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.

Sunday, Feb. 7

ANIMAL TRACKING HIKE: What better time to learn about animal tracks than after a snowfall? Join at Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park educators on the trails to learn the basics of animal tracking. This event is scheduled for February 7th, starting at 1:00pm. The walk will depart from the Camp Saratoga North Trailhead kiosk. Program is suitable for ages 5 & up. Snowshoes will be available for rental 15 minutes before the program for $3 a pair. Please note, face masks are expected to be worn throughout the duration of the program. For more information or to register for the program, please contact the Preserve & Park office at 518-450-0321 or via email at info@wiltonpreserve.org. For up-to-date trail conditions or program information, please visit the Preserve & Park’s website at www. wiltonpreserve.org.

SOUPER BOWL OF CARING CHILI FEST: Annual Souper Bowl of Caring Chili Fest at the Middle Grove United Methodist Church Sun., Feb 7, 2021 from 10:151pm (or until sold out). This is a take out only event. Wide variety of homemade chili for sale for $6 per quart. Church is located at 429 Middle Grove Rd (corner of Middle Grove & North Creek Rd).

BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7 at the Everett Road Blood Donation Center, located at 33 Everett Rd. in Albany. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood. org.

ONLINE FILM DISCUSSION: Saratoga Jewish Community Arts, along with Temple Sinai and a generous grant from the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York, presents another in our series on racial justice, a Zoom panel discussion of I Am Not Your Negro, directed by Raoul Peck and based on the writings of James Baldwin. This Saratoga Jewish Community Arts presentation of the panel discussion of I Am Not Your Negro is to be viewed ahead of time and can be found on outlets such as Amazon prime, Netflix, or others. Panel discussion will be on Feb. 7, at

7 P.M. Register to receive the Zoom link for the discussion at sjca-sjcf@gmail.com. Follow us on saratogajewishculturalfestival.org and saratogasinai.org.

Monday, Feb. 8

BOOK CLUB MEETINGS: Monday, Feb. 8 at 7:00pm: Charlie’s Non-Fiction Book Club - Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad. All meetings on Zoom. Please contact the library for the Zoom invite (518) 664-6255. More information is available online at stillwater.sals.edu.

MINDFULNESS MEDITATION: This five-week course (noon to 1 p.m. on Mondays: Jan 4, 11, 25 and Feb. 1 and 8 - skipping MLK day) with Susan Meyer will provide practical support for developing or fine-tuning a daily meditation practice that’s appropriate for you, cultivating basic mindfulness skills and applying those skills to meeting life’s challenges so you can respond wisely instead of reactively. You’ll learn strategies to awaken to mindfulness and compassion when you’re in the thick of difficulty and dramatically shift the experience of your life, the people in it, and the world itself. Each class will include instruction, guided practice, Q&A, and follow-up resources. Registration required. This program is offered through Zoom videoconferencing. In advance of the first class, we will send an email to you containing an invitation and link to join the Zoom meeting. Please see the Zoom instructions for joining a meeting if you have any questions. More information about this Saratoga Springs Public Library program is available online at www.sspl. org.

BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 8 at the Everett Road Blood Donation Center, located at 33 Everett Rd. in Albany. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org. Tuesday, Feb. 9

LIBRARY MEETING: Stillwater Public Library presents its Library Trustees Meeting Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 7:00 pm. All meetings on Zoom. Please contact the library for the Zoom invite (518) 664-6255.

VEGETABLE GROWING: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County will be hosting a Free Vegetable Growing Series via zoom. All classes in the series will be held from 12:15pm-1:15pm. On Feb. 9 , join Master Gardener

Charlie for Seed Starting to learn about the basics of starting vegetables from seed. On Feb. 16, join Susan Beebe, Agriculture Issue Leader, for Soils 101 to learn about which types of soils to use when vegetable gardening. On Feb. 23, join Jessica Holmes, Consumer Horticulture, for Container and Raised Bed Gardening to learn about which vegetables grow best in containers and how to start a raised bed garden. Go to the events page on http://ccesaratoga.org/ for more details and choose one or all of the classes you would like to attend. Upon registration, you will receive a zoom link within 24-hours of the class. If you would like more information, please contact Jessica Holmes at jmh452@ cornell.edu or 518-885-8995.

ONLINE COOKING CLASS: Need a new way to break bread together in the age of COVID? B’nai Sholom Reform Congregation in Albany will present an online cooking class with Deanna Fox, renowned food journalist and Times Union and WAMC contributor, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 4:30-6 p.m. Join Fox via Zoom as she hosts a cook-along featuring two Persian recipes with Jewish roots that can easily be recreated at home. Log-in using the Zoom link and cook with Fox in your own kitchen as she guides you in making Gundi, a traditional Persian meatball soup (can be made vegetarian); and Zoulbia, a sweet fried dough spiced with saffron, cardamom and rose water. Participants will be provided a shopping list, a materials list and recipes for the class so those who want to cook-along can obtain the ingredients in advance. The cooking class is open to the public. Cost: $18 per screen. Registration and payment by Feb. 5 required to receive the Zoom link. Visit www.bnaisholomalbany.org or contact the B’nai Sholom office to register or for more information: office@bnaisholom.albany. ny.us or 518-482-5283.

HISTORICAL SOCIETY EVENT: On Tuesday, Feb. 9, the Sand Lake Historical Society will present the story of Adam Blake, Jr. virtually at the Sand Lake Town Hall in Averill Park. Adam Blake, Jr was the adopted son of a former slave who was in the employ of Stephen Van Rensselaer. Adam Blake, Jr, despite little formal education, went on to become one of most succeful businessmen and entrepreneurs of any race in 1800s Albany. Perhaps best known for his Albany Kenmore Hotel. While Kenmore was being built, Mr Blake managed the newly reopened Hikes Averill Park Hotel in the Tow of Sand Lake! Blake will be portrayed by Donald Hyman, Albany educator and writer who is wellknown for his many performances in the Capital District acting community. Due to COVID, the performance will be telecast on Spectrum Cable TV channel 1303 at 7 pm. and live streamed online (available later for playback) via https:// townhallstreams.com/towns/ sand_lake_ny. We hope to offer seating as the date draws nearer; please call 518 5279926 for additional information. COVID precautions will be followed. Like us on Facebook or at Sandlakehistory. org.

ONLINE KNITTING & HANDCRAFTING MEET UP: Join our informal online knitting and handcrafting meet up 9:30am - 10:30am on Tuesdays. This online gathering is a perfect opportunity to knit, embroider or do other handwork while chatting companionably with others who are working on their own projects. There will be no instruction, but we welcome the opportunity to show and share our creations. New members welcome. Please register online. This online program uses the Zoom livestreaming platform. It will require access to a computer, mobile device with the Zoom app installed, and/or a phone for audio-only access. Registration with an email is required in order to receive information on how to connect. The email will be sent three (3) hours prior to the scheduled start time of the program. Please see the Zoom instructions for joining a meeting if you have any questions. More information about this Saratoga Springs Public Library program is available online at www.sspl.org.

GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION CLASS: The Gifts of Imperfection Class – six Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 5, 6:308:30 p.m. Engage, experience, and evolve—take your reading from theory to practice in this interactive class that explores Brené Brown’s book, “The Gifts of Imperfection.” Be challenged to cultivate the courage, compassion, and divine connection it takes to embrace your “imperfections’’ and recognize that you are always enough. Suggested donation: $20 per class. Hosted by Albany-Saratoga Spiritual Adventures via Zoom. For more information, visit our meetup.com group AlbanySaratoga

Spiritual Adventures, call (518) 366-9918, or visit www.newthoughtnewyork.org.

BLOOD DRIVE: An American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Everett Road Blood Donation Center, located at 33 Everett Rd. in Albany. More information is available online at www.redcrossblood.org. Wednesday, Feb. 10 CHICKEN & BISCUITS DINNER: Saratoga – Wilton Elks Lodge #161 presents a Chicken and Biscuits Dinner for curbside pick up Wednesday, Feb. 10, 4:30-6 pm. Call 518-584-2585 Monday or Tuesday between 10am-noon to place an order. Menu includes Chicken and Biscuits mashed potatoes, vegetable, salad, roll. Dinner for 2 is $25. Cash only.

LIBRARY MEETING: Stillwater Public Library presents its Friends’ of the Library meeting Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 pm. All meetings on Zoom. Please contact the library for the Zoom invite (518) 664-6255.

VALENTINE LUNCHEON: The New York Capital District Christian Women’s Connection is sponsoring a “Be My Valentine” luncheon on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 at the Guilderland Elks Lodge, 3867 Rte. 146 (Carman Road) in Schenectady, NY 12303 beginning at 11:30am and ending at approximately 1:30pm. CDC and State Covid-19 recommendations will be adhered to along with a limit of 43 reservations (50 but includes Planning Team, Speaker, Feature & Music). Your reservation is necessary no later than Feb. 5 and cancellations a must. Please call Nancy (518) 869-0642 or Carol (518) 869-5253 for reservations. On the menu this month is a Roast Beef w/Mashed Potatoes dinner with an alternative choice of Grilled Chicken Salad. The cost is $17.00 inclusive (cash only please). Our Special Feature this month is Erich Ruger from Sugar Oak Farms, a family-owned maple syrup business located in Malta. They specialize in everything Maple! Our Special Speaker is Peggy Traester from Broadalbin who will speak on “Rx – Prescription for Joy”. Special Music will be Pastor Andrew & Sherri Strickland, Village Missionaries, guitar & singing. All are welcome - bring a friend or your significant other.