was luck that put us on some thicker ice. The trip back to the mainland is a blur as I lost my senses for a bit and next I knew we were on terra firma, but I was thinking I was still in the lake. Keating ripped my top clothes off and put his jacket and gloves on me and I began to get reoriented.. We then walked back to the house. Our only salvation is providence. That was the case that night. Anyway, in the morning I went back to the beach to retrieve some of my clothing and looked out across the frozen lake and saw the big hole from the night before.. I was a little beat up on the face and knees from the ice, but the next day felt pretty good..”

We received the following press release from our friends, the Paulist fathers.

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 26, 2009

Paulist Fathers to offer exciting retreat program during June and July at Lake George, NY

As they have done for the past 12 years the Paulist Fathers will offer a series of retreats during June and July 2009 at their summer home at St. Mary’s on the Lake, located on Lake George in New York. Fr. Isaac Hecker, the Paulist Founder, established the foundation in 1868. The retreats are open to anyone. More information can be found at www.lakegeorge.paulist.org

June 12-14 Fr. Ken McGuire, CSP: RE – MEMBERING RETREAT: Bring all your parts!
Your body and soul, humanity and divinity,
color and orientation, sorrows and joys.
Don’t wait for other to recognize you in your goodness:
God already does.
Don’t let other confer power: God has done that.
If we listen, the God of the universe is acting in the ordinariness of our lives.
Let us get together and re-member ourselves and each other.

June 19-21 Fr. Vinny McKiernan, CSP : Praying Your Life Weekend
A weekend to learn and experience Centering Prayer and the practice of Lectio Divina, the prayerful practice of praying the Scriptures.

June 22-26 Fr. Vinny McKiernan, CSP : Praying Your Life 5 day retreat
Praying Your Life:contemplating and celebrating your life, past, present and future in the the context of God’s Providence. The week will be anchored by daily periods and Centering Prayer and the celebration of the Eucharist in the beauty of the Adirondacks. Fr. Vinny McKiernan, CSP is Campus Minister at The Ohio State University and an experienced Spiritual Director and Retreat Master.

June 26-28 Fr. Ken McGuire, CSP : Spiritual Discovery Through Movies
Spirituality and values portrayed through movies have a huge effect, maybe more than 10 minute sermons on Sunday. We will explore themes, values and spirituality of films like Whale Rider, Into the Wild, Brokeback Mountain and Inherit the Wind, Notebook and Stand and Deliver. Ken McGuire is a Paulist Priest and Cultural Anthropologist. He has served many years as a campus minister, pastor, director of St. Mary’s on the Lake and taught Cultural Orientation for International Priests and Nuns, COPIM at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

July 6-10 Br. Michael Moran, CP “Windows to Heaven: An Icon Painting Retreat”Brother Michael Moran, C.P., an artist who specializes in the painting of icons will lead the participants in the painting of an icon of the Mother of God. The daily schedule of the week will consist of two large blocks of time for painting, as well as “teachings” relevant to the spirituality of seeing and of icons. There will also be daily prayer, opportunties for discussion, as well as quiet time. No experience is necessary and art supplies will be provided. The goal is for each participant to have painted his/her own icon by the end of the retreat.

July 10-12 Brett Hoover, CSP “Here Comes Everybody: Catholic unity amidst our different opinions, cultures and theologies.”Brett Hoover is the author of “Loosing Your Religion, Finding your Faith” and “Soundbyte Spirituality” as well as numerous articles. He was the founder of Busted Halo, the Paulist Fathers program for young adults and is currently a Ph.D candidate in theology with a focus on the multicultural church at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.

July 24-26 Fr. Lawrence Boadt, CSP “Exploring the Major Insights of St. Paul for Modern Spirituality.”
Noted Old Testament scholar, Fr. Lawrence Boadt will examine the ten most important aspects in Paul’s understanding of life in Christ, with an in depth look at some key Pauline passages in his Letters. Lawrence Boadt, CSP, is an ordained priest in the Paulist Fathers, and professor emeritus of Scripture Studies at the Washington Theological Union. He has written and spoken widely on Old Testament topics, and currently serves as the president and publisher of Paulist Press in Mahwah, NJ. He is author of “Reading the Old Testament” by Paulist Press.