My daughter beat us in Rummikub again. As she ran to increase her tally on our scoreboard, my husband and I exchanged proud, defeated smiles. We all laughed. This new daily reprieve might just be keeping us sane.

Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl’s 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning said we must find a sense of purpose to navigate hardship. Dr. John Gottman later applied Frankl’s work to relationships, explaining that shared meaning often sustains couples, even when relationships face challenges.

Working both as a therapist and in public service, I have been thinking about how shared meaning and how Frankl’s work may offer guidance in such challenging times.

Dr. Gottman says shared meaning includes four basic elements – rituals of connection, symbols, roles, and goals. The idea is that because each of us is unique, we create small microcultures existing nowhere else when we form relationships. That culture, made up of shared meaning, is what we would lose if the relationship ends. Like an inside joke, it’s just not as funny if the other person who gets it isn’t around.

We also have shared meaning in communities. We walk our kids to school, follow sports teams (rituals of connection) and wear school colors or fly flags (symbols). We work, volunteer, or raise families in ways that contribute to our communities (roles), and plan for our financial futures, hoping for good lives for our children (goals).

For many of us, that normal sense of meaning has been shattered. It is up to us to find a new normal, with a sense of shared meaning that rises to the occasion. As Frankl said, “when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

FDR gave his first fireside chats during the Great Depression, increasing them in frequency after the country went to war. During national uncertainty, that new ritual provided comfort and brought Americans together around their radios. While the term “potluck” existed long before the depression, the tradition of sharing a communal meal with everyone pitching in helped people stay connected and stretched what little they had during times of scarcity.

Rituals of connection during this time of quarantine include people going outside to clap at the same time to honor first responders, and virtual social hours, religious services, and classroom meetings are keeping us connected. In my family, we have started a fierce daily rummikub competition that is part of our new evening routine.

The rainbows coloring our neighborhood’s windows symbolize shared meaning. The candles on our porches symbolize gratitude. During World War II, the “V” for victory hand gesture, made famous by Churchill, was created as a symbol for resistance fighters. Rosie the Riveter appeared on posters as a rallying cry for women to help the war effort.

Rosie the Riveter also represented changing roles during wartime. With soldiers away, many women trained for new jobs. During the depression, many who lost jobs found new roles through WPA projects. According to the New York Times, during the 1918 flu epidemic, even Boy Scouts became enforcers of health protocols, issuing warnings to people who spit in public and violated sanitary codes.

Today, how many of us are learning the new roles of homeschool teacher or remote worker? Healthcare providers serve where the need is greatest. Businesses have become mask, sanitizer, and medical device manufacturers. Essential workers have become our heroes.

The last element of Gottman’s shared meaning is goals. During the energy crisis, President Carter wore a sweater, asking people to conserve. During the depression, banks began to recover when people answered FDR’s call to redeposit their savings. We are truly dependent on each other now, making shared goals more important than ever.

We must develop the shared goals of staying home and practicing social distancing to protect ourselves, loved ones, essential workers and our community. We must embrace supporting our local businesses now when they need it most. We must resist the urge to hoard. We must win at least one rummikub game!

If we absorb these lessons from history, we can see that Frankl was right. Our rituals may have to change, but we can still connect. We may be called to stretch into new roles, but we can adapt. We will find symbols of hope and aspire to be part of the solution.  Frankl said “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” If we choose to respond by embracing a shared sense of purpose and meaning, we will get through this together.

Diana Palmer is a therapist in private practice and past president of the New York Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Albany- Hudson Valley Chapter. She is the 3rd Ward Councilwoman for the City of Glens Falls and a Doctoral Candidate in Law And Policy at Northeastern University.

My daughter beat us in Rummikub again. As she ran to increase her tally on our scoreboard, my husband and I exchanged proud, defeated smiles. We all laughed. This new daily reprieve might just be keeping us sane.

Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl’s 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning said we must find a sense of purpose to navigate hardship. Dr. John Gottman later applied Frankl’s work to relationships, explaining that shared meaning often sustains couples, even when relationships face challenges.

Working both as a therapist and in public service, I have been thinking about how shared meaning and how Frankl’s work may offer guidance in such challenging times.

Dr. Gottman says shared meaning includes four basic elements – rituals of connection, symbols, roles, and goals. The idea is that because each of us is unique, we create small microcultures existing nowhere else when we form relationships. That culture, made up of shared meaning, is what we would lose if the relationship ends. Like an inside joke, it’s just not as funny if the other person who gets it isn’t around.

We also have shared meaning in communities. We walk our kids to school, follow sports teams (rituals of connection) and wear school colors or fly flags (symbols). We work, volunteer, or raise families in ways that contribute to our communities (roles), and plan for our financial futures, hoping for good lives for our children (goals).

For many of us, that normal sense of meaning has been shattered. It is up to us to find a new normal, with a sense of shared meaning that rises to the occasion. As Frankl said, “when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

FDR gave his first fireside chats during the Great Depression, increasing them in frequency after the country went to war. During national uncertainty, that new ritual provided comfort and brought Americans together around their radios. While the term “potluck” existed long before the depression, the tradition of sharing a communal meal with everyone pitching in helped people stay connected and stretched what little they had during times of scarcity.

Rituals of connection during this time of quarantine include people going outside to clap at the same time to honor first responders, and virtual social hours, religious services, and classroom meetings are keeping us connected. In my family, we have started a fierce daily rummikub competition that is part of our new evening routine.

The rainbows coloring our neighborhood’s windows symbolize shared meaning. The candles on our porches symbolize gratitude. During World War II, the “V” for victory hand gesture, made famous by Churchill, was created as a symbol for resistance fighters. Rosie the Riveter appeared on posters as a rallying cry for women to help the war effort.

Rosie the Riveter also represented changing roles during wartime. With soldiers away, many women trained for new jobs. During the depression, many who lost jobs found new roles through WPA projects. According to the New York Times, during the 1918 flu epidemic, even Boy Scouts became enforcers of health protocols, issuing warnings to people who spit in public and violated sanitary codes.

Today, how many of us are learning the new roles of homeschool teacher or remote worker? Healthcare providers serve where the need is greatest. Businesses have become mask, sanitizer, and medical device manufacturers. Essential workers have become our heroes.

The last element of Gottman’s shared meaning is goals. During the energy crisis, President Carter wore a sweater, asking people to conserve. During the depression, banks began to recover when people answered FDR’s call to redeposit their savings. We are truly dependent on each other now, making shared goals more important than ever.

We must develop the shared goals of staying home and practicing social distancing to protect ourselves, loved ones, essential workers and our community. We must embrace supporting our local businesses now when they need it most. We must resist the urge to hoard. We must win at least one rummikub game!

If we absorb these lessons from history, we can see that Frankl was right. Our rituals may have to change, but we can still connect. We may be called to stretch into new roles, but we can adapt. We will find symbols of hope and aspire to be part of the solution.  Frankl said “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” If we choose to respond by embracing a shared sense of purpose and meaning, we will get through this together.

Diana Palmer is a therapist in private practice and past president of the New York Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Albany- Hudson Valley Chapter. She is the 3rd Ward Councilwoman for the City of Glens Falls and a Doctoral Candidate in Law And Policy at Northeastern University.

My daughter beat us in Rummikub again. As she ran to increase her tally on our scoreboard, my husband and I exchanged proud, defeated smiles. We all laughed. This new daily reprieve might just be keeping us sane.

Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl’s 1946 book Man’s Search for Meaning said we must find a sense of purpose to navigate hardship. Dr. John Gottman later applied Frankl’s work to relationships, explaining that shared meaning often sustains couples, even when relationships face challenges.

Working both as a therapist and in public service, I have been thinking about how shared meaning and how Frankl’s work may offer guidance in such challenging times.

Dr. Gottman says shared meaning includes four basic elements – rituals of connection, symbols, roles, and goals. The idea is that because each of us is unique, we create small microcultures existing nowhere else when we form relationships. That culture, made up of shared meaning, is what we would lose if the relationship ends. Like an inside joke, it’s just not as funny if the other person who gets it isn’t around.

We also have shared meaning in communities. We walk our kids to school, follow sports teams (rituals of connection) and wear school colors or fly flags (symbols). We work, volunteer, or raise families in ways that contribute to our communities (roles), and plan for our financial futures, hoping for good lives for our children (goals).

For many of us, that normal sense of meaning has been shattered. It is up to us to find a new normal, with a sense of shared meaning that rises to the occasion. As Frankl said, “when we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

FDR gave his first fireside chats during the Great Depression, increasing them in frequency after the country went to war. During national uncertainty, that new ritual provided comfort and brought Americans together around their radios. While the term “potluck” existed long before the depression, the tradition of sharing a communal meal with everyone pitching in helped people stay connected and stretched what little they had during times of scarcity.

Rituals of connection during this time of quarantine include people going outside to clap at the same time to honor first responders, and virtual social hours, religious services, and classroom meetings are keeping us connected. In my family, we have started a fierce daily rummikub competition that is part of our new evening routine.

The rainbows coloring our neighborhood’s windows symbolize shared meaning. The candles on our porches symbolize gratitude. During World War II, the “V” for victory hand gesture, made famous by Churchill, was created as a symbol for resistance fighters. Rosie the Riveter appeared on posters as a rallying cry for women to help the war effort.

Rosie the Riveter also represented changing roles during wartime. With soldiers away, many women trained for new jobs. During the depression, many who lost jobs found new roles through WPA projects. According to the New York Times, during the 1918 flu epidemic, even Boy Scouts became enforcers of health protocols, issuing warnings to people who spit in public and violated sanitary codes.

Today, how many of us are learning the new roles of homeschool teacher or remote worker? Healthcare providers serve where the need is greatest. Businesses have become mask, sanitizer, and medical device manufacturers. Essential workers have become our heroes.

The last element of Gottman’s shared meaning is goals. During the energy crisis, President Carter wore a sweater, asking people to conserve. During the depression, banks began to recover when people answered FDR’s call to redeposit their savings. We are truly dependent on each other now, making shared goals more important than ever.

We must develop the shared goals of staying home and practicing social distancing to protect ourselves, loved ones, essential workers and our community. We must embrace supporting our local businesses now when they need it most. We must resist the urge to hoard. We must win at least one rummikub game!

If we absorb these lessons from history, we can see that Frankl was right. Our rituals may have to change, but we can still connect. We may be called to stretch into new roles, but we can adapt. We will find symbols of hope and aspire to be part of the solution.  Frankl said “Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” If we choose to respond by embracing a shared sense of purpose and meaning, we will get through this together.

Diana Palmer is a therapist in private practice and past president of the New York Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Albany- Hudson Valley Chapter. She is the 3rd Ward Councilwoman for the City of Glens Falls and a Doctoral Candidate in Law And Policy at Northeastern University.

QUEENSBURY — A drive-up novel coronavirus public testing site is set to open today in Queensbury providing the availability of COVID-19 tests for residents of Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton and Essex counties, according to Warren County Public Health Services.

The mobile site is the second in the region, a new state-run drive-through test site opened on the University at Albany campus on April 6.

Glens Falls Hospital and Warren County Public Health Services worked together to open the most recent public testing site on the Warren County Municipal Center campus.

According to a statement, the site will be open for drive-up public testing only for those who have obtained medical authorization. Anyone who believes they should be tested should contact their medical provider. Those wishing to have a test performed will need to get an order from their health provider, who will then contact Warren County Public Health Services to arrange a time for the test. The site will be staffed by Glens Falls Hospital personnel in personal protective equipment.

Testing site staff will be able to handle 50 or so tests per day between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Results through a state laboratory will take 3 to 5 days.

The Municipal Center is located off Route 9 in Queensbury, near Exit 20 of the Northway. Those who have doctors’ orders for a test will follow electronic signs on Route 9 that will direct them to the testing location at the rear of the county complex. They will be asked to enter the Municipal Center through Glen Lake Road.

Through April 8, 2,269 Saratoga County residents had been tested overall, with 172 positive results for the coronavirus – a 7.6% positive return rate. Warren County had tested 581 persons (40 positive, 6.9%) and Washington County 383 (with 25, or 6.5% postive).  

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The idea came to him, as good ideas sometimes do, while otherwise engaged in the seeming mundanities of everyday life. 

Jacob Hopper and Dempsey, a yellow Lab, were out walking through Saratoga Springs. Hopper had started up the Evander and Louise lifestyle and travel brand, just as everything else around him began locking down.  March 1 was a heckuva time to launch a new business. 

“Horrible timing,” Hopper admits. A lot of the work is centered on the partnerships he created with 17 different local restaurants. 

“We know eating-out and taking-out can be a luxury for some people. And a lot of us are on limited incomes right now, watching the budget, but it’s really important that we support our small local businesses as much as we can. I think the more we can support them, the better we will be when we come out of this,” Hopper says. 

“Well, we launched and then this all happened. I started thinking: what can I do?” The answer came to him while out walking with Dempsey.  “Tag Your Take Out. It just popped into my head. I thought it might be a good way to promote these restaurants who really need help.”

The way the campaign works is this: people going out for take-out food snap a photo or capture a video of their excursion and post it to Instagram, tagging Evander and Louise at @e.l.saratoga and using the hashtag #tagyourtakeout. 

In addition to the photos making the rounds of social media and adding to a sense of community, Hopper’s E&L selects four winners every week from the posts. Each of the four receive a $50 gift card redeemable at one the group’s 17 restaurants. A $10 gratuity will also be provided to the restaurant, and for each $50 gift card given away, a $50 donation will be made to Franklin Community Center.

“We’re buying the gift cards. I didn’t want to ask the restaurants to give us gift cards because they’re already hurting enough, and we’re also including a $10 gratuity to the business because I think it’s important to remember that there are still people working. They might not be coming to your table like they usually do, but they are putting themselves at risk,” Hopper says. 

“With each gift card we give away, we’re also giving a $50 donation to Franklin Community Center as well – because the whole concept from the beginning was: support our local restaurants and support families who are in need, because the families can have other basic needs,” he says. “We’ve got 22 giveaways funded, so currently that’s $1,100 in gift cards and $1,100 to Franklin Community Center.” 

Franklin Community Center – which is located on Franklin Street – is a non-profit organization providing basic necessities and services to less fortunate individuals and families in Saratoga. 

“Anybody can tag their take-out at any locally-owned restaurants, and we’re certainly encouraging people to have fun with it,” says Hopper, adding that the support of sponsors, such American Natural Gas, help make the gift-card drawing possible.  “It’s focused on Saratoga, but we’ve gotten some who have tagged in Ballston Spa, and we’ve gotten some from Albany. Post a photo of it, tag us and tag the restaurant and you can be entered in the drawing.”

Each week on Wednesday afternoon four winners are picked, and Hopper says he anticipates staging the drawings and gift card winners for at least the next couple of weeks. 

“We want people to go and support local restaurants. The restaurants – obviously they’re all hurting and the feedback they’ve given me is they’re doing what they can to stay afloat and to keep their staff as much as is possible.” 

For more information about the Evander and Louise #tagyourtakeout initiative, and a list of the Saratoga eateries where the winning gift cards are redeemable, go to: evanderandlouise.com/tag-your-takeout. 

• A new COVID-19 mobile testing site was opened this week in a parking lot at the State University of New York at Albany campus – 1400 Washington Ave. The site prioritizes tests for individuals that are among the highest risk population.  With the increase in testing, the numbers showing those being infected with the virus is anticipated to rise. Residents who would like to be tested must make an appointment by calling 888-364-3065. There will be no walk-ins allowed and all patients must be in a vehicle. Site hours: Monday – Sunday, 8 am – 6 pm., in partnership with Albany Medical Center, St. Peter’s Health Partners and The University at Albany. The state has opened seven mobile facilities to date.

A drive-up novel coronavirus public testing site opened April 9 in Queensbury, providing the availability of COVID-19 tests for residents of Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Hamilton and Essex counties, according to Warren County Public Health Services. The Municipal Center is located off Route 9 in Queensbury, near Exit 20 of the Northway. Those who have doctors’ orders for a test will follow electronic signs on Route 9 that will direct them to the testing location at the rear of the county complex. They will be asked to enter the Municipal Center through Glen Lake Road.Testing site staff will be able to handle 50 or so tests per day between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Results through a state laboratory will take 3 to 5 days.

• Gov. Cuomo announced rapid testing to determine whether one presently has the virus is now available. The test takes about 15 minutes to determine whether one is infected. But those tests need to be brought “to scale,” in other words, brought to the public in a big way. There is only a 50,000-person testing capacity available in the state right now. Cuomo said he is interested in working with private companies who would be able to roll out the tests in big numbers. 

• A different kind of test: “How do we restart our economy and get everything up and running as quickly as possible? It’s going to come down to how good we are at testing,” said Cuomo, adding that the “re-start” will likely come before the availability of a vaccine to eliminate the infection. “You’re going to have to know who had the virus, who resolved the virus, who never had it. And that’s going to be testing.”

To that point, the state DOH is developing an antibody testing scheme. The test would determine whether a person has had the virus – potentially meaning they had at one time been a carrier and may have built up immunity, making them no longer contagious, and no longer able to catch the virus. “That means you could get to work, you can go back to school, whatever you want.” But the testing has to be extensive, Cuomo cautioned, given the 19 million residents in the state of New York. 

The volume of testing is not there quite yet, and Cuomo made no mention of it specifically, but in Germany, a type of immunity certificate is being considered that would test people for antibodies and those who have had the virus would be exempted from restrictions to move freely about the community. 

• New York will stay on PAUSE for an additional two weeks through April 29, Gov. Cuomo announced. 

• The governor also announced he was increasing the maximum fine for violations of the state’s social distancing protocol from $500 to $1,000. This increase is targeted at any lack of adherence to social distancing protocols. “Now is not the time to be lax about distance.” Localities have the authority to enforce the protocols.

• The Saratoga County Office of Emergency Service announced this week that four county residents who had tested positive for Covid-19 had died, bringing the total number of deaths of Covid-19 positive individuals in the county to five. 

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• During a conference call with reporters Tuesday afternoon, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, NY-21, said there should be multiple mobile testing centers in the district – particularly given the high percentage of the local population who are seniors and the number of people who are shifting to their second homes upstate. 

Looking forward, Stefanik said while the current priority is getting through the months of April and May, the tourist-heavy summer season that typically Saratoga hosts should dictate that the local region is “heavily involved” in any discussions in the future, “when we are able to start talking about reopening parts of the economy, when we get beyond – well beyond – the apex and even the down-slope of positive cases in New York.” 

• New York is currently testing more than 16,000 people per day, more than any other state and more than China and South Korea on a per capital basis. Just over 2,200 people had been tested in Saratoga through April 8, with 172 persons (7.4%), having tested positive for coronavirus. The county of Albany had been testing 70 to 80 people per day. Following the opening of the mobile site this week, those testing numbers jumped to three times that amount daily. 

• A new website was launched to provide New York State’s comprehensive coronavirus testing data to the public. The website, which will be updated daily with the latest data, presents visualizations of statewide and county-level testing and results. That site is: www.ny.gov/covid-19tracker.

• Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) Executive Director Karen Gregory announced this week that The Holiday Inn, located in downtown Saratoga Springs, will serve as a temporary location for the city’s homeless. Isolating people experiencing homelessness in individual hotel rooms with access to private bathrooms is the best possible solution to facilitate safe distancing and the ability to practice good hygiene thus preventing a community-wide spread of COVID-19, Gregory said. Food service, basic necessities and case management is being provided to those staying in the hotel. The shelters on Walworth Street remain open. 

Tuesday night, the City Council unanimously approved a measure to provide financial support to S.O.S. for that relocation of the homeless population to the Holiday Inn, at 232 Broadway. City funds to be reallocated for the emergency priority project are to be drawn from the Economic Development Revolving Loan Fund in the amount of $61,950.

• Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan on April 7 announced the potential budget impacts in the wake of COVID-19.  Regarding the city’s $48.7 million annual operating budget, the city is considering a “severe scenario” til the end of June of an up to 75 % loss of several key revenues, and by year-end the city may be bracing for a “worse case scenario”  revenue loss of a total of as much as $14-$16 million, compared to what was previously anticipated, Madigan said. The current payroll of city employees will remain status quo through April 17. Employee furloughs are a last resort, Madigan said, cautioning the council “leading up to this date we need to be prepared and evaluate decisions for post-April 17.” 

• Due to the continuing impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the New York Racing Association announced that the opening of the Oklahoma Training Track and stabling area – set to open April 15 at Saratoga Race Course, will be delayed. The delay does not impact the start of the Saratoga racing season which is scheduled to begin on Thursday, July 16. 

NEW YORK STATE — Superintendent Keith M. Corlett announced the State Police have launched a new recruiting effort.

The State Police will hold a new Trooper entrance examination in the fall. The exams are scheduled for Oct. 3, Oct. 10, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, and will be offered at several locations around the state. 

Online applications are now being accepted. Interested candidates have several options to start the application process. To apply, candidates can visit joinstatepolice.ny.gov and apply online, they can text JoinNYSP to 518-240-3959, or call 1-866-NYSP-EXAM.

“The strength of our agency is built on the diversity of the men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving their communities and their state” said Superintendent Keith M. Corlett, in a statement. “We are actively seeking qualified, committed, and motivated candidates from all walks of life to take the Trooper exam this fall.Candidates will be competing for the chance to join the ranks of the New York State Police and have a rewarding career of public service.”

Opportunities within the State Police include training and membership in specialized units, as well as opportunities for advancement through the State Police ranks.Some of the specialized areas of expertise include positions such as: Crime Scene Evidence Technicians; Field Training Officers; Canine Handlers; Firearms Instructors; and Motor Vehicle Collision Reconstructionist.Troopers are also eligible for assignments to specialized details and units including: the Aviation Unit; the Dive Team; the Special Operations Response Team; the Community Narcotics Enforcement Team; and the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit.Troopers may also pursue assignments as investigators in the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Online applications must be submitted by Sept. 13, 2020.Results from the examination will establish an eligibility list that may remain in effect up to four years. The New York State Police is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity and encourages all individuals interested in public service to apply.

Applicants must successfully complete a medical examination, vision test, hearing test, background investigation including a polygraph examination, and psychological evaluation to be appointed.

Current salary information: $57,297 Starting Salary; (during Academy training and first year); $81,056 after one year; $96,387 after five years.

For information about becoming a New York State Trooper, including all requirements and benefits, go to:  joinstatepolice.ny.gov.

SARATOGA SRPINGS — What started with four women wanting to feel helpful in their community amid COVID-19 turned into the group called Front Line Appreciation Group (FLAG) Saratoga. 

FLAG Saratoga is a group dedicated towards raising donations for the Saratoga Hospital, who in returns purchases meals from local restaurants and eateries. All food purchases will provide shift meals for those working on the front lines of COVID-19. Co-founders Lisa Munter, Becky Kern, Nadine Burke and Andrea Macy developed the idea together after hearing about a similar group in New Jersey. 

Burke noticed her friend in New Jersey create a FLAG in her area, and felt the Saratoga community needed a similar idea. 

“I know there are so many giving generous people who want to help the workers at Saratoga Hospital,” Burke said. “We also have amazing restaurants and eateries who I know are hurting right now with the closures and restrictions. That’s really how it started.”

Burke was inspired even more after learning the amount of stress front line workers at the hospital and clinic were going through. After passing the idea through a couple of friends who jumped on board, the group was born. Kern said the four women previously knew each other as friends, mothers and involved citizens. FLAG Saratoga was launched on April 4 and within 48 hours raised $6,500 for meals. 

“What we’re asking people to do right now is just to help us raise money. The way it works is that we are linking directly to the Saratoga Hospital foundation page so everything is already set up for them to take donations directly,” Kern said. 

When Macy joined FLAG, said she took the initiative to reach out to the hospital to ask if they were willing to participate and if saw FLAG as something that could help their organization. Macy said they openly embraced the idea and felt appreciative. At the time, the hospital was receiving calls from individuals and families asking if they could provide a meal and donate it to different worker shifts.

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“I think they appreciated having a centralized function to be able to mobilize this operation and give it some structure…I think that’s the best thing about this,” Macy said. “You feel so helpless but you want to be helpful, so this give people a mechanisms in which to do that and participate.”

Macy said once a donation is made to the hospital, they would reach out to participating restaurants and eateries to set up meals by shift count. Constantly re-organizing on a daily basis, hospital workers understand what their needs are from a shift and personnel standpoint and can base orders on such. The restaurant then directly delivers the meals. 

“I feel helpful. It’s really gratifying to be able to give back and to give a mechanism to help people do that as well,” Macy said. 

While Macy spoke with the hospital, Munter reached out to Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce to discover what restaurants were still offering take-out and would be able to participate. 

“Part of what I do is to be helpful to others…I feel like my mantra through this is to be a light and to show up for others,” Munter said. “I always think about being a light and I’m so inspired by our community and the people in it. It was a dark night last night and we could see the moon. I thought if I was like an airplane looking down at Saratoga County tonight, we would be like a Fourth a July display as there are so many lights in this dark time that come together.”

Burke said the initial $6,500 donations could potentially provide 1,000 meals depending on how much is doled out and what size meals. She and the FLAG women hope to continue collecting donations for the foreseeable future. Focused on the funding, Burke said in the next few weeks they would ask if the hospital needs other materials and see if FLAG Saratoga can help support those needs as well. 

“We really don’t know yet how long our hospitals and community is going to be in this situation,” Burke said. 

Donations can be made on their Facebook group or directly on the hospitals page. 

“I think my favorite part is that it’s connecting me so directly to these three other really powerful, smart women and it’s taking us sort of out of our own stuff and daily routine with kids home and cooking. All the stuff that we still have and everybody has but it’s given us a collective purpose and doing good for the community is awesome,” Kern said.

“Kids get to see that not all kids have what they have. If you show them this when they’re little, they approach life in a whole different way. They have a different perspective,” -Gail Welter.

“It’s a little thing, but it’s kind of enormous,” said Mike Rowe during one of the most-watched episodes of the Facebook series he hosts, “Returning the Favor.”

The program, now in its fourth season, recognizes people across the country who are doing charitable work in their communities. 

It changed the life of local resident James Welch, who has in-turn changed the lives of many more. 

Making the Beds

After retiring from serving as a combat medic in the Army National Guard for 26 years, Welch was looking for a way to continue giving back to the community. 

That’s when he watched an episode of “Returning the Favor” about an organization based in Idaho called Sleep in Heavenly Peace that builds beds for children in need.

In awe of all the good this group was doing, Welch decided he wanted to be a part of it and within a year had started a chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace in Mechanicville. 

Beginning with a grant from the All Over Albany Foundation, at their first build, Welch and a team of volunteers made four beds. In 2019, they supplied 205 beds to local children in need. 

Each bed is made of pine lumber, can be stacked to create bunkbeds, and is dipped in vinegar to ward off bedbugs. In addition to the frame, Sleep in Heavenly Peace provides a twin-size mattress, pillows, sheets and a comforter to each child. 

Welch currently has 160 requests for beds and more come in every day. 

The Sleep Advantage

Getting a good night’s sleep is a basic human need that too often goes unmet. 

At least once a month, Welch, who works as a full-time truck driver, drives a trailer of tools and supplies to the location where a company or an individual has sponsored a build (as there is no permanent location for Sleep in Heavenly Peace to work out of). 

Volunteers of all ages then spend the day building under the supervision of those trained in the process. 

“You can have zero experience. That’s fine. You can never have touched a tool in your life and we’ll show you how. Not only can you go from not ever having used a saw to using one, but we’ll teach you how to be pretty proficient at it by the time you’re done for the day,” said Welch.

Some of the most rewarding experiences are when children who’ve volunteered to make the beds also help deliver them, he said. Often, the kids receiving them want to assemble them, too.

“They have a blast with it! When we leave, they have the biggest smiles on their faces.” 

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Kids are Our Future

“Kids get to see that not all kids have what they have. If you show them this when they’re little, they approach life in a whole different way. They have a different perspective,” said Gail Welter. 

She first learned about Sleep in Heavenly Peace when Saratoga socialite Michelle Riggi posted that she was sponsoring a build on her Facebook page. Thinking that it would make a good article for her online blog, “Life as I See It,” Welter was immediately moved to help.

Not only has she donated $350 to build a bunkbed, but she’s started collecting donations from others. Her goal is to be able to collect $2100 – enough to sponsor a build. 

“The group is just really amazing. I love that the money stays right here in the community. This is really changing lives. I like how concrete it is. Everybody that I’ve talked to has said, ‘I want to do a build!” It’s kind-of a fun thing to do, it’s a great team-building fundraiser – I just like everything about it,” she said.

An Awakening 

Fulfilling requests for beds is based on location, not determined by income. 

“Income is not always relevant. You never know what the circumstances are that determine someone’s need for something like this,” said Welter.

Applications describe a variety of reasons why kids need a bed, said Welch. One example is a mother who escaped an abusive situation with her children.

“She broke the cycle of abuse but she lost everything when she left. We helped her by making bunkbeds. She was so energetic and so positive. Then, we decided to adopt her kids for Christmas, so they would have some presents, too. It was simple, basic stuff that they asked for. Something as simple as food is something that some people just don’t have,” said Welch.

Because working more than a 17-mile radius from the 12118-zip code is prohibitive, satellite groups are already popping up so more people in need can be helped. 

In addition to financial assistance, volunteers and donations of mattresses and bedding are always needed. For more information, find Sleep in Heavenly Peace on Facebook @SHPMechanicville.

Photos by Randall Perry Photography.

The house sits perched atop a rise in the land along Route 9P overlooking the still expanse of Saratoga Lake. In early-spring, the view is placid, serene and tranquil, belying the bustle of cars, boats and cyclists that travel the length of the lake during warmer months.

The 6,500 square-foot, three story home took five years to plan, design and build, but the finished product was worth the wait and is now, according to the homeowners, a place for family to gather and enjoy the comforts of being together. Ryan Wiedl and Tony Bonacio, of Bonacio Construction worked with architect Jim Zalewski and interior designer Erika Gallagher of Plum & Crimson, along with local masons and woodworkers to incorporate the original structure that stood on the property into the expansive and open floor plan of the new house. 

“The homeowners had a great impact on the design of this house and were involved in every aspect,” said Ryan Wiedl.

The owners and their family, who divide their time between Latham and Saratoga Lake, spent their summers growing up on the lake, with the first family cabin built in 1955. Remnants of that original cabin greet you as you first enter the home. The entry hallway opens to a large coat and boot room, with cubbies and hooks and an L-shaped bench. The wall of the cubbies is made from re-claimed wood from the original cabin built by the homeowner’s grandfather. 

From the coat room is a large, spacious den area styled for recreation, relaxation and fun. On one end is a large fireplace framed in granite from Adirondack Stone, with tall fireplace doors, courtesy of Saratoga Fireplace and Chimney. Plush leather couches and chairs from Plum & Crimson frame the area around the fireplace. Directly behind the seating area are a pool table, a card table and a large wet bar.

The oversized windows run the length of the room, as they do on every floor of the house. With no window treatments to block the view, the open feel of the large glass -framed in soft white molding- allows the surrounding natural beauty of the lake to dominate nearly every part of the home.

The thematic design of the house has drawn upon the family’s love of horses, the lake and – most importantly – family. Over the years, they collected and carefully preserved remnants from an earlier time on the lake, when casinos like Riley’s were still doing a brisk, if not above board, business. On the sofa table sits an authentic card shuffler; while, on the wall facing the pool table is a framed montage of cards, chips, and other memorabilia from Riley’s and other establishments.

The staircase leading to the main living area is framed by iron spindles and an antique jewel post, which the Erika discovered on eBay. While installing it into the staircase, the construction team found papers stuffed inside. Upon inspection, they turned out to be the school schedule from an MIT student dating back to 1889.

Reaching the top of the stairs, it is hard not to be taken aback by the expansive open construction of the great room. Red oak floors and cream nickel gap paneled walls are accentuated by walls of windows and transoms narrowing into a peak at the top of the 24-foot high ceilings. 

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The trestles that frame the room were constructed by Legacy Timber Frame on Saratoga Lake and the long beam that spans the width of the room is wrapped in wood from a 36-foot long Douglas fir that was transported here from Oregon and milled in Lake George.

The massive fireplace boasts burled walnut doors and a raised granite hearth that weighs over 10,000 pounds. The entire face of the fireplace is made of granite from Champlain Stone. Local mason Jeff Davidson constructed the fireplace, taking days to meticulously cut each of the massive stones into place.

“You can tell the quality of the mason by the space between the stones,” Tony Bonacio tells me, adding that the fit between the stones is so tight, there is only about 1/8 inch separating them. The estimated total weight of the fireplace is approximately 100,000 pounds.

To the right of the fireplace is a temperature-controlled wine room enclosed in glass, with a nearby tasting area. Each area flows artfully and seamlessly into another, with the large dining table as a focal point. “We wanted to build a home where we could comfortably fit 30 people all together at one table for Christmas dinner,” the homeowner tells me. The house was finished in December, just in time for that wish to come true.

The kitchen, designed by Dawn Zarrillo of Kitchens by Zarrillo in Duanesburg, has Thermadoor appliances, with a marble and onyx backsplash and a Quartzite countertop on the island by Capitol Stone. 

Erika explains that one of the goals was furnishing and accessorizing different parts of the great room in a way that creates a smooth transition and design flow from one area to the next. 

Another winning strategy are the smaller areas of the house that are separated from the main living spaces. The cigar room is one of those brilliant designs. It is in here that visitors get a true feel for the family, their history and their passions.

The walls and cabinetry are made entirely from walnut, with slate flooring inlaid with oak and cozy leather and fabric furnishings collected from the owners’ travels around the world, interspersed with complementary chairs and accents from Plum & Crimson.

True to its name, the cigar room has a built-in climate-controlled humidor accented by a collection of cigar boxes from across the globe and from local Saratoga haunts. The vintage ash trays, accented with brass horses, are relics from the Saratoga Reading Room on Union Avenue.

Resting in one of the walnut shelves is a mandolin the owner’s grandfather brought with him from Russia, which has remained in the family and is estimated to be more than 200 years old.

A little further away is the butler’s pantry, another cozy space that is full is family imagery. The walnut Dutch doors were a specific request of the homeowner, and the antiqued marble countertop is set off with a backsplash of ceramic tiles that are inlaid with sepia-toned images from photos of the family dogs, horses, their beloved barn cat and even their pig, Porkchop.

Local woodworkers Jim and Greg Von Lienen played a huge role in the creation of the cigar room, the butler’s pantry, and many other one of a kind features of the home.

The third floor of the home is the family’s private quarters, with a large loft area separating guest rooms from the master suite and offices. The beauty of the outdoors continued to dominate the third floor as it does the first and second. “one of the design goals here was to use colors and textures that embody the colors of nature,” says Erika. The master suite is a soft sea-glass shade on the walls, with pale accents and the ubiquitous walnut double doors that make the room “pop.”

While the owners say it was a long journey to create the home they envisioned, it was the combined work of the architects, construction and design teams, along with the artisanship of the craftsmen, that “made our house a home for generations to come.”