ON TRACK FOR A GOOD CAUSE
NYRA, city unveil face masks benefiting local nonprofits
The New York Racing Association and the City of Saratoga Springs unveiled a new, limited-edition set of reusable face masks featuring the Saratoga Race Course logo.
The masks are currently available for pre-order and will ship next month, just in time for racing season, slated to begin on July 16 and run through Labor Day, Sept. 7.
The joint initiative between the city and NYRA will raise funds for Franklin Community Center and Shelters of Saratoga, which provide food, shelter, and other resources to the community.
At the mask unveiling at Saratoga Race Course, NYRA director of communications Pat McKenna expressed his excitement for the upcoming season.
“It’s hard to believe that come tomorrow (June 16), we will be exactly one month away from the start of the 2020 racing meet,” he said. “It’s an understatement to say that the world has changed during this time.”
Mayor Meg Kelly said of the joint initiative, “now more than ever, we in the city of Saratoga Springs need good partners. And the NYRA is a good partner. I have never been prouder to be mayor of this great city.”
Franklin Community Center executive director Kari Cushing expressed gratitude for the initiative which will directly benefit her organization. The funds will allow Franklin Community Center to continue providing resources to those in need as the coronavirus continues to have a hard impact on families and individuals across the city.
“One of the biggest resources we offer is our food pantry,” she commented. “Since this all began in midMarch, 30% of the people coming to our food pantry have never needed our services before. We are so honored to be chosen by NYRA and the city of Saratoga Springs as a beneficiary of this initiative.”
Likewise, Shelters of Saratoga executive director Karen Gregory spoke about how much her organization will benefit from the initiative. Shelters of Saratoga continues to give aid to the homeless and help them work towards getting off the streets and into independent housing.
“Across the country, the number of homeless people contracting and dying from COVID-19 is staggering,” she said. “I’m proud to say that not one person in Saratoga county under our organization’s care has contracted the virus.
“We thank NYRA and the city for not forgetting our most vulnerable community members.”
The reusable face masks come in a variety pack featuring three different designs — a red mask with a white Saratoga Race Course logo, a white mask with a red logo, and a blue mask with a red logo. Each mask has a white border and stretchable elastic ear straps, with an interior pocket for a replaceable filter.
The masks are for personal use only and are not a replacement for medicalgrade PPE.