Read our newsletter here or download our 2025 fall newsletter
Stretching Your Mind, Awakening Your Senses, Flexing Your Muscles
Yoga arrived at St. William’s this year. Tuesday mornings in July and August, Tom Dobmeier led folks in a yoga series on the shore of Raquette Lake in front of St. William’s Church. The grass was soft and the sun was kind; even the milkweed and butterflies joined in. Adapting the class to all levels, including those new to yoga, Tom engaged folks in exercising their muscles, relaxing their minds, and using their sense of humor.
Tom has been a summer resident here in Raquette Lake for sixteen years and has a deep appreciation for the wonder and beauty of nature. He discovered yoga shortly after retiring from a long career as a mechanical engineer. Tom teaches at Sky Yoga Studios in the Syracuse area, and he is also the owner of Tada Yoga LLC. He is certified as an E-RYT-200 teacher through Boston Yoga School, and he has continued his studies with several highly regarded teachers, as well as traveling extensively to attend/host yoga retreats and festivals. He loved sharing his teaching and stories as we moved through classes designed to open the mind and body.
Please join Tom for this special yoga series again next year. A substantial portion of the fee goes directly to our beloved St. William’s on Long Point!
Blessed
A very special event happened at St. William’s on Long Point this August. Olimpia Julve Ryer was blessed in baptism by Father Allen of Indian Lake, with her family in attendance, some of whom traveled from Spain for the occasion. Olimpia’s parents, Celia and Evan, had been to St. William’s many times, canoeing out to have picnics on the lawn and to cherish the quiet peacefulness of the 1890s era church. All enjoyed the setting, beautiful weather, and a picnic made by Celia. We were honored to help them bring their vision for Olimpia to life, and we wish them a lifetime of joy.
Fundraising Excitement
This year, our fundraiser was held at St. William’s on Long Point, and the event was sold out, once again! Great energy infused the night as friends gathered, ate delicious food, and bid for many unusual items. The auctioneer, Ben Strader, was fun and amazing. We raised $14,246!
Our Chair, Molly Dillon, handled all the details seamlessly. Dawn Timm did an amazing job with the food. Jean Bird and Sue Norris transformed the Boat House into a historical room with scrapbooks, slide shows, and documentation about the history of St. William’s on Long Point.
Thank you all for attending and for supporting St. William’s
Program Sponsors
We were so delighted with the variety of our summer programs. From Adirondack stories and songs, the Adirondack Harpist, rock and roll, Wide Variety (our a cappella group), Bruce Matthews singing his own songs, to the classical trio–we enjoyed it all!
Thank you for attending, savoring the music, cherishing friendships old and new, and of course, buying pies! We raised $1,240 from our pie raffles! We also appreciate the Raquette Lake Camps, which generously offered the use of their water taxi with the wonderful Captain Michael Bartow. In addition to the State Community Regrants through ALCA, we also have program sponsors that help us bring in quality programs. A big thank you to: Hugh Mott, Helen Quinby, Todd and Amy Clough, Dawn Bartow, Lowell Seifter and Sharon McAuliffe. and Darcie and Roger Corbin.
Ecumenical Service
Folks of many religious backgrounds gathered on Saturday, September 6th, to celebrate our Ecumenical Service. Reverend Naomi Kelley of Niccolls Presbyterian Church and Pastor Phil Huber of Inlet’s Community Church led the service. Peggy Nesblinger of Lowville led the choir with inspiring music. Thanks to George Smith for his sax duet and Jim Kisstler for his solo. We thank all who attended this special service.
Really? The Wall Street Journal?
Yes! There was an article about one of our rental groups, Adirondack Hamlets to Huts, in The Wall Street Journal on July 3, 2025, titled “The Only Way to Paddle the Adirondacks.” This group, H2H, has been renting from St. William’s for over five years, and they host many types of Adirondack trips. Sue took the reporter, Beth Kracklauer, and her small group on a tour of St.
William’s. During their five day trip they also stayed at or toured Raquette Lake Hotel/Tap Room, Sagamore, Pine Knot, and the Hedges learning the history of our area.
The WSJ article highlights the personal quality of the trips H2H offers, and the valuable resources they provide to trekkers who visit their Trail Center seeking information about hiking, paddling, and biking in the Adirondacks. In writing about a recent guided H2H trip the author of the article participated in, she shared insight about “the work Hamlets to Huts does in concert with their affiliates to foster vibrant communities, environmental stewardship, and human wellness. They run trips that stay at St. William’s on Long Point the last week of August. For more information, see
- H2H: adkh2h.org
- WSJ: Ultimate Summer Adventure—Raquette Lake Note: Subscription to WSJ required.
Special Thanks!
A special shout-out to Barry and Linda Lane for their wonderful work this summer as Caretaker and Innkeeper. Thank you to Kate Baker, who did an excellent job of writing our articles for the newspapers this season.
The lawn, and especially the flowers all around the grounds, were amazing this year, thanks to Doug Masters and his team.
Many thanks to all of you who help St. William’s continue to be such a wonderful place.
Historical Viewpoint: Franciscan Friars By Jean Bird
One of the great examples of faith in ministry can be found with the Franciscan Friars of Raquette Lake. They lived and provided religious services at St. William’s on Long Point as well as Blue Mountain Lake, Inlet, Big Moose, Carter Station, and Brandreth from 1911 until 1938, when the main church was relocated to the village of Raquette Lake.
On July 11 1909, Father Henry Thameling arrived in Raquette Lake. To reach Blue Mountain, he had to go by way of the Marion River with a portage to Utowana, Eagle, and Blue Mountain Lakes. From Raquette, he went to Eagle Bay by railroad to Inlet, Big Moose, and the logging camps at Carter Station and Brandreth. Brother Ulrich was stationed with the pastor. He stated that before 1929, they lived in a tent behind St. William’s on Long Point and spent winters in Big Moose. Father Thameling obtained use of the house we now rent to groups in 1922, renting it from its original owner, John McLaughlin, one of the first trustees of the church. Most of the year, he stayed at Long Point but returned to the village of Raquette Lake during ice-in and ice-out, conducting services in a small building behind the Raquette Lake Supply, Father Henry conducted services in Blue Mountain in winter by traveling on horse-drawn sleigh or snowshoes, staying overnight at Blue Mountain, and returning to Raquette on Sunday evening. One evening, in 1930, when cars could reach RL, he was returning to St. William’s on Long Point on the ice road. At Echo Camp, Father Henry let off two young men and then drove into an unmarked hole where ice was being harvested and drowned. The church was then located year-round in the village until the RL fire in 1938. A new church, also called St. William’s, was then built in the village in 1939 with funds donated by local people and the 23 millionaires with camps on Raquette Lake.
By 1944, the effects of the Depression and World War II severely affected funds and church membership, and St. William’s on Long Point was only used for retreats and vacations for the Franciscans of the Ogdensburg Diocese. By the early 1990s, St. William’s needed repair and was no longer safe for use, so the Diocese transferred the site to the current non-profit historic group to restore and use.
We certainly appreciate and honor the faith and the history of the Franciscan Friars and all they did in this area and on Long Point.
The Untethered Retreat at St. Williams on Long Point, By Tere Marie Martini
On an idyllic weekend in early September 2025, a group of 10 strangers came together on Long Point. By the time we left, we had woven a web of sisterhood that will undoubtedly last for years to come. The Untethered Retreat, hosted by me, Tere Marie, was a weekend of spiritual development, a return to center, and deep nourishment for women who often prioritize caring for others above themselves. We came together for a community read and book study of The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer, learned about the medicinal plants that surround the property, created herbal medicine preparations, took care of our bodies with morning yoga sessions, ate delicious home cooked meals, regulated our nervous systems and spent MANY hours on the dock, basking in the beautiful early autumn sun.
St. William’s held us in the warmest embrace. We felt at home with the impeccable energy of the land, and under the top-notch care of caretakers Linda and Barry. We were given just the right amount of privacy, yet, Linda was on the spot for ANY needs that came up in the moment.
St. Williams was just the place for us to reflect, nourish, heal, and develop bonds with one another. There is a certain type of magic that happens when women come together to share their experiences and engage in NEW ones together. Healing doesn’t happen in isolation, but in community; the peninsula of St Williams was the perfect location for us to unplug, simplify our lives for a few days, and do the deep work of healing together.
We can’t wait for our return in the Summer of 2026, and have space for a few more women to join us in sisterhood. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for our email list at teremariemartini.com
Upcoming Projects
We’re planning several essential projects for the coming year that require specific expertise and careful budgeting:
- Removing nine trees past their prime that pose a risk to our buildings
- Stabilizing the foundation of the Boathouse’s front
- Replace seats on pontoon boat
- Funding the creation of pew cushions for the church to make sitting for events more comfortable
If you would like to contribute financially to these much-needed projects, your donation would be greatly appreciated.
A Dollar and a Dream
In 1993, we had a dollar and a dream, or so the saying goes. We had many wonderful volunteers willing to paint, fix docks, and straighten foundations. We had people like you, who believed in our vision to save an old church whose foundation was in danger of falling down and jeopardizing the safety of the building. You gave generously, we all worked hard, and St. William’s on Long Point came alive. We attracted quality performers, even when all we could offer was a bed for the night and a good, hearty dinner. Renters started coming and learned from this sacred place and the nature surrounding it. We thank you for your donations and hard work over the years, and for believing we could save this special church and use it for gatherings of songs, stories, weddings, baptisms, and other celebrations. You will always be a part of our mission and dream.
This year, through a generous donation by Barbara Glaser, we have started a new endowment fund through the Adirondack Community Foundation. This fund supports St. William’s desire to build an endowment while Adirondack Community Foundation handles investment management, administration, and donor services. St. William’s gains access to professional, low-cost investment management, benefits from economies of scale in pooled investments, and will be able to further focus on our mission instead of administrative duties.
As you are able, if you can donate, please indicate where you would like it to go. Thank you for your support!
- Endowment fund
- Programs, as a sponsor
- General fund or projects, such as listed in this newsletter
Board Members
St. William’s is governed by a volunteer board, meeting quarterly. Our current board includes:
- Thomas Polivka, President
- Doug Masters, Vice President
- Jim Kistler, Treasurer
- Tina Timm, Secretary
- Jean Bird
- Jim Dillon
- Elizabeth Blakely
- Gene Loriot
- Molly Dillon
- Peggy Deyle
- Dawn Timm
- Sue Norris, Coordinator