Jane Forbes Clark told Rotarians that her commitment to the Cooperstown area is "stronger than it has ever been and very secure."

She also threw her support behind the move to bring diversity back to Main Street. Clark said she had spent time earlier in the day with Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce executive director Polly Renckens talking about her efforts to stimulate diversity on a Main Street that has largely been taken over by restaurants and baseball shops.

"We need to get Main Street back so we can all shop on Main Street. I think if Polly and the Chamber of Commerce make the effort, all of us have to make an effort to stay on Main Street," she said.

She challenged the audience to examine their shopping habits and look to Main Street rather than the Internet, mail order or malls.

"We can't ask to have a great place to shop and not support it," she said.

Clark made the remarks during a guest speaker appearance at the Cooperstown Rotary Club's luncheon meeting Tuesday at the Peppermill Restaurant.

The Rotary Club is in the process of revisiting a series of talks presented to them in 1985 by community leaders concerning the future of the area. Clark was appearing to update comments made to the club by then President of the Clark Estates Ed Stack, who has since retired.

She was introduced by Frank Maloney, manager of the Otesaga Hotel, who said Clark took over the reins from her father 10 years ago and "the landscape of Cooperstown has not been the same since."

In his original talk, Stack discussed the Clark family and Cooperstown, the Clark scholarship program, the Alfred Corning Clark Gymnasium, the Otesaga Hotel, Leatherstocking Corporation and the demise of the Scriven Foundation.

After reiterating her commitment to Cooperstown, Clark moved onto the scholarship program which has grown from 653 scholarships totaling $1.6 million in 1985 to today's scholarships which total over 1,000 and annually amount to $2.6 million.

The Alfred Corning Clark gymnasium was in the middle of its relocation to its present Susquehanna Avenue site in 1985 and was given a "new name for new era."

And Stack, she said, was wrong about one thing - the demand for outdoor recreational activities. Anyone driving by today can easily see what a large component outdoor activities have become at the Clark Sports Center.

In 1985, she said, the Otesaga was operating at a "considerable deficit," but today, under the management of Frank Maloney who took over in 1991, the resort hotel is now operating at "a considerable profit."

"He has single-handedly given Cooperstown a world class golf course and resort," she said.

Stack also talked about changes in the structure of the Leatherstocking Corporation which operates the Otesaga, Cooper Inn, the Leatherstocking Golf course and other entities. Today, Clark is the sole shareholder in that corporation.

The demise of the Scriven Foundation was the final topic she touched on and explained that the name had been changed from Scriven to Norse, but since Stack addressed the Rotarians that name has again been changed - back to Scriven. The name, she said, holds much personal and historic meaning and is more fitting for a foundation that focuses its giving on Otsego County.

Clark said that as much as she knew people would like her to look into the future, she would follow Stack's example and refrain from making any predictions.

She did state that each Clark organization is constantly looking toward the future and gave three current examples.

The Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home is now undergoing a more than $6 million renovation that will result in a "state-of-the-art residential facility."

Bassett Healthcare this spring unveiled a more than $50 million facilities management plan that would add an extra floor to the hospital and pave the way for its new cardiac care program.

And finally, she mentioned the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's $10 million renovation plan. There are four components to the project: to create a safe environment for visitors; provide a smoother traffic flow through the museum's galleries; better manage and control the climate for the artifacts and to provide a greater presence of interactive technology for visitors.

While some of the specific details remain to be worked out, the project will result in an increase of exhibit space, but not through increasing the size of the building. She said additional details about the project will be available soon.