Saratoga Casino Hotel Celebrates ‘Giving Tuesday’ by Donating $130K To Local Non-Profits 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters sang a song that piped through on the overhead speakers about Santa Claus coming to town, and a Christmas tree towered over an assortment of wrapped gifts in the hotel lobby. 

A few yards away, dozens of stations boasted well-lighted games of fortune or chance, and a crimson-colored lounge provided a respite for weary legs to rest atop a pair of ottomans dressed up as die cubes, a decorative “4” and a ‘3” rolled forward, respectively.

Inside Vapor, Saratoga Casino Hotel celebrated ‘Giving Tuesday’ on Dec. 3 by donating $130,000 to 13 different Capital Region non-profit organizations during the organization’s annual ‘Make A Difference’ holiday luncheon.

“Twenty years later, this is still the event we look forward to most every year,” said Skip Carlson, vice president of External Affairs at Saratoga Casino Hotel, and the acting emcee during the event, attended by approximately 100 people.  

“Giving back to organizations that improve the lives of so many,” said Carlson, who introduced the disbursement of oversized, four-feet long checks that were bestowed upon the 13 different agencies at $10,000 each.

Representatives from each of the benefiting organizations were present to accept the donations. It would not be unfair to report that performance-wise Lepa stole the show. The 2-1/2-year-old certified New York State Explosives Detection Canine, was joined on stage at Vapor alongside members of Saratoga Springs Police Department K9 Unit. 

“There’s a special bond between a handler and his dog and the dogs are an extension of how we do our business,” said Lt. Paul Veitch, who is in charge of the K-9 unit. 

The specialized unit provides essential support to the Patrol Division in various operations, including tracking, building and area searches, item location, narcotics and explosives detection, and suspect apprehension. Handlers and their canine partners undergo a rigorous selection process, followed by extensive training to develop effective teams that are deployed in a wide range of situations.

“The K9 unit handles about 400 calls per year, that’s more than one per day. They are used routinely, and in Saratoga Springs we have four K9 units – two explosive detection dogs and two narcotic detection dogs and they are on the road almost 24/7,” explained Lt. Veitch, who was on hand to accept the $10,000 donation to the Saratoga Springs Police Department K9 Unit.   

The 13 organizations that each received a $10,000 donation are:  AIM Services, Inc.; Capital Roots; The Donna M. Crandall Memorial Foundation; Folds of Honor; Franklin Community Center; Jake’s Help from Heaven; Saratoga, America’s Turning Point; Saratoga Community Health Center; Saratoga Regional YMCA; Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar; Saratoga Springs Police Department K-9 Unit; SNACpack Program (Saratoga Nutrition Assistance for Children), and The Wesley Community. 

Over the past 20 years, Saratoga Casino Hotel has donated more than $3.5 million to different charitable groups in the Capital Region. Their Make a Difference initiative that started in 2004 has since been their main charitable event to honor and provide funding to local non-profit organizations.