Event to include driving truck tour, to-go kits and online resources for kids

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Children’s Museum at Saratoga is gearing up for its annual fundraising event, Big Truck Day, taking place Aug. 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. This year, due to restrictions placed on gatherings, the popular event will take a slight detour to keep participation safe incorporating a driving truck tour the whole family will enjoy.

Participants can purchase a to-go kit and pick it up at the museum before heading out on the driving tour. The to-go kit includes a fire hat, construction hat and two vehicle maker kits of either a monster truck, race car or train, which will be selected for you. The ticket price also includes two certificates for an ice cream cone from Stewarts, a link to an exclusive online Big Truck Day video and a Truck Trail map featuring the seven vehicles that you can see while touring through historic downtown Saratoga including a Fire Truck, Police Car, Trash Truck, Cleaning Van, Ambulance and two vintage automobiles.

With each ticket purchased, participants will be entered into a drawing to receive one of the following prizes including a captained boat ride around Lake George for a family of four donated by Freedom Boat Club, a Big Truck Day T-Shirt size youth large, a Tegu racer car, or a Melissa and Doug car carrier truck. Winners of the drawing will be announced on Facebook and contacted directly by Aug.12.

“These have been challenging circumstances for families so we are pleased to offer a fun and safe activity the whole family can enjoy together,” said Sarah Smith, executive director of the Saratoga Children’s Museum. “As you can imagine, it has been a challenging time for our team as well. We are a nonprofit museum, with a small annual operating budget all dependent on the revenue we earn from museum admissions, school field trips, education programs, and birthday parties at the museum, which have been on hold since early spring. Events like Big Truck Day are crucial
fundraisers for us so we can continue to create new, engaging exhibits and experiences when the museum opens again.”

Tickets for this year’s event range from $20-$40 packages. The $20 package will get you the trail map and exclusive video while the $30 package includes the map, video and a to-go kit for museum members and is $40 for non or future members. To purchase tickets, visit the Eventbrite page.

While People are More Isolated Than Ever, Local Club Steps Up with Financial Gift to Aid in Bringing Emotional Support to Those Living with Medical Needs & Caregivers

SARATOGA SPRINGS – COVID-19 presents unique challenges for those living with medical diagnoses, as well as their caregivers including increased fear and isolation.

That’s why Saratoga-based nonprofit, Beyond My Battle, launched virtual support groups for their community at the start of the pandemic. The organizations offer a live online support group format that not only allows for proper social distancing, but also provides a service that is truly accessible to a community that needs accessibility. 

“For many living with, or caring for someone with an illness/disability, limited mobility and time are obstacles for attending in-person support services – with or without the coronavirus,” says BMB Executive Director, Martel Catalano. 

In seeking to continue providing this free service to both individuals living with illnesses/disabilities, and caregivers, the Saratoga Springs Rotary Club has provided funding to support on-going groups, which attendees are calling “a life-line.” 

Saratoga Rotary President, Susan Rhoades, says, “we continue to support local nonprofit organizations in need and are happy to be able to give assistance to Beyond My Battle.”

BMB’s support groups meet weekly on Zoom and are completely free to attendees, while maintaining a facilitated environment to engage and direct conversation in a compassionate way. To learn more about the groups or to sign up for one, visit www.beyondmybattle.org/support-groups. The care partner virtual support group meets every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. and the illness/disability virtual support group meets every Thursday at 8 p.m.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The Prevention Council of Saratoga County (P.C.S.C) joins the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office in the annual Operation Dry campaign, a coordinated campaign to educate boaters about the dangers of boating under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Throughout this boating season, boaters will see an increase in outreach, education and enforcement surrounding boating under the influence.

Alcohol use continues to be the leading known contributing factor in recreational boater deaths and a leading contributor in boating accidents. The mission of  Operation Dry Water is to reduce the number of alcohol and drug-related incidents and fatalities on the water. The P.C.S.C will be out educating boaters on ways to stay safe while on the water, which includes always boating sober and avoiding any alcohol- or drug-use prior to and while boating.

“Getting out on the water is an enjoyable and relaxing activity for many. We have partnered with Operation Dry Water this summer to help keep boaters safe by educating operators and passengers on the dangers of boating under the influence,” said Janine Stuchin, Executive Director of the P.C.S.C. “Staying sober while boating is a critical part of boating safely.

Outreach partners and volunteers will be out on the water and at marinas in Saratoga County, working collaboratively with law enforcement to educate boaters about safe boating practices. Law enforcement will also be detecting and removing impaired operators from the water. No matter where you are boating, it is illegal to operate a boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

In 2019, law enforcement officers across the nation issued a total of 9,524 citations and removed 563 impaired operators from our nation’s waterways. The P.C.S.C is urging boaters to enjoy this boating season and help keep everyone safe by not drinking alcohol while on the water, or operating a boat after you have consumed alcohol. Use of both legal and illegal drugs also impairs judgment and reaction time and makes it dangerous to operate any vessel.

Boaters can learn more about boating under the influence by visiting PreventionCouncil.org or operationdrywater.org.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – They are two different things. The first, which can be done via a nasal swab, tests whether a person is infected with COVID-19. The second, which uses a drawing of blood, indicates whether a person may previously had been infected with the virus and built-up antibodies to potentially provide virus immunity, at least for the time being. 

In the first instance, more than 50,000 people in Saratoga County have been tested for the COVID-19 virus, according to the state Department of Health, with about 750 of those people – a rate of approximately 1.6 % – having tested positive. 

In the second scenario, examining for antibodies, local tests indicate about 9% of those tested had previously been infected with COVID-19 – although it would be misleading to subsequently assume that 9% of the overall local population has previously had the disease.  “Probably in our community, it’s going to be a couple of percent,” says David Mastrianni, MD Senior Vice President, at the Saratoga Hospital Medical Group. “I don’t think it’s going to be very high, a few percent of people. Whether it’s 2, 3, or 4 percent I don’t know, but it will probably be in that range,” he says. “It’s going to be low so the point is we’ve done a really good job here (in Saratoga) of shutting down Covid. The bad news is that we‘ve got to keep doing a really good job because we have a lot of people who are not immune.” 

Mastrianni says the initial tests that look for the virus have taught that some people who get infected may not have any symptoms at all for a couple of days. “You could be asymptomatic and that’s one of the tricky parts about it. There are probably people out there who have some of the virus,” he explains. When people do get symptoms, they can range erratically from person to person. The virus typically will stay in the body for about 10 days, and one of the ways the body’s immune system fights it off is by producing antibodies.   

Antibodies

“Antibodies will typically start to turn up after 10 days or so. They persist for some months – we don’t know exactly how long, but for quite a number of months,” Mastrianni says.  While not known exactly how long the antibodies persist, it is believed they provide a temporary immunity period.  “We think for most people those antibodies do protect them. How long that protection is good remains a mystery, but at least for some months.” 

There are exceptions – people who make incomplete antibodies, or whose immune system doesn’t work quite right for example, but antibodies creating immunity is an important factor, and the length of time that immunity exists is also key in learning how often a person would need to be vaccinated, if and when a vaccine is introduced. 

“For right now what we’ve seen is that the vast majority of people who go through the illness get the antibodies and they don’t get (the virus) again,” he says.   

“Overall, we’ve seen about 9% positive, but most of those people (tested locally) had the illness, we knew that. They got really sick and had a positive swab test. Then, some other people from the
community came who had talked to their doctor and thought: Gee, I had a flu-like illness in March or April and maybe I had it. So, they wanted to know. And so we’ve ended up at about this 9% positive rate -but that’s really dependent on who came in to get the test, so I’m not sure really what to make of that percentage.” The number of antibody tests locally conducted is “in the hundreds.” 

His practical advice: if one was previously sick and it’s important to them to know whether they had COVID, they should talk to their doctor about getting the antibody testing done. The antibody tests are reliable, but not perfect, he adds.  “I would be nervous about doing it if you had no real reason, because you might get a false positive, and that would be bad for you to think you were
protected when you weren’t.” 

Pooled Testing

Earlier this year, as the need for COVID-19 testing began to increase, Saratoga Hospital started pooled testing for the virus, essentially batching multiple patient tests together to conserve test cartridges. To date more than 2,150 test cartridges have been preserved, enabling the hospital to test all patients before they’re admitted and isolate those with the novel coronavirus.

Pooled testing combines samples from several low-risk people in a single vial. If the test is negative, everyone whose sample was combined has tested negative for COVID-19—using supplies for only a single test. If the test is positive, each person must be retested individually. 

“We wanted to test everybody but we didn’t have enough cartridges, so we started batching them, and we proved that it worked,” says Mastrianni, who co-authored an article about the results of Saratoga Hospital’s pilot program, published this month in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

“We started with 3 (people) and now we’re doing between 3 and 5, depending on what our need is. It’s been a very successful way of taking people who got admitted to the hospital and
trying to tell best we can whether they had Covid.” 

Where We Are Now

“I think this region had done a great job. We’re low, but I think it’s a critical point over the next month. If we can get everybody to wear masks and be careful and avoid the big groups or travel to the hotspots, I think we can stay somewhat open and do a lot of things that we want to do in our lives,” Mastrianni says. “But, I think if we let this back in it’s going to be miserable.   

“Everybody is asking: What’s going to happen when school opens? Well, if your community is in control and you open your schools and you do it carefully, there’s a good chance you’ll be OK. Don’t get me wrong – you’re going to get cases, your going to have to handle it and it’s going to be tough, but you have a chance to do it. But if we let this get out of control in August, I mean, then you know September is not going to go well.” 

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, NY-21, is a cosponsor of the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, legislation that proposes a series of tax credits aimed at bolstering
local newspapers and media in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local newspapers were facing challenges before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now their challenges are especially unique.  The bill is supported by the News Media Alliance, National Newspaper Association, and many other groups. 

“Our local news outlets are so important to the North Country, especially in our more rural or isolated areas,” said Stefanik, in a statement. “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our news outlets, newspapers, and TV and radio stations have gone above and beyond to deliver up-to-date information to our North Country residents in a timely fashion. I am proud to be cosponsoring this bill to
support readers, advertisers, and publishers and keep local news media sustained. I look forward to advancing this legislation along with my House colleagues and supporting initiatives like this to keep local journalism thriving.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS – On Aug. 4, Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton announced she was coordinating a community outreach team and invited members of the public to join the group. 

“I put together a group that’s going to be a community outreach team,” Dalton announced during this week’s City Council meeting. “I have been meeting with black residents in our community for the last month-and-a-half to hear their concerns, to talk about their experiences and to see how I can take their voices, concerns and frustrations and how we can work together as a group to create the community we all want to live in and feel safe in. 

“I invite anyone from the public who wants to be part of the solution to be on this team with us,” Dalton said. Those interested in joining the community outreach team may express that interest by email at: outreach@saratoga-springs.org. 

The Saratoga Springs Police Department issued two statements – the first on July 30 and the second Aug. 4 – regarding a “Back the Blue” rally and a counter-protest by the groups  “BLM” and “All of US,” that occurred July 30, and which converged inside Congress Park. 

The first statement provided a timeline outline and the events leading up to three arrests being made.   

According to police, the “Back the Blue” rally ended at 7:45 p.m. and those participants left the area.  “The group representing “BLM” and “All of US” made the decision to continue their protest by laying down in the intersection of Broadway and Congress Street for a period of time. The group then moved north on Broadway by walking in the roadway, disrupting traffic and closing down streets. These
actions continued up and down Broadway for about 45 minutes and at approximately 8:30 p.m., Lt. Jason Mitchell of the Saratoga Springs Police Department approached leaders of the group and asked them to leave the roadway. The group leaders were advised they could continue their protest on the sidewalks but not in the roadway,” the statement continues. “The leaders of the group and the protestors refused to leave the roadway after numerous warnings, so officers moved in and (three) arrests were made.”

The second statement provided a more in-depth timeline, addressed the reason law enforcement agencies outside the city were requested as well as law enforcement’s deployment of “pepper projectiles” on Broadway during the protest. 

The statement reads, in part: “The police department began seeing social media posts from people representing the groups “BLM” and “All of US” to show up and counter-protest the “Back to Blue” rally. One of the social media posts asked counter-protestors to be in Congress Park by 5:30 p.m. and stated, ‘it’s time to really show them we mean business.’ It was at this time that the decision was made to add assistance from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department, New York State Police and New York State Park Police. “

Assistance by the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Department assistance included an “MRAP” vehicle – described as a light tactical vehicle used as a personnel and equipment carrier for the tactical team, which was utilized during the evening. The statement continues: 

“Intelligence collected by outside agencies at various times of the day on July 30 reported the possibility that one of the protestors associated with “BLM” and “All of US” was armed with a handgun and agitators from outside the area were going to be involved. Observations by officers and backed up by video, show some protestors wearing bulletproof vests and duty belts containing pepper spray. 

Seven different video clips were posted on the city’s website Aug. 4 showing various moments of the protest, including one which shows police and protesters coming together and the subsequent deployment of pepper projectiles: “The Chief of Police authorized the use of the pepper projectiles once the situation started turning violent,” police said. No injuries were reported during the events.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – For the first time ever a camp dedicated to visually and hearing impaired children has gone virtual for the 2020 camp season. 

Camp Abilities Saratoga is a one week educational sports camp sponsored by the Saratoga Lions Club. The camp is typically held on the campus of Skidmore College but this year, the 18 campers will participate in sporting and camp activities online. 

Camp Director Tiffany Suppes discovered they would not be able to host the camp in-person this year at the end of April. Rather than cancelling for the year, Suppes and her staff created a new online camp schedule.

“Instead of not having a camp opportunity at all for our campers we decided that were going to offer a virtual experience for them. I’m excited but it will be a little different,” Suppes said. 

The camp will be held from Aug. 9 to 14 and Suppes said they incorporated almost all camp activities and brought them online. For example, the campers and staff will go “live” online three times a day, allowing campers to socialize just as they would at camp.

“We will all have a chance to talk together. A lot of our campers have been coming here for years and they’ve made a lot of friends that have visual impairments as well. That’s not always the case in school for them. A lot of times they’re the only child in a school district that may have a visually impairment so it’s nice that they made these connections and friends with each other. It lets them be kids,” Suppes said. 

Sporting activities will focus on the individual this year as campers will partake in yoga, strength training and pound fitness. Team building and group work will still be incorporated into camp. Campers will still be able to participate in their yearly dance party, talent show and even work together virtually to solve an escape room. 

“While we focus on individual sporting events in the morning, at night we are not only doing sports but also recreational team building exercises. We tried to keep some of the core things that we love to do at camp, but just added some new things to keep them engaged and active and social,” Supper said. 

Campers get to keep any equipment they were sent home with for the 2020 camp season. Those who do not have access to the internet could also rent an IPad.

Camp Abilities started in 2014 after gaining inspiration from the Camp Abilities in Brockport, NY. Suppes attended SUNY Brockport and became a graduate assistant at their camp. When Saratoga Lions wanted to start a camp, their hired Suppes as their camp director. 

The primary objective of Camp Abilities Saratoga is to empower visually and hearing impaired children and teens to be physically active by way of a series of sports activities that have been professionally adapted to their abilities. Another objective of the camp is to provide “real life” hands-on experience for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing the field of physical education, as well as active
teaching professionals from the field of adaptive sports. 

Camp Abilities can be reached by calling 518-290-7050 or email info@campabilitiessaratoga.org. Their website can be access atcampabilitiessaratoga.org or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CampAbilitiesSaratoga/.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – State representatives and local leaders alike gathered to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the work of AIM Services at the Garden Tent at the Adelphi Hotel on July 27.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by Pres. George H.W. Bush and prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, and gives civil rights protections to those individuals – similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.

“The ADA is a dramatic renewal not only for those with disabilities but for all of us,” June MacClelland, senior director and chief compliance officer of AIM Services, Inc., told the crowd assembled for the gathering. This historic act was the world’s first comprehensive declaration of equality for people with disabilities.

A table adjacent to the speaker’s podium displayed a handful of signed citations, proclamations and certificates marking the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act and recognizing the work by AIM Services.  Formed in 1979, the non-profit organization provides residential and community-based services to people with physical and intellectual disabilities, including those with traumatic brain injuries and those who are
looking for nursing home transition or diversion. 

 “It has become one of the largest agencies providing support and services to individuals with diverse abilities in upstate New York,” MacClelland said, adding that the goal is in “supporting people in reaching their own personal goals and their own personal dreams.” One-third of all families in the United States are impacted by disability, according to the organization. 

“We as a city and as a community have done so much, but we still share the responsibility to eliminate all barriers – physical, emotional, health-related and spiritual, to ensure all of us have the opportunity to live as enriched members of our own community,” MacClelland said. “AIM Services is committed to this challenge and it is a challenge every single day.”  The event launched the organization’s weeklong “Croquet Off the Green” – a reimagined fundraising activity to comply with the realities and rules of the COVID19 pandemic runs through Aug. 2 and secured the participation of more than 30 Saratoga Springs businesses. For more information about those activities, go to: aimservicesinc.org/events/croquet/. 

The economic collapse of 2008 taught harsh lessons about the potential for portfolio losses and how that could derail one’s retirement plans. When there’s volatility in the market, it’s natural to worry about your retirement nest egg. Actions taken today can affect your financial security tomorrow, so let’s map out a strategy that includes guarantees that may help ease concerns despite fluctuations in the stock market. Annuities can help. 

When used correctly annuities can be powerful long-term retirement planning tools by helping to create an income stream for life. Annuity payments can be received monthly, quarterly, annually or in a lump sum, and have tax deferral benefits. Variable annuities allow investors to potentially grow assets in the market, with the opportunity to add optional guarantee features for an additional fee that provide  downside protection. Younger investors planning for retirement may be interested in the growth potential of a variable annuity. Some providers like New York Life offers certain variable annuities with an option called an  accumulation benefit rider which provide principal protection over a chosen holding period. This means that at least the initial premium is guaranteed at the end of the holding period, helping to address volatility concerns. 

Income annuities are known for their efficiency in generating guaranteed lifetime income. Other than a pension and Social Security, a guaranteed income annuity can also produce a lifetime payment stream.  It is like getting a “paycheck” for life.  With a guaranteed income annuity, you can have peace of mind with the knowledge that you’ll have a steady retirement income to help with basic expenses in retirement, while weathering market volatility.

While investors may react differently to fluctuations in the market, many can benefit from working with a trusted financial professional to support the retirement planning process. Let’s schedule a meeting to talk through worst case scenarios, your tolerance for risk and any other changes to your financial picture that necessitates refining your current approach. Together we can put a plan in place that will help you live out the retirement of your dreams.

Important disclosures: 

Guarantees are based on the claims‐paying ability of the issuer. For variable annuities, guarantees do not apply to monies allocated to the variable investment options as they are subject to market risk and will fluctuate in value.

Annuities contain certain fees, risks, limitations and restrictions. Investors should speak to a financial professional for costs and complete details

This educational article is provided as a courtesy by Barry J. Bruno, CLU(CA Insurance Lic. # OB65966)  and ChFC, and Daniel D. Bruno, Agents, New York Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) and Registered Representatives of NYLIFE Securities LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) 7 Court Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, (518)587-9295, a Licensed Insurance Agency and New York Life Company.  To learn more about the information ortopics discussed, please call Bruno & Bruno Financial Services LLC and ask for Barry or Dan at 518.587.9295 or email: barry@brunofs.com or dan@brunofs.com. Bruno & Bruno Financial Services LLC is not owned or operated by New York Life Insurance Company or NYLIFE Securities W. 

Together we can address your market volatility  concerns with these simple steps:

• Do a portfolio check

• Look for ways to optimize spending

• Balance the need for cash reserves with the opportunity for growth

• Discuss how Social Security could impact retirement income 

• Add guarantees to the portfolio

SARATOGA SPRINGS – The anticipated opening of Darling Doughnuts happened this past Wednesday, July 29. They were sold out by  11 a.m.

The new Broadway shop operates as a grab and go counter with limited outdoor seating. Owner Natascha Pearl-Mansman designed a rotating menu for the new location, which  features ten different flavors of doughnuts each week. 

Pearl-Mansman creates all her donuts from scratch. She uses brioche style dough, which creates a yeast raised donut. The brioche style gives Pearl-Mansman a neutral base that allows her to get creative with her donut flavors. 

“I have really simply natural recipes and there is actually no sugar in the dough itself, just enough to get the yeast to rise. All of the flavor comes from the glazes and the toppings. And all the glazes and the toppings are made with real fruit and real nuts. Even the cake glazes that I do, such as funfetti, has actual cake that’s in the glaze,” Pearl-Mansman previously said.

The new menu offers full size doughnuts for $3.74 each, mini doughnuts for $2 each and a recent addition of “box of holes” that sells 12 holes for $6. Doughnut flavors range from fruity to savory and all flavors can be found online.

Some menu flavors include: café latte, espresso and cream glazed doughnut with a latte art design; banana split, banana glazed and topped with chocolate banana chips; and even a pizza doughnut, topped with san
marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and pesto, then baked until bubbly. 

“The biggest compliment that I get from people is that it really tastes like you say it will. My donuts taste like what I say it will because that’s what I used to make them,” Pearl-Mansman said.

Darling Doughnuts can be reached by phone at 518-430-2018 or email at darlingdoughnuts@gmail.com. The shop is located at 441 Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Her website is darlingdoughnuts.com.