Relocation of the HHFC annual Franklin Trek

[Steve Braverman]

The closing of Cazenovia College has been a blow to the HH Franklin Club. Speaking as someone that attended my first Trek in 1974 as an infant, Cazenovia has been a real part of my life. 

This year the Trek will be in a completely new venue, with new surroundings, but the thing that makes the Trek what it is will remain the same, the people. There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a location for an event like the Franklin Trek. We looked at the quality of the accommodations, (including accessibility for our less agile members), the layout of the facility and suitability for our event, and the geographic location (including topography and proximity to services and touring destinations). 

I reached out to 22 colleges and conference centers. There were only four that were willing and able to host us, and we looked at each of them in person. The Trek Committee toured Union College in Schenectady, NY on January 16. We were impressed with the campus and the accommodations. We are pleased to announce that we have chosen Union College to be the host of the 69th Annual Franklin Trek for 2023. 

Union College is the second oldest college in NY, founded in 1795. The residence hall that will be our main headquarters is a former hotel. Every room is air conditioned and has a private bathroom. Guests will also be housed in an adjacent building that is about ten years old, and is suite style, also air conditioned. As a former hotel, we will have a 300 seat ballroom at our disposal for evening hospitality and the banquet. We will have the entire 200+ space parking lot to ourselves to park the Franklins, as well as a second nearby lot for trailers and modern cars. The dining hall is a short walk away, or you can drive a Franklin, as there is ample parking. 

Schenectady is a small city. The 100 acre campus is on the edge of the city, and the surrounding neighborhood is beautiful. Downtown Schenectady is undergoing a revitalization, and our members will enjoy exploring it. Albany International Airport is nine miles away. A new location opens us up to many new touring destinations, and the Mohawk and Hudson river valleys will provide many miles of easy driving. 

Please be assured that this decision was not made hastily. The search began in October, when the financial troubles at Cazenovia became known. We chose this venue as we believe it is the best choice for the future of the HH Franklin Club. 

The dates are the same as originally planned, July 29 - August 5. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at sdbraverman@gmail.com 

-Steve Braverman - Trek Chairman