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Author: Dylan McGlynn

C3 Hip-Hop Dance Co. Preparing to Begin First Full Season

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Sports.

Photos provided by Julie Labate.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —After kicking off a successful inaugural half-season in January, Saratoga Springs-based C3 Hip-Hop Dance Co. is preparing to begin its first full season this September, offering kids a chance to connect and perform in the local community.

C3 was founded by Julie Labate, a Miami native who grew up dancing with a variety of teams in the local area.

After moving to Saratoga Springs, Labate started C3 with the hopes of establishing a program of her own. C3’s initial half-season began in January, with Labate saying the first months “went great.” She said there were 36 kids and three different teams participating in total.

“It was really neat watching everything come to life,” Labate said.

The teams performed in the local community several times throughout the year, including performances in the auditorium at the Saratoga Springs Public Library, at The Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and at the Saratoga Race Course.

“I like to give them performance opportunities, because I think it brings out that next-level feeling, that out of body, larger than life, on-stage feeling,” Labate said.

C3 also held a year-end recital at The Night Owl, which Labate described as “a big outdoor celebration.”

“The kids performed, but the parents stuck around after,” said Labate. “I wanted it to be the community coming together to celebrate an awesome first season, as opposed to just having them up on stage, watching them, and departing.”

Labate said the company is looking forward to beginning its first full season this September. C3 will host tryouts on Sept. 10, with the season set to begin on Sept. 17.

She noted the first half of the season will be focused on training and skill-building, while the second half of the season will be focused on performance routines.

“This full season, we have so much time to really dig in, and actually get the kids trained and have time for team bonding, have time for get-togethers,” said Labate. “It’s just an even greater opportunity for the connections that the kids are already making, to really dig into them.”

C3 is also expecting to grow this fall, with Labate saying she is expecting to “more than double in size.” She said they will offer two teams at both the peewee and junior level in addition to a “mini-team” for ages three and up, as well as the possibility of both an intermediate team and an advanced team, depending on the number of kids who try out.

“So, I have kids of the same age practicing on both Sundays and other kids of the same age on Mondays,” Labate said. “They have more flexibility with what works best for their family and their scheduling.”

Signups are available at c3hiphopdance.com. Labate emphasized that C3 will continue to perform around the local community, saying they are set to return to the Festival of Young Artists next summer, and noting that the intermediate team and the potential advanced team would plan to begin competition this season.

“Kids who want to do anything above the novice level need to attend a tryout,” said Labate. “When they try out, they get placed onto whatever skill level they’re ready for.”

Labate said it is meaningful to see the impact on the kids, noting many of them have become friends and “found their home” at C3.

“A lot of parents told me that a lot of these kids were still trying to find what activity worked for them. Then they found hip-hop, and it’s like they found their thing,” she said. “It’s a larger than life, surreal feeling to watch kids be that connected to it.”

And while she noted the company is expecting to grow significantly this season, Labate emphasized her goal of maintaining a personal connection with every kid.

“I just want it to be a sustainable homebase for people,” said Labate. “I think that the kids are starting to feel that, and I’m starting to feel that as well, because of the way that it’s impacting families.”

Wood Road Elementary Receives Donation of School Supplies From Junior League

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Education.

Wood Road Elementary staff and members of the Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties pose with school supplies donated by the Junior League for Wood Road students.

BALLSTON SPA — Thanks to a donation from the Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties, every student at Wood Road Elementary School will begin the year with brand new school supplies.

Wood Road received over $10,000 worth of supplies as part of the Junior League’s ‘Operation Back to School.’ For the past 20 years, the organization has adopted a local school district and purchased supplies for students attending an elementary school within the district, said Denise Murphy McGraw, the program’s founder and the President of the Junior League of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties.

“What makes our program different is that we work with the educators to identify exactly all the supplies that the students need, that their teachers say they need, for a successful school year,” said Murphy McGraw. “We really just work very hard to ensure that it’s exactly the items that the educators believe that the students need for the school year.”

Wood Road principal Anders Rasmussen said the district is “so appreciative” of the donation.

“I know, as teachers, principals, it’s great for us,” said Rasmussen. “But more importantly, it’s for the kids and the families, to just remove one additional barrier that really is a barrier for some. We’re just really excited.”

Supplies purchased include pencils, crayons, binders, folders, and much more. Murphy McGraw said roughly 13,000 products were purchased in total, providing “everything” that a student would need to begin the school year.

“We spent about $10,000. The value inside that room is a lot more than that. We use coupons, we go to sales,” Murphy McGraw said. 

Wood Road teacher Megan Haessig is a member of the Junior League, and initially brought the idea to Rasmussen, he said. Murphy McGraw noted the Junior League was “so happy” to work with the Wood Road and BSCSD staff.

“This was such a pleasure, to work with the folks in this particular building in this school district,” Murphy McGraw said. “It’s just been a true partnership. I would love to do it many more years here, because it’s just a wonderful, wonderful atmosphere.”

She said that while September can be a difficult month for some families, the Junior League prides themselves on “trying to ease that burden a little bit.”

“It might be the difference between paying your rent and getting new school clothes, and making sure they have all the supplies,” said Murphy McGraw. “We really want to make sure that everybody has what they need.”

“Just taking that off every family is a tremendous thing,” Rasmussen added. “But also knowing that all the kids are going to come in on the same foot in September, not worrying about it, not stressing it, I think is just great. … I’m just so appreciative, I know everybody here is in the district for this for our families.”

Rasmussen gave credit to the Junior League, Haessig, and Wood Road school counselor Cathy Roy for their help in the process, calling it a “significant undertaking.” He said it will be meaningful for every student at the school to begin the year on the same foot.

“I can’t say enough for those who haven’t seen it what it will mean to a kid to walk in on day one not even having to worry about that,” said Rasmussen. “It’s something that all of us know has been provided for every kid here in the same way, which is pretty cool.”

Schuylerville Alum Amy Moreau Earns Pro Lacrosse Opportunity With Athletes Unlimited

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Sports.


Photos by Katie Devir of Athletes Unlimited.

SCHUYLERVILLE — After five seasons with the women’s lacrosse team at UMass, Schuylerville alum Amy Moreau said she wasn’t quite ready for her playing career to end. 

This summer, Moreau has been playing professional women’s lacrosse with Athletes Unlimited at the USA Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks Glencoe, Maryland. She said the experience has been “amazing.”

“I loved my five years at UMass, and I loved playing at Schuylerville. When I was finished, I wasn’t really finished playing and competing,” Moreau said. “When I got the opportunity to play here, it was a no-brainer for me.”

A graduate of Schuylerville High School, Moreau recorded 76 points in 79 career games at UMass. She scored 35 goals in 19 games during the 2023 season, and was named Atlantic-10 Midfielder of the Year, according to the UMass Athletics website.

Moreau said her time playing professionally with Athletes Unlimited has been “unreal.”

“I grew up watching some of these players play in college and play on the world stage,” said Moreau. “So getting here now, and being able to play with them on an equal playing field, has really been rewarding.”

Moreau is also playing for a cause, supporting the ‘Kendra’s Kindness’ Fund through the HEADstrong Foundation. The fund was created to support families of those going through cancer in honor of Kendra Muscella, the mother of Moreau’s former UMass teammate Olivia Muscella, their website states.

“Throughout my time at UMass, we’ve been raising money for them through HEADstrong. Obviously, I just want to carry that on here,” Moreau said. “I’m just so happy that I’m able to raise money for that by playing here.”

The league competes with four teams, which are redrafted every week. Players are scored individually, and can earn points for stats such as goals, assists, saves, and caused turnovers, as well as team wins and being named a game MVP.

At the end of each week, the top four players in the league standings become team captains, and draft their teams for the week from the remaining players, according to the Athletes Unlimited website. 

Moreau said adjusting her style of play to fit with new teammates each week has been a valuable experience.

“My (lacrosse) IQ has just risen so much being here, having to kind of change my play each week to fit into a different team and fit that mold,” Moreau said. “Each team operates differently. I have different roles on every team, or have had. … I think that’s been really great for me.”

This is especially valuable as Moreau prepares for her next role, she said, joining the staff of the Davidson College women’s lacrosse team as an assistant coach. Her hiring was announced by the school in a July press release.

“I want to say, like, 40 percent of the women here are college coaches, which is really helpful for me and where I’m going next,” said Moreau. “I’m really looking forward to the two coaches that I’ll be joining at Davidson. They’re amazing already, and I’m so excited to learn from them and work with them.”

Moreau credited UMass head coach Jana Drummond as inspiration for her coaching career, saying they developed a strong relationship during her time in Amherst.

“My relationship with (Drummond), and how she was able to create such a good team culture and a successful team culture, I just wanted to pay that forward as well,” Moreau said. “I have loved being with her, watching her, and learning from her. I’m excited to do that for someone else.”

Moreau also credited her coaches at Schuylerville, and said the local community is “so special.”

“I have told everyone that I’ve ever met that I would not want to come from any other town,” said Moreau. “I still have parents from teams that I was on when I was 14 (years old) texting me, watching me, and following me on TV. That’s so special.”

ZD Horse Racing: New Company Launches in Saratoga by Legendary Trainer Nick Zito, Business Executive Robert DiPippo

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Business, Featured.

ZD Horse Racing and Management president Nick Zito (left) and vice president Robert DiPippo (right). Photo by Dylan McGlynn.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new company in horse racing and management has emerged in Saratoga Springs, led by a legendary trainer and an experienced business leader.

ZD Horse Racing and Management is run by president Nick Zito, a renowned trainer who was inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame in 2005, and vice president Robert DiPippo, who brings along a wealth of business experience.

Combining Zito’s training experience with DiPippo’s financial expertise, ZD Horse Racing buys and manages horses, and oversees their care and training. The company also handles training regimens, veterinary care, and works with jockeys and other personnel, their website states.

DiPippo, who grew up in Garden City before moving to Saratoga several years ago, said he had no prior background in the horse racing industry before the launch of ZD. He said that the venture initially began after a chance meeting with Zito at Max London’s Restaurant.

“I’m sitting at the bar, and there’s a guy next to me,” said DiPippo. “And everybody’s coming up to this guy, and they’re going, ‘Hey, how are you?’ … I said, ‘You look familiar.’ And then he told me his name, and I almost fell on the floor.”

The two began meeting, with Zito expressing his desire to enter the horse management business. The company officially launched on Opening Day at the Saratoga Race Course this summer, with DiPippo saying working alongside Zito has been “a thrill of a lifetime.”

“When I sat there with him, he started telling me about this business. I said, ‘Woah, this could be a real great fit,’” DiPippo said. “(I am) a guy who doesn’t know anything about horses, but has the business acumen to come in and put it together.”

DiPippo is handling many of the company’s business aspects, while Zito primarily deals with horse training and management, they said. DiPippo has served as president and CEO of several companies, he said, and brings his business experience to the ZD Horse Racing team.

Zito has trained horses that have gone on to win the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes among others.

“Obviously, I’ve identified tons of great horses in my career,” said Zito. “I’ve purchased a whole bunch of them right across the street (at Fasig-Tipton). We’ve had some Derby winners, Belmont winners, that I’ve bought across the street.”

Since launching, DiPippo said things have been going well for ZD Horse Racing. The company, acting as agents for high-profile clients, purchased Hip 53, a bay colt by Practical Joke, for $250,000 at the 2023 Saratoga Sale hosted by Fasig-Tipton on Aug. 7, according to records on the Fasig-Tipton website.

DiPippo also said it has been meaningful to work alongside Zito, saying he is “the most respected man in the horse racing business.”

“I’m lucky to be affiliated with this man,” DiPippo said of Zito. “And he’s taught me a lot, just hanging out with him.”

Homesteading Anyone?

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Education, Featured.

Image provided.

MILTON — The Milton Grange and the Brookside Museum are partnering to offer a series of classes titled ‘Homesteading on a 1/2 Acre’ in September, teaching local community members how to grow and produce their own food.

Eric Smassanow, a member of the Milton Grange and an organizer of the event, said the classes are intended to give people “a start” on homesteading. Smassanow has lived on a homestead for more than 40 years, and has 25 years of experience selling organic fertilizer, he said.

“What I want to do is take the 40-something years of experience, making all kinds of mistakes, learning, and going to conferences …and incorporate that into some two-hour classes that give you a start,” said Smassanow.

The classes, which run for two hours each, begin Sept. 19, with each successive class on the following Tuesday. The five classes cost $75 to attend in total, which includes a membership fee for the Milton Grange, Smassanow said. Participants can also bring a guest at no charge.

The first class, titled ‘Planning,’ will be hosted by Smassanow and Anne Clothier, Director of Education at the Brookside Museum.

Participants in the inaugural class will make a to-scale drawing of their property, and receive a questionnaire to help figure out “what makes sense” for them to grow, Smassanow said.

“The first class is to get people thinking of what makes sense,” Smassanow said. “I’ve got room for mistakes. A half-acre, you don’t have a lot of room for mistakes. You have room for experimentation, but really not mistakes.”

The second class, ‘Gardening,’ will be taught by Stacy Simmons, who formerly ran the Brookside Nursery, Smassanow said. The class will discuss different planting options, and how to make a garden work in a small space, among other things.

“She’s got a lot of really good information,” said Smassanow. “It’s a two-hour class on gardening. … What are the best varieties? How can you increase your yield?”

The third class, ‘Preserving Your Harvest,’ taught by Diane Whitten of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, will focus on food preservation, discussing different options such as freezing, dehydration, fermenting, and canning, according to a flier advertising the classes.

“So you’ve got your garden, you raise all these vegetables, what do you do with them?” Smassanow said. “(Diane is) a great educator. She’s going to cover all the different ways (to preserve).”

The fourth class, ‘Growing Protein’, will be taught by Nicolina Foti of CCE. Smassanow said this will include ducks, chickens, goats, and rabbits. The fifth class is set to be a “round-robin” of different activities with several instructors, Smassanow said, noting they will adjust the final class to cater to the interests of participants.

Smassanow also said the Grange is hoping to host additional single-day classes in the future, which he said would “really get into the nitty-gritty.”

“Which you really need to to be successful,” said Smassanow. “You can figure it out, but it’s a lot easier if you get trained in it. We’re going to offer that, possibly, in the winter.”

For more information on the ‘Homesteading on a 1/2 Acre’ classes, visit miltongrange.org/homesteading/.

Gotta collect ‘em all: Card Shack, LLC Offers New Space for Card Collectors

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Business.

Photo by Dylan McGlynn.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Born out of the passion of a Saratoga Springs collector, the Card Shack, LLC opened its doors in March, offering a wide variety of Pokémon and Magic the Gathering cards and collections.

Owner Thomas MacDonald said he initially began collecting cards as a kid before resuming the hobby after graduating from college in 2017. His collection grew significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually leading to the opening of the Card Shack, located at 7 Wells St., Suite 203D.

MacDonald said the Card Shack carries roughly 40-plus sets of Pokémon cards and a variety of Magic the Gathering sets. The store’s Pokémon offerings include Elite Trainer boxes and Premium collections, among a variety of other sets and cards. MacDonald said they also carry “a lot of older product.”

“I want to say we’re a collectible card game store, but we’re more of a specialty store, for sure,” said MacDonald. “Just a lot of things that you wouldn’t normally find out in different stores.”

The Card Shack also sells single cards, offering a chance for collectors to complete a specific collection or secure a certain card.

“We sell a lot of singles that collectors like to see. High-end, mid-range, small stuff,” MacDonald said. “Really things, if people are looking to finish sets, collect certain cards, just anything that they really want to collect, we have available for them.”

MacDonald said the store has seen several rare and unique cards, including Crystal Ho-Oh, Shining Tyranitar, and Rosa Full Art Trainer from Cosmic Eclipse, among others.

“There’s been just a lot of cool cards that have either been pulled or come through the shop,” said MacDonald. “We’ve got a lot of high-end collectors that will come in too, and really just sit down and will talk about cards for hours. We’ve seen the Poncho Pikachus, the Poncho Eevees, a lot of cool Japanese promos. It just really is a plethora of things that just come through here.”

He said that in the future, he hopes to expand the Card Shack’s offerings, mentioning his goal of adding sports and Yu-Gi-Oh cards to the store.

“I’d like to grow my knowledge on sports. I know there’s a lot of sports collectors in the area, too, that would love for a local shop to be in here,” MacDonald said. “I know I’ve been asked about Yu-Gi-Oh, I’m working on that. It’s a process.”

MacDonald said his experience since opening the Card Shack has been “really great,” noting he has attended local card shows and enjoyed the community aspect of card-collecting.

“Obviously, as a business, you buy and sell. But with (collectors), it’s like, ‘Hey, I’m trying to finish Astral Radiance, or Lost Origin. Do you have this, this, and this?’,” said MacDonald. “You get to see the accomplishment of them completing a set, or them finding a card that they’ve been looking for for a while. And then having them come back here and just kind of sit and talk with me about what they’re doing next. … It’s really great. It comes full-circle.”

PSG Golf Offering Indoor Golf Lessons and more in Saratoga

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Business.

Photos by Dylan McGlynn.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — PSG Golf, an indoor golf facility in Saratoga Springs, comes courtesy of local coaches Michael Gerarde and Jeff Boss, offering lessons, a full-access membership, and more.

Gerarde is the head golf coach at SUNY Adirondack and launched the business along with Timberwolves’ assistant coach Jeff Boss, he said.

Located at 615 Maple Ave Suite 2, PSG features two golf simulators, a putting and chipping range, and a bar area, Gerarde said. They offer individual lessons for $70, and a 24-hour membership for $250 per month.

The membership package provides 24-hour access to the facility, with Gerarde noting members receive a key to the front door and are taught how to run the simulators on their own.

“We teach people how to get the lights on, turn on the computers, and they can go play on a local course they want, or go to the driving range,” Gerarde said. “They can even put themselves under these cameras here and see what’s going on. People have really liked that so far.”

To analyze shots, PSG utilizes the Uneekor EYE XO Launch Monitor, with Gerarde saying, “Each shot that you hit, we get all that data within a second.”

“The camera comes down, and it shows the actual clubhead coming into the ball. It shows the moment of impact and everything, so you can actually see exactly what your clubhead is doing when it gets to the ball,” said Gerarde. “Usually, you go take a lesson on a driving range, you get an hour, and they tell you, ‘Hey, do this with your grip,’ or whatever. But we really get into the nitty-gritty.”

The simulators offer the ability to play at several local courses, and includes a TopGolf range, Gerarde said. PSG also offers chipping and putting lessons, with a turf chipping and putting green that Gerarde said is also used for practice by the SUNY Adirondack teams. 

PSG also offers clubwork, including regripping and reshafting clubs, and has a bar area serving beverages as well as food from Artisanal Brew Works, Gerarde said.

“90% of the time, one of the teaching professionals will be here,” said Gerarde. “So if you actually want help with your game, we’re here to give out tips and stuff like that.”

Gerarde said he and Boss began seeking funding for the location earlier this year and handled all of the renovations themselves.

“None of it was hired-out work,” Gerarde said.

He noted that a large mural painted on the wall above PSG’s chipping and putting green was done by Grace Kinkaid, a rising sophomore on the SUNY Adirondack golf team.

“We went down to Virginia for spring break, and that was the 18th hole at one of the courses we were at,” said Gerarde. “When she first came in, she was like, ‘You could use a mural on these walls.’”

Since opening, Gerarde said that PSG has primarily been offering lessons as well as member nights, noting that although many golfers are opting to spend their summer months outdoors, PSG has still “exceeded” its expectations early on.

“To see the growth already, in July, we’ve already exceeded our expectations, has meant a lot,” said Gerarde. “We’re over our projections, which is exciting for us, for sure.”

Ballston Beatdown: Local Wrestler Takes Third at Nationals

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Featured, Sports.

Photo by Elle Hutton, provided by Todd Collins.

FARGO, ND — Ballston Spa rising junior wrestler Mia Collins returned to Fargo, North Dakota this summer with a goal in mind.

Collins had competed at the USA Marine Corps 16U & Junior Nationals in 2022, and entered the tournament again this year looking to improve on her results from the previous summer.

“Last year, I got into the blood round and I lost, so I didn’t end up placing,” said Collins.

In her second appearance at the tournament this July, Collins earned a third-place finish, posting an overall record of 9-1.

“I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself before matches,” she said. “I think the biggest challenge at Fargo this year was being able to kind of separate myself from the outcome of the match, and be able to focus on just going out and scoring points more than anything.”

Collins overcame a talented slate of opponents in order to earn her third-place finish, opening the tournament with victories over Aleiya Cullinan (North Dakota), Avery Losiewicz (Wisconsin), and Millie Bradley (Oklahoma), according to results posted by FloWrestling.

Collins lost in the Round of 16 to the eventual champion, Isis France of Arizona, but responded with six consecutive wins in the consolation bracket to finish in third place.

Collins opened her portion of the consolation bracket with wins over Hayden Bratland (Iowa), Savanna Franklin (Missouri), and Emma Chacon (Arizona). 

She then defeated three wrestlers who are nationally ranked in Lilliana Banks (Wisconsin), Timberly Martinez (Colorado), and Cassandra Gonzales (Minnesota) on her way to a third-place finish.

Collins said that while the final three matches were the most stressful, the key for her was “just focusing.”

“You can’t get caught up in the worry and anxiety that comes before those matches,” said Collins. “You really have to get yourself in the right mindset to be able to go out there, do your moves, and score points.”

Gonzales, who Collins beat to earn third place, is ranked 18th in the country in the 132-pound weight class in national rankings released in early July by USA Wrestling, FloWrestling, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. 

Martinez ranked 28th, while Banks ranked 29th. Isis France, the eventual champion who gave Collins her only loss of the tournament, ranked ninth.

Collins said her time in Fargo this year was “a really good experience.”

“It was super nice for me to be able to have my third-place finish this year,” Collins said. 

She noted her results from this summer’s tournament were meaningful after falling in the blood round at the 2022 tournament.

“It also makes me more confident as a wrestler, because now I know how I rank,” said Collins. “So I think, having achieved it, I can now set my goals even bigger.”

In addition to competing with the Ballston Spa varsity wrestling team, Collins also said she recently began training at Curby Training Center in Troy.

Now entering her junior year of high school, she said she is hoping to continue her wrestling career in college, adding that it is “exciting” to see more opportunities arising in girls wrestling. 

“There’s more and more opportunities opening up as I’m progressing through high school, so that’s pretty exciting,” said Collins. “I’d definitely like to wrestle at the collegiate level.”

Ballston Spa Sunshine Kids, Ribbon Cafe Hold Fundraiser for Local Seven-year-old

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Featured, News.

Aiden Rodriguez visits with miniature donkeys from Maple Rock Farms at Saturday’s fundraiser. Photo by Super Source Media Studios.

BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa Sunshine Kids and the Ribbon Café held their third annual fundraiser on July 29, raising money for local seven-year-old Aiden Rodriguez of Queensbury.

In September 2022, Rodriguez was diagnosed with Grade 3 Choroid Plexus Carcinoma, a rare form of brain cancer, and Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, which causes an increased risk for several types of cancer. Patricia Rodriguez, Aiden’s mother, said the community support shown on Saturday was “very overwhelming.”

“We are humbled, we are surprised, thankful,” said Patricia Rodriguez. “I mean, beyond grateful.”

“We didn’t ask for any of this, it just came around,” added Jason Rodriguez, Aiden’s father. “We’re very appreciative of how the community has put this together.”

The fundraiser was initially started by local parents Kate DuBois-Huskie and Tricia Stevenson, who said they have worked with Ribbon Café owner Kevin Myers and his sister Christine Pyle to hold the event each of the past three years.

“It’s just amazing to see people in the community that want to help,” said DuBois-Huskie. “I feel lucky to have the connections and the people that want to help. Hopefully every year we get a little bigger, and help more kids.”

The lemonade stand itself was run by DuBois-Huskie and Stevenson’s children; four-year-olds Dax Huskie and Sophia Stevenson, six-year-old Addison Huskie, and seven-year-old Scarlett Stevenson.

“I think any time the community can come together to support somebody, it’s just a really feel-good environment for everybody,” Tricia Stevenson said.

The portion of Prospect Street directly in front of the Ribbon Café was closed to traffic on Saturday, instead filled with the stands of numerous local businesses and organizations. The fundraiser featured a DJ, children’s games, miniature donkeys from Maple Rock Farm, and many local vendors.

The event also featured performances by dancers from the Carol Lawrence School of Dance, where DuBois-Huskie and Stevenson’s daughters participate. The two parents said they initially met after enrolling their daughters at Carol Lawrence.

“Again, it’s just great to see the community show up,” said DuBois-Huskie.

Aiden has undergone numerous procedures, and recently was the first person to be enrolled in a clinical trial in New York, where he underwent intra-arterial fusion of chemotherapy, his mother said.

Following the clinical trial, the tumor was removed on June 13, Patricia Rodriguez said. The family recently traveled to Rochester, where Aiden received what was described as “high doses of chemotherapy.” Aiden will return for another round of chemotherapy this month, his parents said.

The Rodriguez family offered thanks to several hospitals and medical centers that have assisted in Aiden’s treatment. Patricia Rodriguez emphasized she believes that everyone should be tested for Li-Fraumeni Syndrome at birth, and again mentioned the strong community support the family has received.

Saturday’s event raised over $4,300 as of Aug. 2, DuBois-Huskie said via email, while a GoFundMe page for Aiden (https://gofund.me/687adc9d) has received over $12,000 in donations.

“The community has been great for us everywhere,” said Patricia Rodriguez. “So much support. … There’s no words to describe it.”

Saratoga Catholic’s Ryan Gillis Throws Shortened Perfect Game in Mercy-Rule Win for Saratoga Stampede

Written by Dylan McGlynn on . Posted in Sports.


Ryan Gillis delivers a pitch for the Saratoga Stampede 16U team. Photo provided.

FORT EDWARD — Saratoga Catholic rising junior Ryan Gillis was perfect on the mound on July 18, throwing four perfect innings for the Saratoga Stampede 16U before the team earned an 11-0 mercy-rule victory over the 17U Northeast Hurricanes.

While the game was shortened due to mercy rule, Gillis showed no shortage of dominance, striking out 10 consecutive batters across four innings en route to the victory.

Gillis said he was “excited to go out there” entering the game, noting that he formerly played travel ball in the Hurricanes’ organization and was facing several of his former teammates. 

“I used to play for that organization, and I knew some of the kids on that team,” said Gillis. “My mindset was just staying focused, locking in. It just kind of gave me a boost going out there.”

The first batter Gillis faced was retired on a groundout to shortstop, with the second batter popping out to third base. Gillis then struck out the next 10 batters in a row.

He said the key was “staying focused,” noting that his teammates helped pick him up on the offensive side.

“Not letting anyone get in your head, and just doing your own thing basically,” Gillis said of his mindset. “Just locking in. My teammates picked me up hitting-wise, and they gave me a comfortable lead. We just stayed focused.”

Gillis, who competed in his first season with the Saratoga Catholic varsity team in the spring, said the Stampede squad has been enjoying its summer season thus far. The 16U Stampede team features many of the Saints’ varsity players from this past spring.

“Everyone’s hitting the ball pretty well,” said Gillis. “We’re having a good time, just having fun playing ball in the summer.”