This year a record year for Backpacks of Hope, a program of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County’s Women in Business committee.
Over 400 new backpacks, with over 200 containing complete school supplies, were donated by the committee to Wellspring on Aug. 15. Every year since 2007, Women in Business Committee members have gathered in August to fill new backpacks to aid Wellspring, the domestic violence services resource for Saratoga County residents. The committee has donated over 1,300 new backpacks to Wellspring.
Baskets of Hope benefits local families who seek the assistance and refuge of Wellspring. As financial hardships only add to the burden of a family facing domestic violence issues and relationship abuse, providing a child with a new backpack filled with school supplies helps ease that burden at the start of the school year.
For further information on the program, contact Liz Roggenbuck at 518-371-7748.
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The Mechanicville Area Community Services Center (MACSC) will host a clinic on wills from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at the center’s offices at 6 South Main St. All services will be provided on an appointment-only basis.
Five attorneys from the Legal Clinic will provide help in the preparation of end-of-life legal documents such as wills, living wills, health care proxies, and powers of attorney. The clinic is an activity of the Capital District Women’s Bar Association.
Those interested in obtaining the services must first schedule an intake appointment, and have their eligibility determined by contacting Laurie Allen, wills project coordinator, at 518-435-1770, Monday through Friday between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The clinic will last for the four hours scheduled, so early eligibility and appointments are strongly recommended. No walk-ins will be accepted for services.
For additional general information, contact MACSC Operations Director Holly LaTorre at 518-664-8322.
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Saratoga Hospital has installed a new drug take-back receptacle that is ready for public use in the entrance of the Alfred E. Solomon Emergency Department across from the Public Safety office.
The receptacle is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for any member of the public to dispose of prescription medications. Individuals can walk in any time, day or night, drop items in the box and leave.
Laurie Cronin, PharmD, RPh, CGP, Saratoga Hospital’s director of pharmacy, said that too many people improperly dispose of unused prescriptions by flushing them or throwing them away. Sometimes they are forgotten in a drawer, where children or others can obtain them.
There are two other 24/7 drug take-back drop boxes available in the county. They are at the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department in Ballston Spa and the Saratoga Springs Police Department.
Saratoga Hospital’s Alfred E. Solomon Emergency Department is located at 211 Church St. in Saratoga Springs. The entrance is on the Myrtle Street side of the hospital. For more information, visit saratogahospital.org or call 518-583-8313.
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The Community Hospice of Saratoga is hosting its 23rd annual Touched by an Angel event 6-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18 at the National Museum of Dance.
The event features food stations manned by local restaurants, along with complimentary champagne, beer and wine, hors d’oeuvres, and a dessert buffet. A two-night stay at the Mirror Lake Inn will be raffled off and there will be music by Mike Perkins and Tony Liquori.
All proceeds benefit the programs and services of Community Hospice above and beyond hospice care, such as therapists, bereavement counselors, the Wave Riders program, Camp Erin and the Hospice Wish Fund.
For more information or tickets, contact Gina Peca at 518-581-9727, ext. 8611 or gina.peca@sphp.com. Or go to www.SaratogaAngel.org.
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The Adirondack Trust Co. will hold its annual personal document shredding day on Saturday, Sept. 15. The event will be open to the public and will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of he bank’s Mabee Building, 31 Church St., Saratoga Springs.
People are welcome to bring their personal data for confidential destruction. Items that will be accepted include sensitive papers (white or color), carbon paper, file folders, old checkbooks, bank statements, expired credit cards or debit cards, and plastic ID cards. Paper items with staples and/or paperclips will be accepted, and these items do not need to be removed prior to shredding.
This service is intended for individuals, and will be limited to two boxes per person.
For more information regarding the Adirondack Trust Company’s Shred Days, please visit www.AdirondackTrust.com/About/Shred-Day.
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Floydwarriors.com Inc. is currently selling pink tribute bows for its sixth annual Pink Bows on Broadway campaign. The annual fundraising drive gives individuals ($50 donation) and businesses ($250 donation) the opportunity to recognize heroes who have battled cancer or fought alongside someone who has.
Pink bows will be prominently displayed on Broadway in Saratoga Springs Oct. 1-31. Each bow is accompanied by a tribute card that allows the sponsor to celebrate individual heroes, including survivors, lost loved ones, physicians, fundraising warriors, special caregivers, family/friends, and any other person that deserves recognition for their involvement in the war against cancer.
All proceeds from the campaign benefit floydwarriors.com, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide help in the home for families undergoing cancer treatment. Assistance is provided by way of meals, cleanings and support of childcare.
Additional information may be obtained visiting www.floydwarriors.com or sending a request to info@floydwarriors.com.
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The Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership will highlight the economic impact of the county’s agriculture sector when it releases its inaugural Saratoga County Agricultural Index on Wednesday, September 19 at Ellms Family Farm in Ballston Spa.
Officials said the index will assess the economic impact of agriculture and agribusiness in Saratoga County, including its vital connection with economic development. The index will share the results of a survey evaluating the desire for incentives to promote agricultural collaboration, and for marketing and branding campaigns to support local farms.
The presentation of the index will be followed by a panel discussion featuring industry leaders and community stakeholders, including Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner; Bill Peck of Welcome Stock Farm and town of Northumberland supervisor; Rachel (Czub) McDermott of Whole Feeds of the Hudson Valley and Z-Hub in Moreau; and Jennifer Koval of Koval Brothers Dairy of Stillwater.
The event will be held at Ellms Family Farm, 448 Charlton Road, Ballston Spa, and be catered by 9 Miles East Farm. It begins with registration at 11:30 a.m., followed by lunch and the program at noon.
The Presenting Sponsor is Adirondack Trust Company; the Gold Sponsor is NYSTEC; and Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, LLP is the Silver Sponsor. For more information regarding registration or sponsorship opportunities, contact Shelby Schneider at Shelby.schneider@saratogapartnership.org, Michele Battle at michele.battle@saratogapartnership.org, or call (518) 871-1887.
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Fall class registration at the Academy for Lifelong Learning (A.L.L.) continues through mid-September. Over 20 of 31 classes are still open, including several lecture series.
Most classes start the week of Sept. 10 and run through the week of Nov. 5. The fall term is sponsored by Prestwick Chase. Fall term class registration and membership application packets are available in area libraries, the Academy office at 113 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs or on the website at www.esc.edu/all.
Registration forms are being accepted for open classes through the beginning of the term. Several classes are full and waiting lists have been started. Call the Academy office for current class availability at (518) 587-2100, ext. 2415.
These open classes cover a wide range of subjects including science, Hollywood, painting, economics, self-awareness, investing, health, foreign cultures, photography, writing, hiking, Italian, authors’ works, and local history. Most classes are held in SUNY Empire State College classrooms at 113 West Ave. in Saratoga Springs with several on-site offerings at local outdoor venues.
For more information, contact the Academy office at (518) 587-2100 ext. 2390 or visit www.esc.edu/all.
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S&P Global Ratings has raised Saratoga Hospital’s long-term rating and underlying rating to ‘A’ from ‘A-,’ citing the hospital’s “very strong and consistent operating performance” and the benefits of Saratoga Hospital’s affiliation with Albany Med.
Of the 18 New York hospitals and systems rated by S&P, only three scored as high or higher than Saratoga Hospital. The S&P outlook for Saratoga Hospital is “stable.”
With an ‘A’ rating, any bonds issues are more attractive to banks and other investors, capital improvements can be financed at lower interest rates.
S&P also highlighted Saratoga Hospital’s stable management team, robust and consistent financial performance, and strong and improving leverage.
Saratoga Hospital sought its first S&P rating in 2003 when issuing bonds to help finance construction of Saratoga Surgery Center on the Wilton campus. The hospital’s rating has been upgraded from ‘BBB+’ in 2003 to ‘A-’ in 2012 to ‘A’ this year.
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The Wesley Foundation, the philanthropic arm of The Wesley Community, will host its second annual Saratoga Grandparents Day celebration on Sunday, Sept. 9 from 1-4 p.m. at the Saratoga Springs City Center, 522 Broadway in Saratoga Springs.
The event will honor grandparents and great-grandparents by providing an opportunity for family members of all ages to spend time together. Attendees will enjoy carnival-style games, a silent auction, face painting, balloon art, a magician, and photo opportunities, amongst other activities. The first 250 grandparents to enter will receive a special giveaway.
The community celebration is free and open to the public. Fees will apply for select activities and items for sale with proceeds to support the renovation of the Resident Activities Room at The Wesley Health Care Center. The residence caters to older adults who may have significant, chronic medical needs requiring daily assistance.
Major event sponsors are Marshall & Sterling Insurance, Ellms Family Farm and Angerame Architects.
For more information about the event, visit www.saratogagrandparentsday.com.
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The Saratoga Springs Heritage Area Visitor Center, in partnership with the Saratoga Springs Public Library, announced the fall Brown Bag Lunch series, an annual educational program meant to highlight the history, culture and traditions of Saratoga Springs.
All programs are free and open to the public No registration is required. The programs take place from noon to 1 p.m. and meet in the H. Dutcher Community Room, Saratoga Springs Public Library, 49 Henry St. Saratoga Springs.
For more information, contact the Visitor Center, 297 Broadway, Saratoga Springs, at 518-587-3241 or visit www.saratogaspringsvisitorcenter.com.
The schedule is:
Thursday, September 13, “Stories of Old Saratoga,” presented by Charlie Kuenzel and Dave Patterson.
Thursday, Oct. 11, “Eunice Newton Foote – 19th Century Suffragist, Scientist, Inventor and Saratogian,” presented by Samuel McKenzie.
Thursday Nov. 8 : “Universal Preservation Hall: The Road to Opening Night & Beyond,” presented by Teddy Foster, UPH campaign director.
Thursday, Dec. 13: “Echoes from the Mill,” presented by Maryann Fitzgerald, city historian.
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The Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State (CP of NYS) Annual Conference will take place October 15-17 at the Saratoga Hilton Hotel and City Center in Saratoga Springs.
Officials said approximately 700 people from across the state will attend the event offering sessions on issues critical to people with disabilities, their families and staff from all 24 CP of NYS Affiliates.
According the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau, the conference will account for over 600 room nights in downtown hotels and pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Saratoga Springs economy.
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Prestwick Chase at Saratoga sponsored the Friends of the Canfield Casino Gala at the casino in Congress Park on Aug. 25.
All proceeds of the event went to the Saratoga Springs History Museum and the Canfield Casino for upgrades and repairs.
The theme of the night was the life of John Morrissey, the original owner of the casino and the man who established the Saratoga Race Course. Jamie Parillo executive director of the museum, along with Charlie Kuenzel and Dave Patterson, spoke about John Morrissey.
Guests were treated to food created by the culinary team of Prestwick Chase and Hattie’s Restaurant. Entertainment was provided in the form of magicians, fortune-tellers, gaming tables and acrobats, and guests danced to the music from the Georgie Wonders Orchestra.
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Millennium Medical Imaging, a specialty physician practice, recently pledged a charitable gift of $278,500 to support Saratoga Hospital’s Cardiovascular Interventional Suite expansion as well as multiyear sponsorships of the hospital’s signature events.
Millennium has been Saratoga Hospital’s medical imaging provider since 2000 and was instrumental in launching the hospital’s varicose vein program and recruiting interventional oncologists to expand cancer services. The practice also advises the hospital on technology purchases and, with hospital staff, helps train radiology student-interns.
The pledge includes $170,000 for renovations that have created a second state-of-the-art interventional lab, new pre-and post-procedure space, as well as registration, waiting and staff areas.
The remaining $108,500 will support multiyear sponsorships of the hospital’s signature events, including the Cantina Kids Fun Run earlier this summer to support children’s healthcare; the 36th annual gala on Aug. 1 to benefit Saratoga Community Health Center; and the Saratoga Hospital Golf Invitational set for Sept. 12 to support the nursing scholarship program.