REACHING OUT
Non-profit organizations meet with people at Saratoga Race Course
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » For the third year, NYRA invited nearly 40 non-profits throughout New York State a platform to explain their service to patrons visiting Saratoga Race Course on a daily basis.
“The New York Racing Association is proud to provide these local non-profit organizations with an opportunity to interact with new audiences that might not otherwise know of the noble efforts in which each of these non-profit organizations engage,” said NYRA CEO and President Chris Kay. “We are pleased to assist them in their fundraising efforts and in building greater awareness and a stronger community.”
The community booth space, which underwent new enhancements in anticipation of this track season, is located directly inside of the main entrance.
“From our perspective, this is an important effort to give back to the local community in a way that is supportive of non profits that do such great work,” said NYRA’s Pat McKenna. “Not only in here Saratoga Springs, but across the Capital Region and throughout the state.”
The improvements also include updated signage. Depending on what organization is represented at the track, NYRA makes sure to advertise their visit on NYRA’s website, at the track between races, the physical program of the given day and an ad that runs on TV.
“This is an effort we work on throughout the year to ensure that the work that these folks are doing all of the time is represented here at the race course,” said McKenna. “This provides them with a great opportunity to raise awareness and much needed funding for their groups.”
On Monday, Saratoga Regional YMCA explained their organization. “We like to spread that we our a charitable organiza-
tion. We do have a mission to enhance the community. Healthy living, youth development, healthy communities. We’re more than a gym and swim,” said membership director Jenny Killian. “There’s so much more to our Y. We have five branches and we’re providing camp, after school opportunities, basketball and swimming for folks regardless of their ability to pay.”
This year the Y offers a seven-week membership designed not only for visitors of the track, but an opportunity for locals to give the Y a try.
Killian sees the benefit of having a community outreach booth.
“With so many local people that come to [the race course], especially those people that are coming in on somewhat of a regular basis, they will get to know that this corner is going to be a community booth,” said Killian. “They’ll probably learn about some community organizations that they don’t know exist in their own neighborhoods, and hopefully some people will take advantage of coming over and asking about the organization that exists in their community that they might not know about, hopefully they’ll take the opportunity to ask some questions and find out what’s going on in their own town.”
On the even of Travers, Friday August 25, Saratoga Economic Opportunity Council will hold its annual canned food drive at the outreach booth.
“All of us at the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council are thrilled to once again return to Saratoga Race Course for an important initiative that benefits so many individuals within our community. The fans at Saratoga are always generous and we thank them for their continued support of our efforts,” said Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council Executive Director Jo Anne Hume. “We sincerely thank the New York Racing Association for this opportunity to share our mission and promote our efforts with the thousands of racing fans who will be at the Spa on Travers Eve.”
This year the Y offers a seven-week membership designed not only for visitors of the track, but an opportunity for locals to give the Y a try.