Tourism Industry Provides

$10,000 In Sweat Equity

By JIM KEVLIN • for allotsego.com

COOPERSTOWN – Three dozen volunteers from Tourism Cares are painting the bleachers at Doubleday Field at this hour, part of a national effort that allows hundreds of tourism professionals to “give back” annually.

The volunteers will be able to say, “I painted the outfield wall at Doubleday Field and swung a bat at home plate,” said Jay Smith of Sports Travel & Tours, Hatfield, Mass., the official travel agent of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  He estimated the volunteers will do $8,000-$10,000 worth of work today.

Smith, who worked with Mayor Jeff Katz, Destination Marketing of Otsego County exec Deb Taylor, and tourism agencies in Albany and Oneida counties, pointed out that the NTA (National Tourism Association) logo includes the phrase, “Save Our Sites,” and that the intent of the undertaking, as well as to familiarize tourism professional with attractions around the country.