WILTON — Zieker Eye is a full-service ophthalmology practice serving the Capital Region and North Country, including communities from Clifton Park, Saratoga Springs, Mechanicville, Glens Falls and Lake George. The Zieker Eye team includes Christopher Zieker, MD. and Steven Clark.

Q. Where are you originally from and how did you find your way to Saratoga? 
A. Both Dr. Zieker and Mr. Clark are from the Capital District. Dr. Zieker attended Albany Medical College and then returned to the area after completing residency on Long Island. Mr. Clark has lived in the region his entire life and attended the PA program at Albany Medical College as well. Dr. Zieker and Mr. Clark are brothers-in-law and decided the Saratoga Springs community was the right one to build their business and raise their children together. 

Q. When did you first know you were going into ophthalmology? 
A. During medical school Dr. Zieker realized he really enjoyed surgery and the ability to reverse blindness for patients. Mr. Clark started in ophthalmology when he was 18, as a technician, and was trained on the job. He loved learning the science of it, and being able to help people, so he decided to pursue his Physician Assistant degree to further that education, expand it into general medicine as well, and develop my own patient base.

Q. What kind of services are offered? Is there a specific area of specialization? 
A. Our practice focuses on medical, surgical, and general eye care. Dr. Zieker’s schedule is focused on cataract surgery primarily. 

With 10,000 new baby boomers each day there are a lot of patients noticing vision loss as a result of their cataracts. Dr. Zieker is trained on the latest technologies including femto-second laser and lifestyle lens implants that reduce a patient’s reliance on glasses while offering more ranges of vision. 

Mr. Clark sees many diabetic patients, glaucoma patients and treats many eye injuries as well. He also sees patients for their annual eye exams. Glaucoma for example is a slow, progressive and asymptomatic disease of the eye. It is painless and vision loss may not be noticed until the disease is already advanced. It is imperative people see their eye doctor as a part of their regular health check-ups so that diseases like glaucoma can be treated before it is too late.

Q. In the 10 years of being in business, how has technology changed?
A. There have been dramatic advances in technology over the past 10 years. Dr. Zieker offers patients cataract surgery using a femtosecond laser.  It emits bursts of laser energy at the extremely fast rate of one quadrillionth of a second. It is difficult to even imagine something so fast.  This laser offers more precise incisions with less damage to the surrounding tissue compared to those made with a blade. That leads to fewer complications which helps patients heal faster post-surgery. In cataract surgery the cloudy lens of the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial lens. We now have lenses that offer multiple focal points, such as near, intermediate and distance, thereby improving the range of vision. Essentially the trifocal glasses you wore in front of your eye can now be implanted into your eye. We also offer Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) which is an in-office procedure that reduces eye pressure in patients with glaucoma. The laser enables many patients to use fewer eye drops to manage their glaucoma and fewer drops means greater compliance.

Q. Is there a simple piece of advice you can offer people related to eye care?
A. Vision is affected by lifestyle choices just like other body systems are. Exercise, eating healthy, maintaining your blood sugars and blood pressure are all ways to ensure you have a lifetime of healthy vision. And wear those sunglasses! The sun can damage the eyes like is does the skin.

Q. Is there anything else you would like people to know?
A. We are so grateful to be celebrating 10 years in business in this community we love. Adirondack Trust Company provided us the financing we needed to start this business and we are forever thankful to them for their support from day one. Our patients, our families and our staff are supportive, kind and encouraging. We would not be here 10 years later were it not for all their support. We are a small, family-owned business (five family members all work here) and we feel that coupled with our fantastic staff has been a big key to our success. We have meaningful relationships with the optometrists we partner with, the patients we get to care for and the team members that we employ. 

Zieker Eye is located at 14 Mountain Ledge Drive in Wilton. For more information, call 518-450-1080, or go to: ziekereye.com.

Thinking of Moving? Need to Downsize?
Just the thought of moving can be overwhelming and stressful. Years of accumulation and too much stuff, not knowing where to start…

That’s where Lori Tracey and her team of Project Managers at ORGANIZE SENIOR MOVES SARATOGA comes in. They work with seniors and their families to help make moving less stressful.

“We are not movers,” said Lori Tracey. “We will oversee the entire move with the Movers.”  Lori is a certified Senior Move manager and belongs to NASMM, a national association of Senior Move Managers Worldwide.

Organize Senior Moves Saratoga specializes in a wide range of relocation services. It is a step by step process and we make it easy!

OUR SERVICES INCLUDE:
· Floor Plans & Measuring
· Sorting & Downsizing
· Complete Packing
· Unpacking
· Set up of the New Home

STEP-BY-STEP…
The first step is to call our office and schedule a Free One Hour Consultation!

Lori will first meet with each client to assess their living situation. Upon Lori’s first meeting, she will explain the benefits of using all the services we offer. Lori always says, “You can hire us for as much or as little as possible…”, depending on your needs. Once the client is onboard, Lori will assign one of our Project Managers to work with the seniors and their families during the process. Our entire staff has compassion, knowledge and patience when completing all tasks.

The second step is creating a floor plan with measurements of the new space in order to decide how much furniture will fit. This is a very important step because clients always ask: “How much can I take…? And will it all fit…?” Once the floor plan is done we now know exactly what furniture our client will take with them on move day.

The most overwhelming and daunting task, is the third step: sorting & downsizing. We help clients make decisions on what to keep, possibly sell, donate or give away. They may also want to pass along cherished items to family members. We partner with a number of local donation sites to find a second home for items our clients no longer need or want. Some of the more treasured items can be sold.

Once the floor plan & the downsizing are finished, we can schedule a pack & move date. On pack day, (the day before the move), we send in a team to carefully pack everything up (except what the client needs overnight.)

The next day is move day. We tell our clients to go relax, find something fun to do for the day. They will get a call around 4 or 5 p.m. that day, to let them know everything is completely done. 

The BEST PART about hiring Organize Senior Moves Saratoga is on move day we put everything away, we make the bed, hook up electronics, hang the art, and remove all packing supplies that we’ve provided! All by 5 p.m. on move day.

We then reveal to the client their new home all set up and ready to enjoy senior living!

After the move, selling a family home can be emotional. Many realtors recommend us prior to putting the home on the market. Organize Senior Moves Saratoga can help with staging a home, an estate sale, and junk removal if needed.

Be sure to visit www.organizeseniormovessaratoga.com

HALFMOON — A drive-thru convenience store may be coming to the region. 

Farm Stores are drive-thru convenience/grocery stores in retrofitted shipping containers that resemble red barns. Drivers pull up on parallel sides of the building to view merchandise – dairy, eggs, fresh-baked bread, produce, beverages, and more – through the windows. A clerk working inside takes and bags orders.

An article done by the Albany Business Review states that a developer of Farm Stores has already purchased a 0.67 acre plot of land at 9 Route 236. This plot is across from a Stewart’s, and a few miles down the road from a Trader Joe’s that is currently under construction. 

Olivia Huffman, a commercial real estate broker at RedMark Realty out of Clifton Park, exclusively represents Farm Stores and confirmed that the developer who purchased the land is Pointe Companies. Huffman also said that there are a minimum of 10 locations in upstate New York where they are looking to build more Farm Stores. Franchisees Richard and Angela Barone will be opening one soon in Wappingers Falls. 

Richard Harris, the Director of Planning & Building for the town of Halfmoon, says that they have not yet received an application or concept plans for the Farm Store, and that the approval process could take approximately 2-3 months. However, Harris believes that it could be a positive commerce opportunity for Halfmoon, and might help to spread out traffic near other businesses in town.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Ian Berry has joined the Saratoga Arts Board of Directors.

Berry is Dayton Director of The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery and Professor of Liberal Arts at Skidmore College. He has organized over 100 museum exhibitions for the Tang and museums across the United States. 

Berry is a leader in the field of college and university museums, and is a regular speaker on interdisciplinary, inventive curatorial practice and teaching in museums. He is well known for his active publication record including monographs on artists Terry Adkins, Nancy Grossman, Corita Kent, Nicholas Krushenick, Tim Rollins and K.O.S., Alma Thomas, and Kara Walker. 

He is a board member of the Museum Association of New York, has chaired the Visual Arts Panel of the New York State Council on the Arts, and serves on several advisory committees for regional and national arts organizations. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — William Keogh with Keller Williams Capital District has earned the nationally recognized Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES®) designation from the SRES® Council of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

Keogh joins more than 15,000 real estate professionals in North America who have earned the SRES® designation. All were required to successfully complete a comprehensive course in understanding the needs, considerations, and goals of real estate buyers and sellers ages 55 and older.

“Working with seniors to meet their housing needs requires an expert understanding of their lifestyle and financial needs, and the SRES® designation means that a REALTOR® has that understanding,” said Keogh. 

SRES® Council, founded in 2007, is the world’s largest association of real estate professionals focusing specifically on representing senior clients in real estate transactions. There are more than 15,000 active members of the organization worldwide. 

The National Association of REALTORS®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.4 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

For more information, visit SRES.realtor. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Mark Quandt has announced his retirement from Northeast Regional Food Bank after 38 years. 

The Regional Food Bank has been helping to feed the poor and hungry in the greater Capital Region and beyond since 1982. It is the only organization of its kind in northeastern New York and collects large donations of food from the food industry and distributes it to charitable agencies serving hungry and disadvantaged people in 23 counties, including across Saratoga. From Plattsburgh to Newburgh, in urban, rural, and suburban communities, the Food Bank provides over 40 million pounds of food a year to 1,000 agencies. 

Congressman Paul D. Tonko issued a statement following the announcement of Quandt’s retirement. It reads: “Mark Quandt is one of the finest people I have ever known. His work as Executive Director brought our Northeastern Regional Food Bank to new heights and helped lift thousands of our neighbors, friends and loved ones out of the pain of hunger and despair, and every step of the way he has done so with a deep spirit of compassion. I appreciated his tireless work to better serve the needs of my own constituents. I am humbled and deeply grateful for the gift of his decades spent addressing human need in our region. He remains a beacon of hope and inspiration to many, and I wish him my very best as he embarks on his next chapter of life.”

For more information, go to: regionalfoodbank.net

Saratoga County — Rebuilding Together Saratoga County announced a new name for their store in Ballston Spa. ReShop for the Good sells new and gently-used furniture, household goods and decor. Proceeds from ReShop for the Good support Rebuilding Together Saratoga County’s work to provide critical repairs and accessibility modifications for low-income homeowners in our community.  ReShop for the Good originally opened in 2017 and has continued to see increased business year-over-year.   

“We opened our store in 2017 and the business has continued to grow online and in our store, even during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Executive Director Michelle Larkin.  “It’s clear that the community understands the value of being able to both donate and shop to support our work.  With this growth, our team saw an opportunity to rename our store so we can build a brand around the mission of the ReShop and Rebuilding Together. Our motto is ‘When you do good, you feel good’ and the new name of our store really reinforces that message.  Every item you donate and every dollar you spend at the ReShop helps us help our neighbors-in-need live in safe, healthy, warm, dry, and affordable homes.” 

ReShop for the Good is planning a ribbon-cutting in Spring 2021 with details to be shared at a later date. 

For more information about ReShop for the Good, please visit www.reshopforthegood.com.

Rebuilding Together Saratoga County is a volunteer-driven, registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission of “Repairing homes, revitalizing communities, rebuilding lives.”  In the 18 years since its founding, Rebuilding Together Saratoga County has repaired 1,379 homes, improved 103 nonprofit centers and community spaces, and replaced 20 substandard manufactured homes with the help of 10,672 volunteers who have dedicated 81,847 hours of their time. For more information, visit www.RTSaratoga.org.

On Wednesday, March 24, the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce is hosting what was once a hugely popular event – The State of Saratoga County Breakfast.

Of course, this breakfast will be unique in many ways. It’s the first time we’ve ever hosted one during a pandemic. So we’re taking extra precautions to make sure everyone is safe. You have to bring your own breakfast. You’ll have to make or buy your own coffee. You have to find your own seat. But it can be anywhere in the world. You’ll need a computer, laptop, tablet or phone to actually attend. You don’t need to dress up. You won’t need to bring any business cards. We won’t ask new members to stand up and introduce themselves.

This year’s event will be virtual. The good news is that this means anyone can attend. You’ll be on mute but we will take questions via chat. The event is generously sponsored by The Adirondack Trust Company. During the breakfast, virtual attendees will hear from the 2021 Chair of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, Town of Moreau Supervisor Todd Kusnierz, and the new Saratoga County Administrator, Steve Bulger.

Since taking over in January, the Chairman and the Administrator have made sure to focus the county’s efforts on stopping the spread of the virus. They appointed Supervisor Tara Gaston to lead the effort as Chair of the Board’s Health & Human Services Committee. This committee and every County department are working diligently to slow the spread of the virus and to help local residents to get vaccinated. We’re sure the breakfast will cover this topic extensively.

Chairman Kusnierz and his team have been hosting regular updates via Facebook live as the year has progressed. They’ve taken action to help local restaurants by supporting a cap on third party delivery fees. They’ve helped promote the work by the Saratoga County Industrial Development Authority and the Clifton Park Industrial Development Authority to provide tens of thousands of dollars in reimbursement grants to help local businesses and nonprofits pay for personal protective equipment expenses. They’ve supported efforts by the Saratoga Casino Hotel to expand their hours of operation which has helped them to attract more people to Saratoga.

The County is regularly sharing information on the vaccination program online and on social media. The Chamber has been keeping close track of this information. We’re publishing a weekly chart that updates everyone on the progress being made to vaccinate the county’s residents. This is vital if we are to reopen our local economy fully later this year. It’s vital if we want to be allowed to have a more normal summer with fans at all of our most popular venues. 

With the passage of a new stimulus law at the Federal level, there are now millions of dollars in assistance coming to Saratoga County. It’s likely that the County’s leaders will update attendees at this breakfast as to how this money will be allocated. As with everything else, there are likely strings attached to this funding and maybe some areas where our local officials will have some flexibility. We look forward to hearing about all of this and more.

These two leaders, of course, also have the regular and more traditional work of the county to lead. We’re blessed with having decades of great leadership in Saratoga County. Even during a pandemic, Saratoga County leaders maintained our lowest in the state property tax burden. They successfully managed to balance the county budget while providing all essential services plus so many unanticipated costs associated with the war against COVID 19. In many ways, this was what the focus was of this former annual event. Just because it is not at the top of the agenda this year doesn’t take away its importance. 

The breakfast will be held on Wednesday, March 24, from 8:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. To register, please visit www.saratoga.org. Click Chamber Events and follow the directions to register. There is a $10 fee to attend. While we look forward to the day when this event can be held in person again, our hope is that we’ll have a bigger and more diverse audience this year since the program is so accessible and the information so vital. Send any questions about the event to acole@saratoga.org. 

MALTA — The Luther Forest Technology Campus may soon be adding to its list of residents. 

The campus, which sits in the towns of Malta and Stillwater, has long been home to GlobalFoundries as its sole tenant. Scannell Properties, a privately owned real estate development and investment company, is looking to develop up to five large warehouses consisting of millions of square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space at LFTC, bringing about 2,500 new jobs to the county along with it. 

“It would be significant for a couple of reasons. First and foremost is the sheer number of jobs involved. They’re talking about 2,500 jobs, which would absolutely be a game-changer, a generational change in terms of economic activity,“  said Timothy Dunn, councilperson on the Malta Town Board.   

GlobalFoundries employs about 3,000 people, but many are of a specialized high-tech variety. Dunn explained that the Scannell project would appear to seek the employ of a more varied skill set and offering jobs that run the gamut from tech and tech-related jobs to light manufacturing and distribution. “I think it would be a huge opportunity for the local work force. The ability to get those jobs to local people is really high I think, and would be a big benefit,” Dunn said.   

Before the project can proceed, the towns of Malta and Stillwater would need to allow a mix of uses on the land that Scannell would employ. 

The company is based in Indiana and was founded in 1990. Its focus is on build-to-suit and speculative development projects, and cites more than 350 completed development projects with a geographic reach across 44 U.S. states, as well as in Canada, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK. 

“A company like Scannell that’s looking to make a strategic investment based on market demand is exciting. They develop property and work with companies that would have the highest propensity to want to do business in our area based on the marketplace and all of the strategic assets that we have in our region,” said Shelby Schneider, President and CEO of Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership.  “It’s exciting to see. They develop property for Fortune 100 companies around the country. If they have confidence in the marketplace, they relay that confidence on to Fortune 100 companies.” 

Scannell has an option to buy more than 200 acres of land south of the GlobalFoundries computer chip plant, and is in communication with local municipalities regarding the land use changes to the planned development district necessary for the development of the potential project. 

A discussion was held among members of the Malta Town Board during its workshop earlier this month and it is anticipated discussions will continue during a full town board meeting on March 29. A town board Action Meeting takes place April 5. It is believed a similar process will be undertaken in Stillwater.   

The project has also been forwarded to the Malta Town Planning Board as well as the Saratoga County Planning Board for review. “So, we’ll be anticipating input from both of those entities,” Dunn said. “Once we’ve gone through all these steps it will be up to the town board to make a decision whether to approve or not approve the amendment of the Planned Development District – which is ultimately what precipitated this whole discussion.” 

SARATOGA SPRINGS —  AIM Services, Inc., one of the area’s largest providers of services to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities has announced that Bo Goliber has joined the non-profit organization as its first chief development and communications officer. 

Goliber will lead the existing fundraising and marketing efforts at AIM Services, fine-tuning its strategy and enhancing its development team and brings nearly two decades of marketing, public relations, fundraising and development experience in the nonprofit sector coupled with experience in corporate philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility. 

She most recently spent eight years at Fingerpaint, a national health and wellness marketing agency managing their company-wide philanthropy efforts. Prior to that, she spent nearly a decade with Franklin Community Center as development and community relations coordinator and as a board member.

For more information about Aim Services, go to: aimservicesinc.org