BALLSTON SPA — The eighth annual Yellow Ribbon Day donation drive – which helps get “Freedom Boxes” with snacks and other personal care items in the hands of troops, is underway and will return through April 7.  

Donna Abare, president of Blue Star Mothers of America-NY 2, said their shelves are virtually bare right now, so the need is great for items that can be packed into the Freedom Boxes. “Following the large packing we did for the holidays, we haven’t had anything really coming in, so we are very much counting on the Yellow Ribbon drive to be able to meet our goal of sending out about 400 boxes in May,” she said.

The collection of individual-sized personal care items and snack foods will be donated to the Blue Star Mothers of America NY-2 to put together and send packages to local troops serving abroad. 

Donations can include non-perishable items like cookie and cracker snack packages, microwaveable soup cups, fruit snacks, granola bars and beef jerky, as well as personal care items such as insect repellent wipes, body wash (small), lip balm, puzzle books and more. 

In addition to municipal locations across the county, Hannaford Stores in Saratoga County are participating in the drive, serving as drop-off points for donations.

Donated goods can be dropped off at the following locations during regular business hours: DMV offices in Saratoga County (located in Ballston Spa, Clifton Park and Wilton); Saratoga County Clerk’s Office, 40 McMaster St., Ballston Spa; Veterans Service Agency, 2144 Doubleday Ave., Suite 15, Ballston Spa; Saratoga County Hannaford stores; various town and village offices in Saratoga County (Call to see if your local municipality has a collection box). 

Monetary donations are also accepted. As a reference, it costs $18 postage to send each “Freedom Box.” The cost to fill one box is about $45, so a $63 donation covers the cost of filling and sending one box. Checks can be made payable to Blue Star Mothers of America-NY 2 and sent to PO Box 243, Delmar, NY 12054. Please write “In honor of Yellow Ribbon Day” in the memo section. To donate through PayPal, go to www.paypal.com/fundraiser/hub and search “Blue Star Mothers of America-NY2”.

For more information, please visit the Saratoga County Clerk’s Facebook page, @saratogacountyclerk, which will be updated throughout the donation drive.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Registration has opened for Kelly’s Angels’ annual Mother-Lovin’ 5K Run/Walk, which is returning to Saratoga Spa State Park on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11 to raise money for children and families in need.

The 13th annual event serves as the main annual fundraiser for Kelly’s Angels’ mission to help families who have lost loved ones to cancer or other illness or are battling life-threatening conditions.

The activities on Mother’s Day step off at 8:45 a.m. with a free Kids’ Fun Run in which children ages 9 and under race toward the finish line with moms and dads rooting them on or running alongside.

The Mother-Lovin’ 5K begins at 9:15 a.m. But it is much more than a walk (or run) in the park: before the race an auction of great prizes such as restaurant gift certificates, wine, fitness and beauty baskets, and gifts for kids will be held.  Complimentary goodies include chocolate milk from King Brothers Dairy, donuts from Westy’s Cider Donuts and more. 

Advance registration is $35 for individuals through March 31, $40 between April 1 and May 10 and race-day registration is $45. T-shirts will only be guaranteed for the first 1,000 who sign up by April 22.

Online registration can be done through May 10 at: www.kellysangelsinc.org. 

Those participating in person can pick up their registration packets in advance on Saturday, May 10, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Spa State Park’s Orenda Pavilion. Day-of-race registration and packet pickup begins at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, May 11 at Orenda Pavilion.

Kelly’s Angels was founded by NewsChannel 13’s Mark Mulholland in memory of his wife Kelly, who passed away in 2007 at the age of 37, leaving behind the couple’s 7-year-old son Connor and 5-year-old daughter McKenna.

Since then, Kelly’s Angels has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants and scholarships to Capital Region children and families. Kelly’s Angels gives Fun Grants to children who have lost a parent, primary caregiver, or sibling to cancer. The grants allow kids to buy something special or visit a place that makes them happy. 

Kelly’s Angels also provides college scholarships to area students who have overcome adversity and shown a commitment to helping other children. “Angel Aid” helps families struggling with expenses related to life-threatening illness, and “Angel Hugs” are a single, modest grant to remind a surviving parent that we remember and are here for them. The “Hugs for Ukraine” program aids children who relocated to the Capital District to flee the war in their home country.

BALLSTON SPA — All the following events take place at Brookside Museum, 21 Fairground Ave. Ballston Spa. For more information check www.brooksidemuseum.org

Historian Tea Talks: Saratoga in the Gilded Age and the Lost Park. Wednesday, April 2, 3-4:30pm. Come and enjoy a presentation given by the acclaimed local author and storyteller, Hollis Palmer, in conjunction with the Saratoga County History Center. Tea and cookies will be served. Registration is free and recommended, but a donation of $5 per registration, online or at the event, is appreciated to support the programs of Saratoga County History Center.

Well-Dressed: Gowns of the 1770s – Public Program & Workshop by Emily Stringham, Friday, April 4, 7 -8:30pm. Learn about the importance of the garment that was worn by women of all classes. This program will cover the social history and construction of the garment as well as include an opportunity to view an original gown from the 18th century. This program is free and open to the public, however registration is highly encouraged. 

Traveling the Mother Road: America’s Route 66. Thursday, April 10, 7-8:30pm. Joanne and Rick Reynolds will share the story of their personal and professional road trip from the beginning to the end of America’s Route 66 – from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. This presentation is not a travelogue but an examination of the story of this road, with stories, pictures, and an emphasis on preservation of the past for all to experience now and into the future. The presentation is free to attend, but donations are welcome, either online or at the event.

ALBANY — The Great White Way earned its nickname generations ago and became known the world over for its illumination of lively activity down the backbone of the world’s greatest city. Five years ago nearly to the day, everything came to an ominous halt. 

“On March 20, with Broadway closed, schools closed, and refrigerator trucks set up outside hospitals to handle an anticipated overflow of dead bodies, the governor announced his New York on Pause Plan,” recounts Manhattan Borough Historian Robert W. Snyder. “New York was now a city under lockdown at the epicenter of a global pandemic.” The chilling retelling introduces his new book: When the City Stopped: Stories from New York’s Essential Workers. 

Snyder visits the Capital Region next week, when he will share the stories of COVID-19 in the words of ordinary New Yorkers. A talk takes place at 2 p.m. Friday, March 28 at the University at Albany, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at the New York State Museum’s Huxley Theater. Both events are free to attend.   

Snyder, who was appointed Manhattan Borough Historian in 2019, revisits the spring of 2020 when across the city’s largely vacant streets direct human connection carried the threat of mortal danger. The book highlights the fear and uncertainty of life in the early weeks and months of the pandemic, as well as the solidarity that sustained the city. 

The stories in the book are based on oral histories and first-person narratives. These are the words of bus drivers and restaurant workers, schoolteachers and paramedics, cab drivers, sales clerks, members of law enforcement, and supermarket cashiers.

Nurse Patricia Tiu tells the story of a female patient who spent a week in the hospital to have surgery performed. While in the hospital, the patient tested positive for COVID-19. “She asked the nurse if the nurse could stand where she could see her until she falls asleep from the sedation because she doesn’t want to die alone. That was the last thing she said.”   

The stories portray 43 different New Yorkers who worked on the frontlines, struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic and faced the uncertainties of the virus head-on.

“Years after having to worry about infections because of damage my lungs had suffered on 9/11 – I would once again have fear that I could die of a virus by going to work,” says 60-year-old fire department battalion chief Simon Ressner. “My nose starts itching. DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE!!”  

Snyder says he wrote the book in memory of all who were lost, and in honor of the frontline workers faced danger so that others may live. “As Manhattan Borough Historian, I wanted to produce a book that would ensure that the experiences of New Yorkers during the pandemic were not forgotten.” 

It is very much a survivor’s story as well as a reminder of the suddenness and unpredictability that life may present at any given time; an emotional collection to carry forward for everyone alive today. 

To fail to learn from the tragedies of the pandemic would be a tragedy twice over, writes Snyder. “If we are to learn anything… the best place to begin is with the words of the people who drove the ambulances, cared for patients, punched cash registers, drove buses, ran trains, and faced death daily so that others may live. Remembering their stories and sacrifices is the best way to prepare for a better future.” 

When the City Stopped: Stories from New York’s Essential Workers, was published March 15, 2025 by Three Hills Books, an imprint of Cornell University Press. Author and historian Robert Snyder will speak at the University at Albany, 2 pm to 3:30 pm Friday, March 28- Humanities HU 354, 1400 Washington Ave, Albany, and 2 – 3 p.m. Saturday, March 29, Huxley Theater, New York State Museum, 222 Madison Ave., Albany.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Attorney Sarah Burger officially launched her candidacy last week to become the third candidate in the two-seat race for city supervisor at the county level. 

The event was held at Saratoga Casino Hotel March 12, and Burger, a Democrat, was introduced by former Saratoga Springs Mayor Joanne Yepsen. A number of current and former city officials were also in attendance – Dillon Moran, Hank Kuczynski, and Bill McTygue, among them.  

Burger introduced herself as an experienced litigator and negotiator who has successfully resolved countless disputes on behalf of working people for unpaid wages, discrimination, harassment and retaliation. She also previously served as chair of the Saratoga Springs Democratic Committee.  

Current Supervisor Michele Madigan (D) previously announced her candidacy for Saratoga Springs city mayor. Current and longtime Supervisor Matt Veitch (R) – who also currently serves as vice-chairperson of the Board of Supervisors – was endorsed by the Republican Party for re-election as supervisor. In addition to Burger, the Democratic Party has endorsed current city Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi for supervisor. 

Elections will be held in November for the two supervisor positions as well as for all five Saratoga Springs City Council seats.