Casting is nearly complete for the March production of Eleanor, an original musical based on the life of Eleanor Roosevelt!  Eleanor will be performed in the upstairs space of One One One Restaurant on Main Street, in Greenwich, New York, a half hour east of Saratoga Springs.  Rehearsals begin in January.  Most major roles are filled, but we remain in search of a male lead to play President Franklin Roosevelt opposite the very talented Sylvia E. Bloom.   Franklin is featured in three songs in the musical, “Debutant,” “You Will Be My Eyes,” and “Everyone Deserves Some Happiness In Life.”   There are still other roles available for teens and adults, including the role of Eleanor’s companion in later years, Lorena Hickok, featured in the songs, “Je t’Aime et Je t’Adore,” and “Everyone Deserves Some Happiness In Life.”
    The writer/composer of Eleanor is Greenwich resident Suzanne Cohen, who previously produced her original musical comedy, Queen Esther of Persia, in both Greenwich in 2007, and Glens Falls in 2009. 
This production is made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council of the Arts Decentralization Program, administered locally by The Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council (L.A.R.A.C.). 
     So, if you are a man or woman between the ages of, say, 25 and 45, are a confident singer, and would enjoy performing in a local musical, please call Suzanne Cohen at (518)480-9071. 

On Dec. 18th the Galway Fire Auxillary presented a $ 500.00 check to the Galway Food Pantry.  Sitting: Eileen Jones presenting the check to Kathy Rivers from the Galway Food Pantry,  Standing Left to Right is Kellie Barkley and her daughter Karley, Darleena Ball, and Laurie Hugo.

David Cornell, Senior Vice President of Investments from Merrill Lynch's Saratoga Springs office, presents a check to Franklin Community Center's Coordinator of Development, Bo Goliber for $2,500. The Bank of America Charitable Foundation made the contribution to help stock FCC's food pantry.

Niskayuna Town Supervisor, Joe Landry (center), poses with members of ShopRite Supermarkets, Inc. and the Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties at an event announcing a one year partnership. ShopRite made a $15,000 donation consisting of $10,000 in cash and $5,000 in in-kind support of the Junior League’s Kids in the Kitchen and other programs. ShopRite’s donation is the largest single investment in the Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties’ 80-year history.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs is celebrating its 30th Anniversary. On January 13th the school invites Waldorf and Springhill alumni to a reunion weekend. It will start on Friday at 11:20 with an alumni forum at the High School building on 122 Regent Street. The forum will allow sharing and discussion of how Waldorf education has inspired professional and personal choices.

On January 14th at 8:30 p.m. Alumni from the Waldorf and Springhill School of Saratoga Springs are invited to a reunion gathering at Fifty South Restaurant and Martini Bar located at 2128 Doubleday Avenue, Route 50 in Ballston Spa to celebrate with friends and faculty.

The Wesley Community’s Resident Council donated $300 to the Wesley employee “Give a Child a Christmas” fund. Pictured at the check presentation is (back row) Brian Nealon, CEO, The Wesley Community and (front from left) Resident Council members David Reid, Hathorn Residence, Pam Martinsen, Springs Residence and Helen Blaine, Victoria Residence. The Council raises money by having quarterly bake sales. For further information about The Wesley Community, call the Director of Marketing at 518-691-1563.

On behalf of Rebuilding Together Saratoga County Board of Directors I would like to thank our generous sponsors and volunteers for their time and money that makes it possible to help their neighbors in need. This is our eighth year of helping to keep our neighbors warm, safe and dry and we are humbled daily by the generosity of our donors and volunteers who are investing in their community. “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” is our motto and the opportunity to assist a neighbor in your own backyard continues to draw our volunteers back year after year. Please visit our website for a list of our sponsors and visit it again in January for a list of our 2012 workdays. Thank you!

www.rebuildingtogethersaratoga.org or call 695-3315



Michelle Larkin, Executive Director Rebuilding Together

Saratoga County, Inc.

From Rebuilding Together:

Last year, Owen Yonkin had a birthday party and instead of birthday gifts from his friends, he requested money in order to donate to Rebuilding Together. Once again this generous little boy decided to help Rebuilding Together. Instead of birthday presents, Owen requested that the children buy some tools or supplies, which he would then donate to Rebuilding together. Owen is the son of Rachel Alderman and Matt Yonkin.

The Daughters of the American Revolution are helping to keep veterans in an all-women’s-shelter warm in New York State this winter. 

Left to right: Barbara J. Green, Bud Mazurek and Julia Towne

 

The Guardian House is a shelter that opened its doors last month in Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, NY for women who were in any branch of the military and now need help getting back on their feet after returning from combat.  They are first cleared by the Veteran’s Administration.  There is room for about 11 ladies in this home, and sadly, there are only 11 other homes of its kind in the United States.  Guardian House is under the direction of the Saratoga County Rural Preservation Company, Inc.  Julia Towne is President of its Board of Director.  A.C. Budd Maurek is its Executive Director.

Barbara Green, NYS Chairman of the Women’s Issues Committee, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is encouraging all New York Daughters to continue the committee’s donations to Guardian House.  Along with presentations to numerous DAR chapter gatherings, and a formal presentation at the New York State NSDAR Conference in September, Green collected donations to purchase new winter coats and other accessories for the ladies of Guardian House.  The Women’s Issues Committee made a previous donation this past June of $1,100 towards the purchase of the last two bedroom sets needed for the women’s shelter

On Thursday, November 4^th, Barbara Green presented Budd Mazurek and Julia Towne of Guardian House with a check for $1200.  Town resident and Saratoga Chapter NSDAR Chairman of Women’s Issues, Lisa Doan, who attended this gift giving said, “It’s a pleasure working with Barbara to help support these female patriots.  Our hearts go out to them.”  Doan went on to say “So many citizens and organizations in our community of the town of Ballston have strongly supported Guardian House, and I am so pleased that our local Saratoga Chapter, NSDAR is participating with that same sense of enthusiasm and honor.”

Barbara Green will continue to work with Guardian House to decide what item(s) will be selected as the next focus of fundraising efforts in upcoming months & reaching out to the Daughters of the American Revolution across the State of New York.

“No one should be alone on Christmas.”

CLIFTON PARK, New York – Building on the theme “No one should be alone on Christmas,” the Clifton Park Center Baptist Church will host a free home-cooked dinner on Christmas Day. The church is reaching out to its local community, to those who have no place to go, no one to celebrate with, or who are otherwise unable to provide a meal for themselves.

“People are sometimes detacted from family for different reasons over the Christmas holiday,” said Pastor Bruce Johnson. “We especially thought of veterans, those who are widowed, single parents, the separated or recently divorced being alone on Christmas, and as a church, decided to do something about it.”

The traditional Christmas dinner will feature home-cooked favorites served in the Fellowship Hall. Doors will open on December 25th at 2 p.m., with dinner served at 2:30. The singing of Christmas carols, a telling of the Christmas story, and a free hand-made Christmas ornament give-away are also planned.

The church is located at 713 Clifton Park Center Road in Clifton Park, New York. For reservations or to request transportation, please call the church at 371-6023. Information on the church can be found online at www.cliftonparkcenterbaptist.org.

“We want to open our doors on Christmas Day to people in need,” said Pastor Johnson. “It's the most fitting way to celebrate Christ's birth.”

For more information, contact Pastor Bruce Johnson at 518-371-6023.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On Saturday, December 24, The Saratoga Hilton will be hosting its 17^th annual “Breakfast with Santa.”  It will feature not only a hearty buffet breakfast, but a fantastic gift raffle and a special visit from Santa himself.  Raffle tickets go on sale at 8:00 a.m. and doors open for seating at 9:00 a.m.  Entry for the event is $8 for adults, and $4 for children ages four to12.  Kids under four eat free.

Each year the entire proceeds from the breakfast and raffle are donated by The Saratoga Hilton to a local charity.  This year, Saratoga Arts has been chosen to be the recipient of the proceeds.  The money raised will assist Saratoga Arts in providing need-based scholarships for local students to attend school break and summer camp programs.  They help identify children and families in need, and reach out to find those young people who are especially interested in the arts, but have not had the opportunity to develop those interests.

“Every year our staff embraces the opportunity to give something back to the community and help sustain our not-for-profit partners in Saratoga County,” said Shawn Goodway, general manager, The Saratoga Hilton.  “We wanted to show Saratoga Arts our support and appreciation by selecting them as the recipient of the proceeds for this year’s “Breakfast with Santa.”

Families are encouraged to bring cameras since there will be photo opportunities for children to have their pictures taken with Santa.  Kids will be able to enjoy their own special buffet with slightly shorter tables.  This festive event is extremely popular so be sure to arrive early! 

For more information, please call 518-584-4000.

Terry Delong, Director of Nursing on A-3, and Ann Marie Cross, Director of the Emergency Department, join Saratoga Hospital nurses in accepting bears from Aéropostale employees. The program is part of “Aero Holiday Bear” and the bears will be given to children being seen in the pediatric and emergency departments.