Philanthropy

Director’s Report from Poland

As we look ahead to the 2025 World Canals Conference next year in Buffalo, our overseas travel earlier this summer to join international peers gathered in Bydgoszcz, Poland for the 2024 conference has reaffirmed that New York State is not alone in either the myriad of challenges or opportunities shared by operators of canals and inland waterway systems around the globe.

Historic Bydgoszcz Canal

In June, I was joined by Executive Deputy Director Rebecca Hughes and Eastern Division Canal Engineer Joe Moloughney, part of a diverse private/public New York delegation attending the four-day conference in Poland’s North-Central region along the confluence of the Brda and Vistula rivers. More than 200 delegates from 15 countries were welcomed to the host city beginning with a weekend water festival alongside the historic Bydgoszcz Canal, setting the tone for a robust schedule of conference sessions and excursions in the week ahead of us.

Bydgoszcz Community Water Festival

During the week, Rebecca and Joe presented technical papers as part of a series of conference breakout sessions.  They represented New York State, Canals and NYPA exceptionally well by sharing some of New York’s most challenging operational issues on the Canal system: aquatic invasive species, flood mitigation, and earthen embankment management.  

Mitigating the Spread of Invasive Species

Joe Moloughney

Delegates received an in-depth overview of measures the Canal Corporation has implemented – working in cooperation with state and local entities – to combat the threat of the Round Goby on the Champlain Canal.  As is true for many European inland waterways, the Champlain connects into larger bodies of water (Lake Champlain) and borders other countries, states and managing authorities (Canada, Vermont, and the Lake Champlain Basin Program), thus elevating public concern for the potential spread of the destructive Goby into these adjacent territories. Joe explained that preventative measures put into place along the Champlain are not without challenges to our Canal workforce or some inconvenience to the boating public, including navigation delays caused by a limited schedule of lock passage times (three daily) and double draining of the first four of the Champlain’s 11 locks.

Revitalizing New York’s Historic Canal for the Third Century of Operation

Rebecca Hughes

Supporting the conference central theme of “Intersection of Environment and Economic Development,” Rebecca’s presentation detailed the Canal Corporation’s approach to public relations on environmental issues.  This includes vegetation management under our Earthen Embankment Integrity Program and the impact of the increased intensity of high-water events along the Canal through the Upstate Flood Mitigation Task Force. 

Like so many topics discussed in Bydgoszcz, challenges related to vegetation management and flood mitigation were common themes among our international waterway peers. Both overseas and at home, increased financial support for canals is essential. Rebecca underscored Governor Hochul’s commitment of new funding in the current New York budget to move forward with key elements of our flood mitigation and embankment management action plans.

Celebrating Poland’s History, Culture, and Architecture

Wine Country, Przy Talerzku Vineyards, Topolino

Old Palace, Ostromecko

Musicians outside the New Palace, Ostromecko

Beyond the benefit of networking and information sharing of the conference sessions, there was also time to enjoy the history, culture, and unique beauty of this eastern European region. A special highlight was the conference evening gala dinner program hosted at the mid-18th century Mostowski Palace in Ostromecko, in the Vistula Valley just outside Bydgoszcz.

‘Passing the Torch’

Bydgoszcz Mayor Rafat Bruski makes the hand-off to our New York team

During conference closing ceremonies Bydgoszcz Mayor Rafat Bruski gave a warm send off to all, including the requisite passing of the World Canals Conference “torch” on to New York State for our hosting duties in 2025.  In this case, the mayor presented us with a replica ship’s wheel inscribed with the international navigation coordinates of Bydgoszcz and Buffalo

A special video greeting and message from Gov. Kathy Hochul to conference delegates in Bydogoszcz

On behalf of our entire New York delegation, I was proud to thank Mayor Bruski and our international colleagues for a truly memorable week in his city and introduce a special video message from Governor Kathy Hochul inviting our international partners and friends to reconvene with us next year in New York’s Queen City for WCC 2025.

Bydogoszcz World Canals Conference attendees, Rother's Mill Island Conference Center

I invite you to see what New York has in store for the world next year at www.WWC2025Buffalo.com. 

Get ready!

Compliment someone on one of their personality traits 

Write a handwritten card to someone to say thanks

Text a friend to share your gratitude for something they did for you

Leave a positive review online of a restaurant you like

Tell a friend what you love about their children

Compliment a photo someone posts on social media

Let someone cut in front of you in line

Introduce two people who you think would get along

Pick up trash on the ground and put it in the garbage

Compliment someone on their clothing or hair

Use old grocery bags to pick up dog poop you see on your neighbor's lawn

Shovel snow off the sidewalk in your neighborhood

Offer to mow the lawn for an elderly neighbor

Give up your seat on the plane to let a couple sit together

Talk to someone at a party that doesn’t seem to know anyone

Invite someone new in your town to a social event and introduce them to everyone

Invite a friend that you haven’t seen in a while out to lunch

Offer to pick up a friend at the airport

Reach out to an old friend to let them know of an experience you had with them that you value

Spend time with the elderly at a local retirement home

Offer to bring someone else's grocery cart back to the store

Keep an extra pen in your purse to give people when they need one

Put a positive note in a library book

Attend events that support your friends’ passions (like an art show, musical performance, etc…)

Donate unused items to charity

Bring snacks to the local fire station

Keep packs of toothpaste or packs of socks in your bag to give to homeless people

Post an uplifting photo on a friend’s social media

Compliment someone on something they’ve done or accomplished

Tell a parent that they’re doing a great job raising their kids

Bring or send your mother flowers

Bring a friend a small gift next time you see them

Buy a warm meal to give to a homeless person

Share an article, event, or other information with someone who might be interested

Help to connect a friend seeking a job to someone who has a job to offer

Help a neighbor bring in their groceries

Make dinner for your friend group

Compliment a neighbor on how nice their yard looks

Bring in the trash bins for your neighbor after trash has been picked up

Send an email to a former teacher to let them know how they impacted your life

Leave a thank you note in your mailbox for your mail carrier

Give a flower to a stranger

Buy a gift card to give to a stranger

Ofter to be there for a friend when they are struggling with something

Give bottles of water to people working outside on a hot day

Buy a sandwich for the next person in the lunch line

Leave a sticky note with a positive note somewhere public, like at a bus stop

Bring brownies to your next neighborhood association meeting

Scrape the ice off the car windshield of the car next to yours

Leave a positive comment on someone else's social media post, #ProsocialPost

Put coins in someone’s parking meter that is about to run out

Slow down to let someone merge in front of you in traffic

Be on time (don’t waste others’ time)

Hold the door open for the person walking behind you

Make a double batch of dinner so that you can give a meal to someone in need

Give directions to someone who is lost

Give an extra big tip when eating out

Practice compassion when someone else is struggling

Be self-compassionate when you’re struggling with something

Share veggies you grow in your garden with friends, neighbors, and family

Become an organ donor

Volunteer at the local animal shelter

Bring dinner to a friend who's just had a baby