UPCOMING CALENDAR
EDITOR’S NOTE: This calendar is being regularly updated to reflect all event cancellations and postponements. However, it is recommended that readers contact event organizers before they attend. For the most updated version of the calendar, please visit saratogian. com.
REMOTE THE VOTE: The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County is conducting a five month campaign “Remote The Vote” using a social media campaign to increase voter registration iu the County. Each week one city or town in Saratoga will be featured, including an estimate of the number of potential voters in their municipality and a link to connect with an online voter registration source, Vote411. This week we are featuring the City of Saratoga Springs where there are an estimated 5000 potential voters in the town and the LWV urges them to “Register online, not in a line” from their home. Remember, in NY State you must be registered before October 8th if you want to vote in November. Don’t procrastinate and lose your vote. Additional Information may be found on the LWV website, www.lwvsaratoga.org. or the Saratoga County Board of Elections website.
YOUTH THEATRE PROGRAM: Calling all theatre lovers ages 8-18! We at Adirondack Center Stage are excited to announce Theatre at a Distance (TAAD)! Join us for our 5-week virtual summer program filled with online social calls, movie nights, game nights, theatrical and artistic workshops, dance classes, or even a choir. The program will run weekdays from June 29th to July 31st, with extra special events throughout July. A parent meeting held over Zoom will take place June 23rd at 7pm. Just go to our website www.adkcenterstage.org to register and get all of the updates and information. Every enrolled member will receive a special TAAD T-Shirt designed by one of you! We can’t wait for you to experience theatre in a whole new way this summer!
GAVIN PARK UPDATE: By Order of the Supervisor and the Town Board, Gavin Park in Wilton will be open for limited activity as of June 1. The walking path and tennis courts will be accessible. Please see signage for the parking area that is open. All other areas of the park remain closed until further notice. Summer Camp and ParkFest have been canceled. Please follow all CDC social distancing guidelines. We hope that providing these few activities, while maintaining social distancing, will help our residents.
DINNERS TO GO: Saratoga Council Knights of Columbus, located at 50 Pine Rd. in Saratoga Springs, will be offering half-pan dinnersto-go starting Friday, April 17 and continuing each Friday thereafter. This is a fundraiser that will help the Knights continue with the generosity within our community during these hard times we are all experiencing. To place your order or if you have questions, calls may be placed to 518-5848547 on Wednesdays and Thursdays between 1:00 and 3:00 or on Fridays at 4:00. Pick-ups can be made from 4:30 to 8:00. If you’d like your dinner brought out to your car, you can let us know at the time of your order and call from the parking lot when you arrive. We’ll update new entree selections each week, as well as will post them on the sign in the front of the building. Thank you to everyone for your support, and please be safe as we weather this storm together.
GALWAY LIBRARY UPDATE: Curbside pickup for Galway library books begins June 1. Pickup hours are Mondays & Tuesdays from 11-3; Wednesdays & Thursdays from 3-7; Fridays from 3-5; and Saturdays from 111. More information is available online at www.galwaypubliclibrary.org.
SCHUYLERVILLE LIBRARY UPDATE: Schuylerville Public Library will be reopening in phases, keeping the safety of the public and staff a top priority. The Curbside Service Phase will begin on Monday, June 22 and during this time no members of the public will be allowed in the building. Library card holders may place requests for books, movies, and any other materials
online at https://pac.sals.edu or by calling the Library at 518-695-6641. Operating hours and curbside pickup windows will be Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10am until 3pm and Tues and Thursday from 2-7pm. Library staff will arrange curbside pickup appointments with patrons once their items are ready and make contactless deliveries to vehicles. Summer events including the Puppet People’s Three Little Pigs, Uncharted Animal Show, Imagine the Magic, and more will be held virtually and can be found on the online event calendar https:// schuylervillelibrary.evanced.info/signup. This year’s summer reading challenges will also be virtual. Kids, teens and adults may take part in Library challenges and keep track of their number of minutes read all summer long to be entered in the Library’s End of Summer Prizes here http://splny05.readsquared.com/. Once again, the Schuylerville Public Library is partnering with Captain Youth Services to offer the Free Summer Meal program for kids 0-18 years old. Any child or parent may stop by for a free bagged lunch from 12-1pm every weekday from
June 29 through August 28 (except July 3). During the Library’s Curbside phase, people may call to request curbside meal delivery or knock on the front door. Schuylerville Public Library is committed to offering unique and educational programs for the community. In addition to a variety of books, the library offers popular DVDs, free Wi-Fi, e-books, music, magazines, Kanopy movie streaming, ancestry.com access, kids discovery kits, and more. Visit ww.schuylervillelibrary.sals.edu for even more digital content and services.
APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITY: The Finishing Trades Institute of New York at Albany, District Council #9, Local Union #201, will conduct a recruitment from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021 for five glazier apprentices. The five openings listed for apprentices represent the total number for three recruitment regions: Capital District, Mohawk Valley, and North Country regions. Applications can be obtained at The Finishing Trades Institute of New York at Albany Training Center, 191 Broadway, Menands, NY, every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., excluding legal holidays, during the recruitment period. Applications are not available on national holidays. All applications must be filled out on the premises. The Committee requires that applicants must be at least 18 years old, Must have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (such as a TASC or GED), must have reliable transportation to and from job sites and required classes at the approved school and must have a valid Driver’s License to operate company vehicles. For further information, applicants should contact The Finishing Trades Institute of New York at Albany, District Council #9, Local Union #201, at (518) 355-4840. Additional job search assistance can be obtained at your local New York State Department of Labor Career Center (see: https://www.labor.ny.gov/career-center-locator/location-list-all.php).
BAKER FAMILY REUNION: CANCELED - The 156th Baker Family Reunion will not meet this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is only the second time a reunion has been cancelled since the first one was held in 1865. The other year was 1943, in the depths of WW II. The next reunion will be held on August 14, 2021. Because of the unique impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is hoped Baker descendants will share how they and their families are doing, as well as their experiences of how they have been affected. They can contact Baker Family Historian Maria Carr by email at bakerreunion@roadrunner.com. Or they can post a memory on the Baker Family Reunion Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/thebakerfamilyreunion/).
VIRTUAL WALK/ RUN: The Northeast Kidney Foundation’s annual Rick Raspante Memorial Walk/Run and the Tri-City Walk/5K/10K for Kidneys will now be virtual events. These annual fundraising event helps to make life better for those living in the region who are suffering from kidney disease and other kidney related ailments. Instead of a one day only event, walkers and runners can participate any time now through July 31st. Participants are encouraged to register online at www.healthyidneys.org. Those interested in running can submit proof of their time and will receive a finisher medal and t-shirt. Prizes are available for participants and those who raise funds including a $100 gift card to a restaurant or retail location of choice for every $300 raised. Every runner that registers will receive an official quaranteam t-shirt along with every walker that
raises $100. Funds raised from the virtual events support patient assistance, education and outreach, programs of early identification and prevention and more. For more information on the work of the Northeast Kidney Foundation visit www. healthykidneys.org or call 518-527-6236.
HOME BIBLE STUDY: Free Spirit Fellowship of Ballston Spa is now offering Exploring God’s Word Home Bible Study via Youtube. Taught by Pastor LaFave, these twelve lessons take you through an interesting study of the Old and New Testaments. For further info or questions please contact 518-885-3149.
BEAUTIFICATION NOMINATIONS
REQUEST: The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association is requesting nominations for its 2020 Property Beautification Awards. The awards, sponsored by Curtis Lumber, are given in recognition of the restoration, renovation, new build, and beautification efforts by homeowners and businesses, which have enhanced the Ballston Spa area within the past two years. Criteria for residential nominations can include exterior renovations and restorations; new builds; outdoor space; or landscaping improvements.
Criteria for commercial nominations can include complete renovations; new exterior attractive signage and/or window displays; or new interior improvements. The association also welcomes nominations for any other community beautification projects. All projects should be complete at the time of nomination. New this year, the association is adding a category to its beautification awards to celebrate the 518 Rainbow Hunt and all it has done to bring beauty and a sense of community to the area. Participants can nominate their favorite rainbow (commercial or residential) in the 12020 zip code. A nomination form is available to be filled out online at www. ballston.org. Forms may also be printed and either emailed to info@ballston.org or mailed to: 2020 Beautification Awards, c/o BSBPA, PO Box 386, Ballston Spa, NY 12020.
All nominations should be made by Sept. 4, 2020. Award winners will be honored and recognized this fall. For more information, please contact Michelle Burlingame at michelle@ ballston.org or Ellen Mottola at info@ballston.org or 518 885-2772. More information about the association is available online at www. ballston.org.
SCHUYLERVILLE CENTRAL SCHOOL ALUMNI BANQUET CANCELED: Due to COVID-19 the alumni banquet, usually held the first week in August, is cancelled for 2020. We will send out anniversary letters for both years next May for the banquet to be held on July 31, 2021. Please continue to update your address. Send updates to Pat Temple at PATTY61349@YAHOO.COM or call 518-338-2329.
ONLINE MUSEUM PROGRAMMING: The World Awareness Children’s Museum is excited to announce their new Online Programming for families to enjoy from the safety of their own homes! There is their weekly “Living Room Explorers” series, which talks about a different country each week while also playing games, looking at art, and giving instructions on a fun craft for families to do at home! There is also downloadable content like crossword puzzles to enjoy, and instructional yoga classes for the whole family to participate in. Parents can visit www. worldchildrensmuseum.org/online-programming to view their entire library of content. And the Museum is also proud to announce the launch of their new “Arts & Artifacts” page on their website, which highlights selections from a different country each month from their International Youth Art Exchange collection, as well as their 8,000+ strong artifact collection. They have chosen Russia as the highlighted country for the month of June! Visitors can visit their website at www.worldchildrensmuseum.org/arts-artifacts to browse the month’s selections!
VOTER GUIDE: The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County has produced an online guide for voters for the School District Elections. Voters can access it after by going to the www.vote411.org and entering your address or to the League website, www. lwvsaratoga.org and selecting from the list of School District elections. Also included is information about how voting will be conducted in each district. Most of the candidates in the county who are seeking election positions agreed to participate in the On-line Guide this year, providing voters with biographical information, and answers to questions posed by LWV Saratoga County. However, there were a few school districts which would not provide contact information for their candidates so we were unable to reach the candidates. Any school board candidates who were not contacted and who wish to participate may contact the League of Women Voters at lwvsaratoga@aol.com for assistance in completing the guide. All of this information is part of the League of Women Voters of the US voter information website, www.vote411.org which is a valuable resource for all voters for all elections. Information can be found here on absentee voting, information about voting machines, military and overseas voting, assistance for voters with disabilities, voting hours, and ID needed for voting, as well as links to the NY State Board of Elections. Information will be posted later in June for the Primary Election on June 23.
BALLSTON SPA FARMERS MARKET: The Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market will open in June for its 18th season. The market runs from June 13 through Sept. 26, 2020, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays, at Wiswall Park, located at the corner of Front Street and Low Street in the Village of Ballston Spa. Admission to the market is offered to the community at no cost. Updates on what is new at the market throughout the season can be found on the Ballston Spa Farmers’ Market Facebook page and at ballston.org.
4-H PROJECT JOY: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County is ensuring all members of our community are feeling “connected” during this pandemic. Residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities are at high risk at this time can feel isolated from family and friends. Saratoga County 4-H Project Joy is a Community Service Project designed to help bring smiles to their faces. Leland Bunting, 4-H Club Coordinator, and Julie Curren, 4-H School Outreach Coordinator collaborated with 4-Her’s from across Saratoga County to create a video comprised of individual video submissions. These have been compiled and sent by link to Activities Directors in these facilities who can share it with their residents. The goal of this project is to let our seniors know they are thought of and hopefully it can bring them a smile. If you know of a facility that you think would like this video, send the activities director’s email address to jac275@ cornell.edu and we will forward the video link.
SUMMER REC CAMPS CANCELED: As events continue to evolve regarding the COVID-19 virus, the City of Saratoga Springs has decided to cancel the Recreation Department current schedule of summer camps and other summer programs. Any participant who is registered for camp and/or a program will receive a full refund. The Recreation Center and ice rinks will remain closed until further notice. The Recreation parks will remain OPEN to the public, but no organized activities will be scheduled, and fields will not be scheduled until further notice. Playground equipment, basketball courts, and all other recreation equipment will remain closed.
If you plan to use a park, please follow all NYS and CDC recommendations regarding COVID-19. All programming and facility rental questions shall be directed to the Recreation Department at recreservations@saratoga-springs.org.
VIRTUAL HIDDEN GARDEN TOUR: Troy’s popular Hidden Garden Tour returns as a virtual tour. Now in its 21st year, the tour is a fundraiser to benefit Troy’s Prospect Park. Ordinarily, tour goers pay an admission fee to receive a self-guided map to more than 40 private gardens which are open for one night only throughout the Historic Sage, Washington Park and adjoining neighborhoods. In previous years, the rain-or-shine event has attracted more than 1,000 tour goers in one day. This year’s virtual tour features 28 gardens, captured in 360-degree interactive photographs that viewers can explore online with their computer or mobile devices. Twelve gardeners recorded personal video messages, which are embedded in their stop on the virtual tour at HiddenGardenTour.com. While most of the gardens are approximately the same size, about 20 feet by 30 feet, they vary greatly in style. Some of the gardens feature charming pathways, fountains and pools. Some are filled with flowers, while others have more plants and vegetables — all lovingly tended by gardeners of all skill levels. The online virtual tour is offered at no charge, but donations are welcomed and will benefit ongoing improvement projects in historic Prospect Park, located on Congress Street in Troy. Friends of Prospect Park, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit hopes to provide free event programming in the park in future, when such activities are deemed safe to the public. Donation information is available on the tour’s website. The virtual tour can be accessed through a desktop or laptop computer as well as via tablet or smart phone. Certain gardens have a “play” button that will launch a special video message. The gardens are listed by number and the owners first names in the left hand column and clicking on the circular icon will open that particular garden’s 3D tour. One upside of the virtual version of the garden tour is that this one is always sunny. It’s also accessible 24 hours per day for at least a month. For more information Visit www.hiddengardentour.com on your desktop or laptop computer.
ONLINE ART AUCTION: The 8th annual Beekman Street Art Fair scheduled for Sunday, June 14, 2020 has been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thanks to the flexibility of funding agencies, generosity of supporters and creativity of the event planners, fair goers will still get to browse and purchase an amazing variety of fine art and craft. Project managers are working with grantor Saratoga Arts to use the funds awarded for the fair on some alternate events later in the summer that will follow City and State guidelines for public safety. The first event being planned is an online auction accessed through the Beekman Street Arts District website at SaratogaArtDistrict.com. The auction will go live on June 7, 2020 and run for 2 weeks straddling what would have been the actual fair date of June 14, 2020. The online auction put together by Arts Spark will feature the work of artists who would have participated in this year’s fair. After the auction the e-commerce site will remain, allowing BSAF artists and Saratoga Springs Arts District, Inc. members the opportunity to sell online all year through the website. For more information please visit www.saratogaartdistrict.com.