News in brief

Mt. Ida food pantry volunteer to be honored for service

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. >> A volunteer with Troy’s Mt. Ida Community Food Pantry will be honored Saturday as the 2017 Volunteer of the Year by the Food Pantries of the Capital District.

Claire Baker will be recognized during the Food Pantries of the Capital District’s 23rd Annual Community Auction from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Christ Our Light Church, 1 Maria Drive.

According to a news release from the Food Pantries of the Capital District, Baker helps guests shop for groceries, restocks shelves, unloads deliveries and does just about anything else that needs to be done. In addition to working with the Mt. Ida pantry, Baker also volunteers with The Food Pantries of the Capital District’s Food Rescue Program, Capital Region CANstruction, Hunger Heroes, WGNA’s Hunger Games and many other initiatives.

“The value that our volunteers bring to our coalition of food pantries is priceless,” said Natasha Pernicka, executive director of the Food Pantries of the Capital District. “For some, volunteering is a way of giving, and for others, it is a way of life. It’s important for us to recognize all our volunteers, especially those who have dedicated themselves to fulfilling our mission of working together to feed the hungry in our communities.”

The group will also honor one of its own, Dinnie Shanley, with the Siater Mary Coons Award. Shanley has been an employee of The Food Pantries of the Capital District, serving as a community liaison with member pantries. She also started the Day After Program at Equinox and has been a huge help at past community auctions.

Both awards will be presented at noon by U. S. Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Asterdam, and state Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Albany. The free event will also include bidding on more than 100 prizes and gift certificates donated by local businesses and individuals, topped by two JetBlue travel certificates. There will also be a bake sale and lunch will be available.

The auction raised more than $11,000 last year for the Food Pantries of the Capital District, which helps fund and collect and deliver food that totals about 2.7 million meals for those in need in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties.

For more information about the group or Saturday’s event, visit www. thefoodpantries.org.

Paving to disrupt Brunswick Road

TROY, N.Y. >> City officials have issued a traffic advisory for Brunswick Road beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday.

The city’s Department of Public Works will be conducting additional paving operations obetween Orchard Avenue and Taylor Lane, with work expected to be done by 4 p.m.

Officials said in a news release that drivers should seek alterate routes or watch for lane closures and flaggers and observe all posted traffic signs.

Hillside North area targeted for cleanup

TROY, N.Y. >> The State of New York Mortgage

Agency, the Troy Rehabilitation and Improvement Program, M&T Bank, the Hillside North Neighborhood Association and other local volunteers will team up to continue the revitalization of the city’s Hillside North neighborhood Friday and Saturday.

SONYMA Spruce Up: Celebrating Hillside North, during which volunteers will cleanup 30 homes, six vacant lots, a community center and an outdoor classroom, will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Volunteers should meet at 9 a.m. at 378 10th St., one of the properties slated for repair and beautification.

SONYMA Spruce Up is a series of neighborhood cleanup events that take place each year in communities across New York state. Spruce Up activities typically include outdoor painting, washing siding, exterior repairs, planting and weeding and energy efficiency improvements.

For more information or to volunteer, contact TRIP at 272- 8289.