By Jennifer Farnsworth
FACES on Beekman Street has undergone an 800-foot expansion that is a reflection of the success the spa has experienced.
Owner Crystal Cobert Giddens has a passion for what she does that can be felt throughout the new fresh space—something she had a vision of since first opening her doors in 2017.
ReWire Energy in Saratoga Springs Plans To Transition To Zero Energy Solutions Provider
ReWire Energy in Saratoga Springs has announced a new stage in its corporate growth that will align its software development, energy analytics, financial modeling and utility program management expertise with market needs, including serving commercial real estate development and management, municipal and utility customers, and energy and technology customers.
Racing City Brewing Continues To Expand, With Addition Of ‘Cornhole’ Tournaments
by Andrea Palmer
Debreen and Tony Oliva opened Racing City Brewing Co. 14 months ago and have steadily grown since. The couple also owns Oliva Vineyards winery, making wine for the past decade.
Recently, they have created a Cornhole venue and weekly competition at the brewing facility.
Cornhole leagues meet at the 250 Excelsior St. location in Saratoga Springs every Thursday night. Teams are paired through a blind draw, with names pulled out of a hat. It is a double-elimination tournament with a winner every night. At the end of the eight-week session, a ninth week playoff takes place.
“It’s a real nice group of people on a regular basis,” said Debreen Oliva. “It’s a great activity inside during the winter because there’s not much to do if you don’t like being outside in the cold. And it’s great in the summer when you want to enjoy the good weather outside.”
‘Saving Face’ Barbershop On West Avenue In Saratoga Springs Serves Men And Children
By Susan E. Campbell
Saving Face barbershop is a recent business addition to West Avenue, one of the growth areas in Saratoga Springs. As new commercial spaces and residential buildings continue to go up and activity on the west side increases, shop manager and master barber Jeremiah Cregan said he is pleased with his location.
“I originally wanted a shop on Broadway in the center of things,” Cregan said. “But as I dove into it I thought, I want to target locals who do not want to worry about traffic in the summer or finding a parking space.“
He narrowed down his choices to a few locations on West Ave, but ultimately the space that Dance Lab had vacated at 68 West Ave. proved to have the amenities he needed.
Grant Awarded To Northwestern Mutual’s Sherry Finkel Murphy Will Help Wellspring
From connecting families with housing and food resources, to providing valuable mentorship opportunities to local youth, Northwestern Mutual financial advisors aim to lead impactful change in communities across the country.
Through its foundation, the company is recognizing these efforts through its 2019 Community Service Awards program by awarding nearly $300,000 in grants to nonprofits nationwide.
Each year, Northwestern Mutual selects 16 financial advisors nationwide to receive grants to benefit a nonprofit of their choice as part of the program. Local resident Sherry Finkel Murphy, a financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual – Albany, has been chosen as a 2019 Most Exceptional recipient of the award, receiving a $25,000 grant for Wellspring. Wellspring is dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and engaging the community to end relationship and sexual abuse.
As Business Grows, Saratoga Olive Oil Buys Building To Renovate Into Warehouse Space
By Christine Graf
State Says Its ‘Taste NY’ Program Sales Jumped To A Record $17.8 Million Last Year
Taste NY sales increased to a record $17.8 million in 2018, state officials announced.
Total gross sales of New York products from Taste NY events and locations last year, including the opening of six brand new Taste NY Markets in Welcome Centers across the state, increased by $1.7 million over the previous year. The continued year-over-year growth reflects increasing consumer demand for local food and beverage products, officials said.
Laraine Desmond Named Citizen Of The Year By County Committee For Mental Health
The Saratoga County Citizens Committee for Mental Health (SCCCMH) named Laraine Desmond as 2019 Citizen of the Year.
Desmond has provided direct care for hundreds of severely mentally ill individuals during her 30-year career working with Transitional Services Association (TSA), thee agency said.
For most of that time, she has served as the program director for the Stonebridge Community Residence. Officials said she has served with integrity and commitment through more than a few transitions and changes within the field of mental health and at TSA.
“The stability, sincerity, and experience Laraine brings to her job is both substantial and significant. It is impossible to calculate the positive impact Laraine’s service has had on TSA residents over the years,” the agency said in a statement. “It has literally been felt daily by people living with mental illness for her entire tenure at TSA. When asked about her work, Laraine said, ‘Often you hear people saying they love helping people, but I say I love the people I help. It is that simple.’”
Certified Nurse Midwife Named A Fellow For National Nurse Leadership Program
Certified nurse midwife Jennifer Kittell, of Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Midwifery and Women’s Health Services, was named a fellow for the Duke-Johnson & Johnson Nurse Leadership Program.
A partnership between Duke University School of Nursing and Johnson & Johnson, the program provides leadership development for nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives, especially those who work in community practice settings.
Kittell is one of 41 nurses from across the U.S. who were selected for the 2019-20 program. Fellows will participate in three leadership retreats, monthly distance-based learning activities and a transformative health leadership project. A key objective is to equip fellows to provide more effective, efficient healthcare services to vulnerable populations and to lead innovative health improvement initiatives for their organizations and communities.
Saratoga County Program Teaches Veterans About Healthy Stress Management Tools
Local veterans are given the opportunity to focus on health and resilience thanks to the 100 Day Transformation Challenge program created by Saratoga County in partnership with Purebred Athletics and Dig Deep Chiropractic & Massage Therapy PLLC.
Through the Veterans Peer Connection program operating under the county Veterans Service Agency, Saratoga County is currently sponsoring 15 veterans who will participate in the 100 Day Transformation Challenge, allowing them the opportunity to learn healthy stress management tools as well as establish a community with other veterans in the program.