As a leadup to the upcoming Olympic games in Beijing, View, the Center for Arts and Culture in Old Forge, will hold an Olympian Roundtable Discussion with Erin Hamlin, Robert Esche and Hank Kashiwa at 3 PM on January 29th. This event is free and open to the public.
Erin Hamlin
Erin Hamlin is a four-time Olympian and the first female American luger to medal at any Winter Olympics and the first American of either gender to medal in luge singles competition. She is also the first non-European woman to take an Olympic medal in luge. (credit- wikipedia)
Robert Esche
Robert Esche’s first taste of the American Hockey League came as a Springfield Falcon in the 1998-1999 season, the start to a professional hockey career that spanned more than a dozen years. American hockey fans remember this Whitesboro native as a goaltender for the Phoenix Coyotes from 1998 until 2002, and then as a Philadelphia Flyer from 2002 until 2007. In 2003 he teamed up with Roman Čechmánek, and won the William M. Jennings Trophy, which is awarded to the goalkeeper(s) having played a minimum of 25 games for the team with the fewest goals scored against it. In 2004, he represented the United States in net at the World Cup of Hockey. He also represented the United States in Ice Hockey World Championships for several years as well as tending goal in Torino during the games of the Twentieth Winter Olympiad in 2006. He completed his professional career with teams in Russia (Kazan; Saint Petersburg; Minsk) and Switzerland. (credit - Uticacomets.com)
Hank Kashiwa
Hank Kashiwa was a member of the U.S. Alpine Ski team from 1967-1972. After being an alternate on the 1968 Olympic games in Grenoble, Kashiwa skied the World Cup circuit from 1968-71, finishing in the Top 10 six times. In 1972, he qualified for the Olympic team and skied the Downhill and Giant Slalom events in Sapporo at the age of 22. Post-Olympics, he joined the World Pro Ski circuit, winning the World Pro Title in 1975. Kashiwa is an Old Forge native whose mother, Mirnie, founded View. (credit - olympics.com)
After the roundtable, View invites everyone to the Opening Reception for the art exhibits Winter in Action, The Winter 46, Lawrence Van Alstyne’s Olympic Poster Series, and Take the Scenic Route: A Journey Through America’s National Parks from 4-7pm. The Opening Reception is open to the public and will include hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar and live music featuring John Kelsey. To help celebrate the events, View will offer free admission all day to its galleries.
