by Marianne Christy
Some folks love the Adirondacks so much, you could say they are addicted.
Such is the case of one avid outdoorswoman who became obsessed with the Old Forge/Inlet area following a visit 15 years ago.
As an out-of-stater, for over a decade she traveled 12-plus hours round-trip each weekend to this part of the Adirondacks where she could be at peace with nature and get better acquainted with its residents.
A couple years ago she decided to make a permanent move here.
“It’s where my heart is,” she said.
But her personal love affair and investment in the Adirondacks wasn’t enough.
Feeling a need to share her passion with other like-minded individuals, she—who has requested anonymity— has trademarked the word ADiKted, and created a new line of t-shirts that includes a simple mountain sketch and the tagline, Preserve the Adirondack Park.
Out of pocket, she recently had hundreds of t-shirts printed in various color combinations and pitched them to local friends and business owners Erica and Terry Murray of Old Forge Hardware and Reggie and Paul Chambers of Inlet’s Adirondack Reader and French Louie ADK Sports for test marketing.
The first weekend they were available, the Inlet stores sold 60 shirts.
The three businesses hold exclusive rights for the sales of the short- and long-sleeved shirts that are currently available in mens and womens sizes only.
And as a means of giving back to an area that brings this woman so much joy, $5 from each shirt will be directed to not-for-profit causes and to support community projects, events or beautification efforts in Inlet and Old Forge.
As the first recipient of funds, the conceptualizer has chosen the Fulton Chain of Lakes Association, “because it’s the clean water that draws so many people to the area, and the Fulton Chain links the two communities I love.”