SARATOGA SPRINGS — Impressions of Saratoga and The Dark Horse Mercantile are delivering Saratoga Porch Packages near and far.

In response to having to close our doors until further notice Impressions and Dark Horse have developed “Porch Packages” to send Saratoga Springs to friends and family all over the country. The stores had to come up with creative ways to keep business going through these difficult times. And Porch Packages have been the answer so far.

Each Porch Package is delivered in reusable Saratoga tote and filled with locally made food products and Saratoga specific items. There are basic “pre-assembled” Porch Packages at $25 and $50 price points featuring all Saratoga made food products. As well as, specialty Porch Packages for anyone you can think of… chocolate lovers, dog or cat owners, horse lovers, whisky or wine enthusiasts. Porch Packages are fully customizable.

Marianne Barker and Maddy Zanetti, Co-Owners, are “contactless delivering” all local Porch Packages by walking (with the Impressions Pups of course), biking, or driving them to their destination. But many are being shipped as well! “Saratoga Springs lovers are all over America and many are unable to visit right now. We wanted to help people brighten up their friends’ and families’ days,” says Zanetti. “We’ve been very busy with Easter Porch Packages, all of the chocolate bunnies were made by Saratoga Candy Co.”

“It has been really fun to work with customers to figure out what they want in each bag. Since people can’t come into the store and there are so many options we have become ‘personal shoppers’ in a sense. Helping each person make the perfect Porch Package,” says Barker. “We have been really happy with the response. And it is great that we are able to help other local businesses too.”

Zanetti says, “Social media has been a huge help, we post photos every day of our deliveries and the Porch Packages we made for people. We have been using the #ImpressionsPorchPackages and people receiving the gifts have been sharing photos as well. We’ve even had customers order them to be anonymously left on stranger’s porches to help people get through these tough times.”

Porch Packages can be ordered Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. by calling 518-587-0666 or 24 hours a day online at ImpressionsSaratoga.com. Porch Packages are distributed with “contactless delivery.”

Dawn Oesch of the Saratoga Candy Co is making deliveries all over town! 
She’ll be delivering Easter Candy through Saturday afternoon!
Free local delivery within 15 miles of Broadway!
Order through www.SaratogaSweets.com/Easter

SARATOGA SPRINGS — This past week, Sundaes Best donated chocolate to nurses and doctors at the Wilton Medical Arts and Urgent Care who work on the front lines dealing with COVID-19. 

Katie Camarro, owner of Sundaes Best Hot Fudge Sauce, delivered the sweet bags early Friday morning and hopes to also deliver bags of Chocolate Farmer dip and pretzels to each hospital department this week. 

Camarro works with her husband, Jeff Shinaman, as owners of the store. The store will celebrate 20 years of business next November 2021. Their products are available in hundreds of stores across the country
and internationally. 

For over 40 years, Jeff Shinaman’s mother has been making their homemade hot fudge. Once family and friends tasted the fudge, Katie and Jeff were encouraged to jar the sauce and sell it. After two years of consideration, they discovered the van seen in the label and logo, and purchased it. They have been making chocolate ever since.

“Remember…no matter how tough the world becomes we must never run out of sweetness,” Katie Camarro wrote.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — When Gage Simpson received an email from Siemens Industries in Latham about local STEM ecosystems, he didn’t hesitate to become part of a growing grassroots initiative across New York State. 

Budmen Industries out of Liverpool, NY has made available, free to the public for download, a 3D printing template with instructions to produce face shields. Budmen Industries was a presenter at the Collaborative Educators Summit. Siemens advised the Capital Region STEM Hub that Watertown City School District, which attends the Summit annually, has taken the initiative to start producing these masks while students are out of school and sent every 3D printers home with Career and Technical Education (CTE) staff. That was all Simpson needed to hear when he approached his supervisor at WSWHE BOCES with the idea of pitching in.

Simpson is an advanced manufacturing instructor in the PTECH and Early College Career Academy, a partnership with SUNY Adirondack and WSWHE BOCES. In addition to his daily remote teaching responsibilities, Simpson is running his two classroom 3D printers at home to produce 6 masks per day. These will support local healthcare professionals in rural counties who are in desperate need of PPE equipment. 

“I have several students in the 2020 graduating class with parents in the healthcare industry. We were all concerned with the shortage of PPE in New York and wanted an opportunity to help out. Utilizing the advanced manufacturing equipment and production technology, we can hopefully provide some protection for remote healthcare workers that do not have any other options,” says Simpson

 Kim Wegner, who is the lead coordinator for innovative programs at WSWHE BOCES says, “I think what Gage is doing is great and models innovation for our students. I hope that other local school districts that have 3D printers will see what Gage is doing and will also help out.” 

Simpson will be sending 10 masks to the Indian Lake Emergency Squad, 10 to the North Creek Health Center, and 10 to the North Warren Emergency Squad. He is reaching out to rural county boards of health to assess their needs. If you are a healthcare provider in Warren, Washington, Hamilton or Essex county and in need of these masks, you can contact Kim Wegner for more information.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — One 4-H family in Saratoga County is doing their part to support the frontline workers battling to help fight Covid 19. 

The Russells from Ballston Spa started out using skills and values learned through 4-H to make protective face shields for family and friends. Little did they know at the time, that it would grow to be so much more. To date the Russells have made over 180 masks and have donated them 60 going to St. Peter’s hospital, 40 going to Eddy Visiting nurses, 50 going to SUNY POLY and 36 have been delivered to individuals. 

“I couldn’t help but to share this with the community,” said Greg Stevens, Saratoga County 4-H Issue Leader. “These are the values that 4-H teaches today’s youth. To be selfless, creative, and always help others when you can. I couldn’t be prouder to be involved with folks like this on a daily basis.” 

The family was not looking for recognition for what they are doing. Lisa Russell (pictured) said, “We feel like we’re helping our medical people just a little bit.” 

And the group continues to grow. According to Tyler, other kids and families in the community are starting their own “posse” of families who want to help the cause. The family and friends will be printing more in the upcoming days and weeks. 

The Russells along with mother/grandmother Carol Bertone are a three-generation family that has been involved with the 4-H program in Saratoga County for 44+ years. Through the years the Russells have always been active and are currently the Resource Leaders for one of the biggest 4-H Robotics Programs in New York State. It was a simple transition to utilize their 3-D Printer often utilized for 4-H Projects to be used for this greater cause. 

4-H connects youth to hands-on learning opportunities that help them grow into competent, caring, contributing members of society. Youth participate in 4-H by joining community clubs, or participating in in-school and after school programs. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Skidmore College has donated truckloads of protective gear, including tens of thousands of gloves, and other supplies to Saratoga Hospital to boost the local community’s capacity to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Skidmore employees have been searching through science laboratories, art studios and other facilities in recent days to gather the supplies, which have included more than 85,000 protective gloves, 60 N95 masks, hundreds of pairs of goggles and protective eyewear, disinfectants and other essential items that are currently in short supply due to the coronavirus.

The donations filled two pickup trucks on Saturday, March 21, and three additional carloads on Friday, March 27. All the items are commonly used in college science laboratories and other facilities, and Skidmore had purchased them for use by faculty, staff and students.

“We worked to gather as many supplies as possible. When I reached out to colleagues, many pointed out that they had other items that could also help,” said Kara Cetto Bales, senior instructor in chemistry and associate director of environmental health and safety, who coordinated the collection efforts at Skidmore in collaboration with faculty and staff across campus. “We continue to be in touch with Saratoga Hospital about other equipment and supplies that may be beneficial.”

Saratoga Hospital President and CEO Angelo Calbone welcomed the donations, calling Skidmore “a wonderful partner and neighbor and an extraordinary asset to the Saratoga region.”

The latest donations included an additional 65,500 gloves, hundreds of pairs of goggles and glasses, eight UV lamps, 40 N95 masks, a dozen face shields, cleaning supplies, two dozen disposable filtration units and a vacuum pump.

BALLSTON SPA — The Ballston Spa Central School District’s BackPack Program continues to receive generous support from members of the school community. At a time when restaurants are struggling, the Route 50 Diner has donated $800 after they collected and matched a weekend of customer donations to support the Scotties BackPack Program. With the support of many local businesses and organizations the Scotties BackPack Program is able to continue during the school closure and provide weekend meals to those students who may otherwise go without. For a list of supporters and details of the program, please visit www.bscsd.org/Page/13097.

SARATOGA COUNTY —While COVID-19 impacts the community, local hospitals and nonprofits are searching for item donations to continue their cause of serving the community.

Saratoga Hospital is looking for gloves, masks and protective eyewear. Respirator Masks, surgical gowns and ventilators are also a part of the products needed. 

The Franklin Community Center in Saratoga is asking for donations of juice, peanut butter, canned fruit, tuna and pasta/egg noodles. There is a food donation bin located in the front of the building. 

The Wilton Food Pantry is searching for canned fruit and personal care items. Peter Maynard, director of the food pantry, said donating a monetary amount is highly recommended because pantries can buy food from the Regional Food Bank at lower prices than the consumers can. The donations also allow the pantry to control inventory better, but no food donations will be turned down. 

The Wilton Food bank along with Schuylerville Area Food and Emergency Relief  (SAFER) Food pantry will take orders before clients arrive at the pantry. Participants are encouraged to order online or call-in before arriving. Drop-ins will be serviced as well but as asked to wait outside while their food order is prepared. 

SCOTIA — Searching for good news amid the current state of the world is a welcome distraction that 55,000 other individuals agree with as of Wednesday this week. 

The distraction, called 518 Rainbow Hunt, started on March 18 by a mom sent home due to COVID-19. According to the 518 Rainbow Hunt group, Kristyn Dayter created the idea to bring some positive vibes and sunshine to families in the area after seeing similar ideas online. In a single day, the group welcomed over 1,000 members and has been growing since.

“Rainbows, unicorns, and glitter have always been my thing. They’re a perfect expression of my personality…” Dayter said on the facebook group. “I’m so overly happy that this little project has touched so many families and has been a good distraction for everyone in this uncertain time.”

The hunt challenges families design a rainbow and display in a window, driveway or any other creative way they can come up with. The idea is to get families outdoors and practice social distancing. 

“I can’t wait to see how far we can reach! The 518 sure can come together…” Dayton posted. “Good vibes only, keep rainbow hunting, we’ll all get through
this together.”

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SARATOGA SPRINGS — Wilton Elks 161 recently used a portion of their Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant for the Mother Susan Anderson House.

Members of the lodge joined with family members to shop and deliver linens to the women and children’s emergency shelter, which is located on Caroline St. in Saratoga Springs.

Together they delivered 12 sets of bed linen, 12 comforters and 6 blankets to the Shelter. The lodge would like to thank the volunteers and families who helped deliver the items for those in need. 

Every Elks Lodge is eligible to apply for the $3,000 Beacon Grant, introduced this year. In order to apply, the lodge has to actively serve the community. For more information visit www.elks.org/cip/grants/BeaconGrants.cfm.