Dancing Turtle Rescue was founded by Debbie Philp, a wildlife rehabilitator in New York’s Adirondack Park who chose to work primarily with freshwater turtles because of her spiritual connection to and love for them. Then she learned that more than half of the world’s 350 turtle species are threatened with extinction.

After surviving for 200 million years, turtles are now among the most threatened vertebrates on Earth. Many turtles die on the roads, but loss of their wetland habitats, pollution, and over-harvesting for food and pets are the big causes of population decline. Debbie, with a great board of directors backing her up, started Dancing Turtle to expand beyond rehabilitation into pet turtle rescue, public education, and wetlands preservation advocacy to address those issues and save our Adirondack turtles.

Currently, Dancing Turtle Rescue operates a nonprofit, home-based pet turtle rescue, using space in Debbie’s house and yard and in a converted bus “wildlife clinic,” in addition to continuing wild turtle rehabilitation. Debbie presents a variety of environmental education programs to teach the public about turtles and other reptiles and amphibians, with a focus on those found in the Adirondacks, and awareness-building programs about wetland habitat conservation.

OUR MISSION

The mission of Dancing Turtle Rescue is to save native freshwater turtles and their wetland habitats in northeastern New York State by providing care for injured, ill, neglected, and abandoned turtles and by cultivating interest in and advocacy for turtle and wetland conservation through public education programs.

Dancing Turtle Rescue and Education Program, Inc. is a New York State nonprofit corporation pending Federal 501(c)(3) status.

Founded in 1911, the Schroon Lake Association successfully blocked the flooding of the entire Schroon Lake Valley. Since that time we have worked to protect and support the area. Our volunteers have raised funds to pay for scientific studies of the lake waters, to support community projects and to disseminate educational information. Our work is supported by annual dues and donations and by profits from the Arts and Crafts Fair which our members have put on every summer in the third week of July for the last 50 years.

We spearheaded the effort to develop the Lake Management Master Plan which will guide future efforts to protect the lake. That stewardship is vitally important to the future of all of us who live, work and play in this beautiful area. We support Lake Stewards at Boat Launch Stations, decontaminating stations and professional surveillance on our watershed for invasive species.  We provide and pay for expert water sampling and analysis to keep track of the quality and character of our watershed.  We add this information to an archive of 30 years of lake study.  We work hand in hand with local and state government as well as other NGO's to preserve the quality of Schroon Lake and surroundings.  We hold informational meetings to increase public awareness of the issues facing our watershed and solutions to those issues.

Attend one of our General Meetings this summer or join us in celebrating over 109 years of successful lake stewardship.

Serving Our Community Since 1957

Paradox Lake gets its name from a unique occurrence which happens every spring. Melting snow in the eastern Adirondack Mountains flows into Schroon River. Paradox Lake's outlet also flows into Schroon River, but due to the sudden increase in water, the outflow is forced back, causing it to flow in reverse. The word paradox, so the locals claim, means "water running backward" in Indian.

Mission Statement

The Paradox Lake Association (PLA) is comprised of year-round and seasonal residents and members of the business community on and around Paradox Lake and is funded solely by membership dues.

The Association is committed to the preservation and enhancement of water quality and the environment as well as the overall quality of life at the Lake.

Some of our specific purposes include:

• To raise awareness of lake issues with the community
• To develop a partnership with lake neighbors
• To launch fundraising events and apply for grants
• To collect data on a broad range of lake concerns (water quality, development, lake-use concerns, etc)
• To gather information and present educational programs for our members and those near the lake
• To develop a long-range lake management plan
• To act as a support group for members