Canoe Reincarnation is about celebrating an army of volunteers coming together to take a pile of leaky canoes destined for the landfill and transforming them into works of art brimming with plants and flowers. 

My role in the project was microscopic in comparison to the time and effort of my Friends of Moreau Lake State Park counterparts, but my appreciation for the outcome is larger than the park itself. This piece focuses on the collaboration between the Moreau Lake State Park Manager Alan LaFountain and his staff, the Friends of Moreau Lake State Park volunteers, the financial support of local corporations, and most importantly, the talented young artists. Those artists took a stack of decrepit canoes from rags to riches with paint, imagination, and teamwork. Local youth ranging from Cub Scouts to high school seniors, put their creative juices into the Canoe Trail Project at the Moreau Lake State Park. 

This project emphasizes what can be accomplished when optimism and open minds are combined with rolled-up sleeves and elbow grease. I believe nothing is more critical for our future than finding ways to solve problems with compromise and cooperation. 

The Canoe Planter Trail Project at Moreau Lake State Park began in the spring of 2022 with the idea of repurposing seven leaky canoes and one rowboat into art-covered planters and placing them strategically throughout the park to form a Canoe Trail. A Stewart’s Holiday Match Grant provided the money for paint and material. Participating youth groups from throughout the area designed and painted the canoes: 

• Saratoga Springs High School  

• Cub Scout Pack #2024

• Fort Edward Union Free School

• Fort Edward Union Free School - Life Skills Class

• Moreau Community Center

• St Mary’s Alphonsus of Glens Falls - Fourth Grade 

• United Sisters of New York, Inc.

• Scout Troop #2024 and #2024G - Wilton 

Each group adopted a canoe and came up with a theme. Volunteers delivered the canoes and materials, picked up the finished art projects then returned them to the park. The Moreau Lake Friends Group’s “Green Team” and Park Staff designed a Canoe Trail within the park based on access and visibility.

The completed canoes were filled using Hugelkultur and topped off with various flowers and vegetables appropriate for the final locations. 

The collaboration of people varying in age from pre-teen to retired, impressed and inspired me the most. My observation is not simply about this project but the abundance of volunteer opportunities our local communities provide. As a lifelong resident, I am grateful for everyone who gives of themselves to better the parks, historical resources, museums, and countless service organizations, all within shouting distance. The Moreau Lake Canoe Trail was but one of the numerous volunteer projects that took place this summer. Regardless of your interests or availability, there is an organization out there in need of a helping hand. There is nothing more fulfilling than being part of the solution when it comes to issues that will affect the generations behind us.