Tag Archives: fourth lake

Flying Scot District Regatta held on Fourth Lake

by Liz Cowles

The local Flying Scot Fleet, in conjunction with Central Adirondack Sailing Association hosted the NY Lakes District Annual Flying Scot Championship Regatta on Fourth Lake on Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and16.

Eighteen Flying Scots participated with visitors from Skaneateles, Piseco and Saratoga Lakes.

All the sailors enjoyed the experience of racing with eighteen boats in five races over two days. Continue reading

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Louis Vaccaro: Local summer resident publishes memoir

Dr. Louis C. Vaccaro, Ph.D., a longtime seasonal resident of Fourth Lake, has recently published his memoir, “Around the Corner – From Shoeshine Boy to College President”.

Vaccaro said the title, “Around the Corner” is a play on words that refers to one of his childhood diversions at the start of World War II. At that time he lived on Dana Street in Los Angeles and he and his friends called themselves, “The Dana Street Commandos”.

The neighborhood was multi-ethnic with Irish, Italian, Latino and Germans, “and it was our job to defeat the Germans,” he said with amusement as he recalled those days when he was also a shoeshine boy and sold newspapers on the corner.

Growing up in an Italian-American family with five brothers and an older sister, the Italian motto: “You don’t work. You don’t eat,” was ingrained in him by his hardworking father, who worked two jobs as a plumber and a truck driver to support his big family.

His father, who died at 61, encouraged him to stay in school and get a good education and not become a laborer.

“Do something with your brain,” his father said.

And Dr. Vaccaro did stay in school, earning two Masters Degrees and a Doctorate. He taught at many colleges, eventually becoming President of The College of St. Rose in Albany.

“I went into education primarily because I was not happy with corporate life, and I knew I wanted to teach. I loved connecting ideas and I think I’m fairly good at explaining complex ideas to students,” he said.

He also created a number of international student programs at colleges in the U.S. and he has served as an advisor to the University of Science and Technology (USTC) in Heifei, China. He plans to return to China in October, he said.

His book is the story of his life’s journey and the people he met along the way. It was edited by former student, Renee Lapham Collins, now a journalist and teacher, and published by Infinity Publishing.

It can be ordered by calling Infinity at (877)-289-2665 or by visiting Amazon.com. It will also be available in local stores in the near future.

Dr. Vaccaro enjoys his summers on Fourth Lake with his wife Linda and their family.

 

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