Lori Mahan

Lori Mahan

Photo provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The Maserati “ArtCar” Experience is being presented by the DePaula Auto Group Drive for Charity.  The lucky winner and a guest will get to hop in the ArtCar and take off for an adventurous overnight excursion on the joy ride of their lives through New York’s scenic Adirondack Mountains. The winner will also receive a piece of original art by Laurence Gartel.

“I would like to express my gratitude and deepest appreciation to Anthony DePaula and the DePaula Auto Group for choosing our organization’s gala as one of the selected events at which this exclusive and absolutely fabulous driving experience will be auctioned off,” said Susan Wagner, president of Equine Advocates.

“It is such an honor to have images of our rescue work and horses featured on an ‘ArtCar’ by the great Laurence Gartel,” Wagner continued.

Gartel first created a sensation with his “ArtCars” in 2010 at Art Basel Miami Beach. Since then he has produced dozens of cars with his unique stamp of brilliant color and psychedelic designs.  Gartel is recognized as the “Pioneer of Digital Art” and taught the skill to the late, great Andy Warhol in 1985 just before Warhol’s passing. His work has been displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, Joan Whitney Payson Museum, Long Beach Museum of Art, Princeton Art Museum, PS 1, Norton Museum and in permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History and the Bibliotheque Nationale.

"The relentless kind and soulful work of Equine Advocates has made my eyes open to the inhumane treatment of animals,” said Gartel.

“The amount of cruelty is never reported, nor is it in the public consciousness. It is a real diversion that media does not report on. To see such magnificent creatures open and free knowing they have escaped the slaughterhouse is gut- wrenching. It is tremendously fitting to incorporate these animals into the Artwork placed on the Maserati Ghibli. What better combination to represent ‘Horse Power?’ Maserati is a sleek, fast and beautiful vehicle of which horsepower is the dominant factor. When one looks at the completed ArtCar they can now reference Equine Advocates for their wonderful caring,” Gartel continued.

Equine Advocates will be honoring Terry Finley and Wanda Polisseni at this year’s gala which will be held on Thursday, August 2 at the historic Canfield Casino, one of the oldest and most elegant buildings in Saratoga Springs. Tickets are $250 per person and include cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, live and silent auctions and dancing. All proceeds from this event will benefit Equine Advocates Horse Rescue, Sanctuary and Humane Education programs. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 518-392-0175 or email: events@ equineadvocates.org

Photos provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - In celebrating 22 years of equine rescue work and 17 years of holding its biggest event of the year in Saratoga, Equine Advocates will be honoring West Point Thoroughbred’s CEO and founder, Terry Finley with the Safe Home Equine Protection Award at the Canfield Casino on August 2.  He will be joined by Purple Haze Stable’s Wanda Polisseni who will receive the Ellen and Herbert Moelis Equine Savior Award. Each of these outstanding individuals are being recognized for making major contributions in the area of equine protection. Finley, who is a resident of Saratoga Springs, came to the rescue of Thoroughbreds stranded in Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria when he helped arrange for a plane to deliver much-needed food and supplies. He is opposed to horse slaughter and is actively involved with Thoroughbred Aftercare and equine-related charities. Terry sits on the boards of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association and the Thoroughbred Charities of America.

Wanda Polisseni is a horse lover and philanthropist who was the largest contributor to the construction of the Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program’s Purple Haze Center, the first and only horse adoption center built on the grounds of a racetrack, named for her Purple Haze Stables. The center opened its doors on the grounds of Finger Lakes Racetrack in 2007. Mrs. Polliseni’s love of Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds and her strong opposition to horse slaughter has made her an outspoken advocate for the humane treatment of race horses and their placement in safe and loving homes when their racing careers are over.  Tickets are $250 per person and include cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, dinner, live and silent auctions and dancing. All proceeds from this event will benefit Equine Advocates Horse Rescue, Sanctuary and Humane Education programs. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call 518-392-0175 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Photos provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS - The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) today announced that all reserved seats in the Clubhouse, Grandstand and at The Stretch are sold out for Travers Week, August 22 through 27, including on Travers Day, Saturday, August 25 for the 149th running of the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers at Saratoga Race Course.

General admission tickets for Travers Day are currently available. Fans who purchase Travers Day grandstand and clubhouse admission in advance will save $5. Advance grandstand admission tickets are $10. Pending availability, grandstand admission on Travers Day will be $15. A limited number of clubhouse admission tickets are available for $25. Clubhouse upgrades will not be available on Travers Day. Paid attendance for the 2018 Travers will be capped at 50,000, as has become standard procedure, to provide the best experience possible for guests. Limited numbers of reserved seats in the Clubhouse and Grandstand, as well as premium reserved seats in The Stretch, are currently available for other big race days, including the Grade 1 Diana on Saturday, July 21; the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on Sunday, July 22; the Jim Dandy on Saturday, July 28; the Grade 1 Whitney on Saturday, August 4; the Grade 1 Fourstardave on Saturday, August 11; the Grade 1 Alabama on Saturday, August 18; and the Grade 1 Woodward on Saturday, September 1. Single-day reserved seats may be purchased at www. ticketmaster.com.

“Reserved seats for the 2018 meet are selling extremely quickly, especially for our big Saturday race cards. Fans who are interested in securing a seat for any of the major stakes this season should do so without delay,” said NYRA Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer Lynn LaRocca.

“With limited inventory and increased demand, we strongly encourage fans to purchase their seats in advance,” LaRocca continued.

Fans who are interested in securing admission without reserved seating for all major stakes races this season, including the Travers, can do so with the purchase of a Saratoga season pass, which provides admission to 40 days of world-class thoroughbred racing. The cost for a 2018 Grandstand season pass is $40; a Clubhouse season pass is $65. Season passes are valid for one admission. Season admission passes are currently available for purchase online at NYRA. com/Saratoga or in-person at more than 150 Stewart’s Shops locations throughout the greater Capital Region.

The 2018 meet at historic Saratoga Race Course will be highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney and the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers, the centerpieces of two of the biggest days in North American racing. The 40-day meet, which includes 69 stakes worth $18.8 million in purses, will run from Friday, July 20, through Labor Day, Monday, September 3. After opening weekend, racing will be conducted six days a week, Wednesdays through Mondays. For more information about Saratoga Race Course, visit www. NYRA.com/Saratoga.

NATIONWIDE — AngelSense, a leading GPS monitoring device for special needs children, now features a new component, AngelCall, which allows parents to call their special needs children instantaneously. AngelSense, a GPS & VoiceMonitoring solution designed for individuals with special needs, has newly launched AngelCall, Indoor Search and Alarm. Due to an increase in wandering tragedies among children with autism in recent months and years, AngelSense has developed new features to help prevent those wanderings from turning into tragedies. AngelSense has developed new features to help parents find their wandering children; these features will provide further assistance to families who have children with special needs prone to wandering. 

"The wandering issue is the biggest worry for parents, even though AngelSense covers safety in a broad measure. Nearly half of autistic children wander and potentially go missing at least once before they are 17. Imagine having a child that is non-verbal or struggles to communicate go missing. It's the worst nightmare for a parent of a child with special needs,” said Doron Somer, co-founder and CEO
 of AngelSense.3

The new feature AngelCall allows parents and caregivers to talk to their child at any time without the need for them to “pick up” or click anything. This is the first phone designed specifically for individuals with special needs. The Indoor Search feature allows for parents to locate children inside places that do not have standard GPS signal, like a shopping mall or school. The Alarm feature allows parents to activate an alarm on the child’s device to locate children in a crowd or when hiding.  These features are significant for autistic children who are prone to wandering away from their caregivers. They allow special needs parents to stay connected with their child. Special needs children, who cannot carry and answer a call on a regular phone, now have a means of communicating with their family or being located when they cannot vocalize where they may be or may not even know they are lost. The AngelSense device is attached to their clothing with customized sensory-friendly accessories; the call, alarm and GPS are initiated by the family member. Thanks to these new features, parents can now be “by their child’s side,” and quickly locate wandering children. This allows special needs children to be more independent, as their parents can assist from afar, and most importantly, stay connected throughout the day.

“Everyone is using a cellphone to stay connected, but for those that have special needs it’s just impossible,” said Somer.

“My autistic son Itamar is 20 years old and is incapable of swiping a phone. Now for the first time, I can call him on the way to school to make sure the bus ride is going well and to wish him a nice day or locate him if he wanders away during a family outing. I can’t begin to explain how this changes my days,” Somer continued.

Autism affects approximately 1 in 68 children in the United States according to the CDC with nearly half wandering and potentially going missing at least once before their 17th birthday, according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics. According to the National Autism Association, a new record was broken in 2015 with over 32 wandering fatalities recorded in individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis , and over 200 missing persons. AngelSense strives to improve the quality of life and safety of children with special needs, while bringing peace of mind to their families. AngelSense’s community network and platform integrates technology and a wearable tracking device to ensure these children are safe at all times.

“AngelSense is the only GPS and voice monitoring solution, which is designed specifically for children with special needs, and it's the only one that was proven to save lives.We are really fortunate to save lives on a daily basis, it's been an amazing and very rewarding journey for us,” Somer concluded.

Contribution by Lori Mahan.

Photos provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga is the summer place to be, and this year the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation (TRF) will host five of their retired Thoroughbred racehorses at a local farm to serve as ambassadors representing the organization’s herd of 750 horses and former racehorses across the country.  These Thoroughbred ambassadors come to Saratoga from the TRF’s Second Chances program at the Wallkill Correctional Facility in New York.  They will be spending the summer in Saratoga Springs helping to introduce the TRF herd to the racing community and racing fans and to raise awareness of the importance of thoroughbred aftercare to everyone visiting the Spa this summer. Upon their June 26 arrival at the Summer Farm, they were warmly welcomed by the TRF team and enjoyed carrots and apples.  They quickly settled into their pastures and embraced their new home as “the summer place to be.”

The five horses at the TRF Summer Farm @Saratoga are representatives of the Thoroughbred horses to whom the TRF provides lifelong sanctuary through the network of 19 farms, located in 12 states and including eight Second Chances programs at Correctional Facilities.  They look forward to meeting new friends and longtime supporters of the TRF throughout the summer meet. Who are the horses?
Cogs My Man is an 18-yearold, Kentucky bred gelding with five career starts.  His sire, Louis Quatorze, won the Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga in 1996.    Son of a Gun is a sweet, smart 12-year-old bay gelding, who would definitely like a human to call his own. Blown Save is a 10-year-old bay gelding, who raced 12 times. His sire is the great Smart Strike. He is the big man of the herd standing at 17 hands.   Dusk to Dawn is an impressive looking 7-year-old, bay, NY bred gelding.  His sire is Malibu Moon. “Dusky” had eight career starts. He is a big horse and quite the character.  He last raced in 2015 and still remembers the call to the post song when played!   Bold Mon is a 15-year-old grey gelding who had a successful racing career with lifetime earnings of $170,000.  His last race was at Saratoga and he is happy to be back for a visit.  The farm will be open Tuesdays during racing season from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment with the TRF.  The retired racehorses will be staying at the Heading for Home facility located just east of Saratoga Springs.  Heading for Home is a racehorse rescue and retraining facility for both Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses.

This partnership formed as a result of a collaboration with Racehorse Aftercare Charitable Endeavors of Saratoga (R.A.C.E.).  This group of racehorse aftercare organizations was launched in 2015 and promotes education and awareness on racehorse aftercare in the Saratoga area. 

“We are thrilled to introduce our retired horses to the Saratoga community and to have the opportunity to elevate the conversation regarding racehorse aftercare,” said TRF Director of Development and Communications Jennifer Stevens.

“TRF’s national headquarters is based in Saratoga Springs, yet we rarely have a chance to have our supporters meet our herd in person. Each horse has a unique personality and a story to tell. We hope the community will visit the farm to meet them and come to appreciate and love them as we do,” Stevens continued.

For more information, or to schedule a visit to the TRF Summer Farm, please call the TRF at 518-2260028.  Because the farm is a private venue, drop-in visits are prohibited without prior permission.

Photos provided.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga’s sleek thoroughbreds won’t be the only competitors racing on Saturday, July 21. At 8 a.m., more than 1,100 runners will congregate at the famous Fasig Tipton building (415 East Avenue, Saratoga Springs), the premier auction house for thoroughbred horses in North America, for the 22nd Jeff Clark Memorial Silks & Satins 5K.  Proceeds from the run, a flat and fast certified 5K course which takes participants through some of Saratoga’s most beautiful neighborhoods, will benefit Special Olympics New York. “We are so grateful for the tremendous community support this race continues to receive,” said Jennifer Frame, director of development, Special Olympics New York.

“Monies raised will enable us to enhance our sports programming, training and competition for our athletes,” Frame continued.

“One of the things we’ll be doing this year is incorporating our local athletes who live in Saratoga in various aspects of the race from manning water stops to presenting the awards,” she added.

“In this way, people can really see the impact they have in supporting Special Olympics New York athletes,” she continued.

Registration for the chip-timed event is open at silksandsatins5k.com. The fee is $25 and the price increases to $30 after July 15. Day-of-race registration is available. Race bibs and shirts can be picked up race morning starting at 6 a.m.  The first 1,000 registrants to sign up will receive a commemorative tech shirt, a free day pass into Saratoga Race Course, a free pass to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, as well as a shower pass to the YMCA.  The event features a male/female and co-ed team competition. The awards ceremony will start at 9 a.m. All participants are asked to bring a gently used t-shirt for the event’s collection box which supports backstretch workers at Saratoga Race Course. The Silks and Satins 5K is seeking volunteers for an array of roles, including course marshal, packet pickup, awards, water stop, start/finish line, refreshments, and event setup/tear down. For more information, please visit silksandsatins5k.com.

Event parking is available in the Oklahoma lot across from Fasig Tipton at the intersection of Madison and East Ave., as well as on side streets. Special Olympics New York provides year-round sports training and competition in 23 Olympic-style sports to children and adults with intellectual disabilities at no cost to the athletes, their families or caregivers. There are more than 66,000 athletes and unified partners that train and compete with Special Olympics New York, the largest Special Olympics program in North America.  For more information, please visit specialolympics-ny.org.

Thursday, 12 July 2018 13:12

Local All-Star Moments

Photos provided.

(Opening Photo: TEAM WINK wins the Over 25 League.)

SRYMCA / Saratoga Honda Summer Youth League
Saratoga Financial Services 42 - PJ’s BAR-B-QSA  24
In the first game of the season, Saratoga Financial Services got scoring from everyone playing. Led by Rodell Evans lll with 18 points, while teammate Toby Diulio added another 10 points, Josue Matinez and Noah Diulio got four points apiece in the 42 to 24 victory. PJ’s were led by Sam Chaucer and Riley Waterhouse with six points each and Jacob Bader, Yudley Tineo, Jacob Hernandez contributed four points apiece.

Cudney’s Launderers  43 – Village Photo  25
Cudney’s used Nick Scalo’s game high 15 points, along with Channing Adriance 14 points, and Antone Robbens 11 points to get a 43 to 25 victory. Village Photo’s Ben Van Valkenburg had 13 points and Kemauri Johnson dropped in another eight points in the loss.

Berkshire Hathaway Blake Realtors  42 – Saratoga PBA  31
The realtors got off to a big first half and led PBA by 16 points at halftime while PBA picked it up in the second half they came up just a little short losing 42 to 31. Logan Bevan and Niko VamValis each scored 12 points along with teammates Tom Villano and Stephen Bebee dropped in seven points apiece in the victory. PBA spread the points around led by Emelyn Tineo with 8 points while Alexander Savage’s
6 points, Trey Stanislowsky and Connor Johnson 5 points each.

Synergy Promotions  33 – Saratoga Springs Firefighters  22
In what turned out to be a defensive battle, Synergy kept the firefighters at bay most of the night and held on for a 33 to 22 victory. Pat Deschaine was high scorer for the winners with 13 points, Elijah Woods and Gordon Murray chipped in eight and six points respectively. Charlie Didonato led all scorers with a game high 15 points in the loss. 

 

Saratoga Springs Little League
The 12s won the District Championship series with a 9 to 5 victory over Rotterdam-Carman! They went into the bottom of the 6th down 5 to 3 and walked it off in dramatic fashion with an Owen Redick grand slam!
The 10s won the District Championship series with a 10 to 4 victory over RotterdamCarman! Colin Mack pitched a complete game for Saratoga with 5 Ks along the way. Colin was supported all night by a strong defense which was led by Cooper Villiere in Center Field. At the plate Colin Mack led the way with 4 hits and Cooper Villiere, Nate More, Jackson Covell and Noah Sanita contributed 2 hits each. This gives SSLL all 3 District 11/12 Championships (10U, 11U and 12U) for the first time in the league’s long history. Congratulations to the entire SSLL community for fostering such a great program.  Congratulations to the players and coaches for getting the job done on the field.  All 3 teams move on to play in 3 game series with Saratoga Springs Little League District 10/37 champions for the Section 2 North crown and a spot in the 8 team State tournament.
10s are playing New Hartford from District 10, 11s are playing Plattsburgh from District 37 and 12s opponent is to be determined on Thursday when Plattsburgh plays against Marcy-Deerfield.  The 12s will be in action at home this Saturday, July 14 while the 10s and 11s will be in action at home on Sunday, July 15 (check back to the site for game times, some are currently TBD). The 8s were also in action Monday night and beat Schuylerville 9 to 3 to take 3rd place in the Summer Sizzler blue division. They played their best defensive game of the summer holding a good hitting team to only 3 runs led by Ceko Cupp making plays at the hot corner and Ethan booth throwing a runner out at 2B going for a double. The bats woke up in the 4th with an inside the park HR by Ben Isenovski and again in the 5th with back-to-back doubles by Jaxon Brahler, Liam Creager, and Derek Ogniewski! Next up for them is the Pepsi Tournament in Glens Falls.

Saratoga Strike Zone
Two nights of bowling calls for big news! Thursday proved to be a good make up night as Claude Barrera bowled his first career 300 and Walter Thorne Jr fired games of 279,267 and 256 for an 802 series! Bowling on a Thursday didn’t throw off anyone’s groove but Monday proved to be different. Monday was “lights out” as the Bears took down the undefeated Bills. A power outage helped a few teams regroup and take the win in a few matches throughout the night. I believe we should all watch the AFC west division, they are the tightest division in the league right now and that showdown could get
interesting. Other great scores from both nights include: THURSDAY Claude Barrera 300 Clinton Juracka 299 Rob Eggelston 275 Rick Bogholtz 248,226,257 =731 Ross Boone 225,298,202 = 725 Mike Richardson 290,238,189 = 717 Christian Chiarito 248,246,215 =709 Andrew Marotta 258,231,212 = 701 Kyle Phillips 236,195,268 = 699 Chaz Senecal 251,204,243 = 698 MONDAY Joe Gatzendorfer 224,266,254 = 744 Ken Companion, Jr. 239,267,195= 701 Vinnie Nichols 207,247,241 = 695 Bill Wigand 216,247,230 = 693 Contribution by Chaz Senecal. Saratoga Strike Zone
Week of July 13 – July 19, 2018  

Saratoga Wilton Youth Baseball
8u All Stars
The boys earned a bid to the State Tournament by going 3 - 2, on the strength of a stout defense that allowed the fewest runs of any team in the District Tournament.  Their State campaign begins on Friday in Queensbury.
9u All Stars
The boys on the 9u team won their second consecutive District Championship.  Shut down pitching and live bats took the boys to a 5 - 0 record in the District Tournament.  Their State Tournament begins in North Colonie on Thursday.

Thursday, 05 July 2018 14:23

Polo Anyone?

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The season begins July 6 and runs every Friday and Sunday through September 2, and this 120th-anniversary season promises to be even more fun. When Saratoga Polo stepped into the limelight 1898, Thomas Edison’s latest technology, the kinetoscope, was all the rage. Mega celebrities Diamond Jim Brady and Lillian Russell wandered Broadway in Saratoga Springs, and New York City expanded when the five boroughs banded together to create the city that never sleeps. At the same time, tourists flocked upstate to summer in a Saratoga Springs that welcomed polo to the already famous racecourse scene. Although times have changed, Saratoga Polo Association will be returning with world-class polo on Fridays and Sundays this summer. More importantly, this year’s parties will be even bigger at Whitney Field with the 120th Anniversary Season. Even more than a century later, the excitement is still present at Saratoga, and the Saratoga Polo Association is pulling out all the stops - it’s going to be a real dog and pony show. On July 15, AIM Services Inc. presents the Dog and Pony Show Cup. 

The Dog Show will start promptly at 4:45 p.m., followed by the Polo match at 5:30 p.m. Dog friendly vendors will be set up throughout the event. There is also an additional pre-event photo contest for Saratoga’s Top Dog! The Dog Show is open to all dogs, big and small, categories include: • Dog That Looks Most    Like its Owner • Dog That Looks Least    Like its Owner • Best Trick • Happiest Dog • Best of Show • Prizes will be awarded    to the winners! Even more importantly, AIM Services, Inc raises much needed funds for their programs that support the “power of potential” in people of diverse abilities. The Adelphi Hotel will also be partnering with Saratoga Polo, and great cross-promotions at Whitney Field and at the hotel are planned with Veuve Clicquot and more! In celebration of the 120th anniversary, renowned Saratoga Springs artist Frankie Flores is creating a signature painting that will be showcased on the front cover of Equicurean Magazine, in posters, on apparel, and even as one-of-a-kind artist paintings.  Whitney Field is proud to welcome their new Food and Beverage Partner, Brad Lewis of B-Rad’s Catering, who will help them celebrate our 120th featuring new food, a new chef, new menu specials, and signature cocktails. Food lovers beware... you’re in for a tasty surprise! Plus, it wouldn’t be Saratoga Polo if you didn’t try your hand at a Veuve Clicquot sabrage at every match during the season. The celebration will hit its peak at the 120th party gala on Whitney Cup Sunday, August 5, with owners and special guests from Saratoga Polo’s last 40 years. The season kicks off with the Celebrate Saratoga Tournament and culminates with the Polo Hall of Fame Tournament, featuring some of the most exciting polo to be seen along the way. Tickets, tables, and tailgating spaces are going quickly! Here are some more highlights and the schedule: IN THE STANDS: • Young talent sing the National Anthem • Adirondack Thunder Hockey Celebration Opening Day • Upset, The Dark Horse Mascot from Impressions of Saratoga visits • The Times Union Presents The Mid-Summer Celebration Tournament • OrthoNY will be hosting a Match Cup this Season This year, The Whitney Cup trophy and the Veuve Clicquot Cup will be brought to the field by Independent Helicopter, and lots more every Friday and Sunday, July 6 through September 2. 

Gates open at 4 p.m. and the matches begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at saratogapolo.com/tickets. JULY 6 - SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 July 6: Celebrate Saratoga Tournament July 8: Celebrate Saratoga Tournament July 13: SPA Anniversary Tournament July 15: SPA Anniversary Tournament The AIM Services, Inc.  Dog and Pony Show Cup July 20: Veuve Clicquot Challenge Tournament July 22: Veuve Clicquot Challenge Tournament
July 27: The Times Union presents The Mid-Summer Celebration Tournament July 29: The Times Union presents The Mid-Summer Celebration Tournament August 3: The Whitney Cup Tournament August 5: The Whitney Cup Tournament  August 10: The Barrantes Cup Tournament OrthoNY Cup August 12: The Barrantes Cup Tournament
August 12: Madison Wealth Managers Cup August 17: The Ylvisaker Cup Tournament August 19: The Ylvisaker Cup Tournament August 24: The Saratoga Special Tournament August 26: The Saratoga Special Tournament Boats by George Cup August 31: The Polo Hall of Fame Tournament September 2: The Polo Hall of Fame Tournament Week

Thursday, 05 July 2018 14:18

Storybook Academy

Photos provided.

BALLSTON SPA — Storybook Academy Pre-School, originally opened in 1985 by Kim and Ray Diaz, has been operating under Melanie Edwards’ stellar care since 1997, after teaching with the original owners from 1994 to 1997.

“We’ve really been around preparing children for kindergarten for over 30 years,” Edwards said.

For a 15-week prekindergarten experience, it only costs $60 per week, which breaks down to $4 an hour. The academy accepts up to 20 students, ages three and four, and it is on a firstcome, first-serve basis, with openended enrollment.

“I always want to keep it under a 1:10 teacher student ratio,” Edwards explained.

Storybook Academy’s curriculum is based on kindergarten preparation.

“We believe that to make the transition into kindergarten less stressful for a child, because it can be so shocking and overwhelming, we prepare them for everything that they’re going to see on the kindergarten screening or when they’re enrolled in kindergarten. We start off with simple concepts of the curriculum: the colors, shapes and sizes. Then we get into numbers, letters, and phonics. We want the learning to be fun and exciting for the children, so we don’t make it overly complicated,” Edwards said.

“They are just kids, so they also have a lot of free time playing with toys that are geared toward their fine motor skills, imagination, role playing, and they’ve got a lot of time on the playground. We go on fun field trips where parents can sign up and come along with us. In addition to the regular curriculum, we introduce the children to different things like fire safety, nutrition, dental awareness, and basic manners. It’s not just about the academic curriculum but also learning about everything else that’s so important to life,” Edwards emphasized.

Storybook Academy operates from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday throughout the school year.

“That routine gets them ready for the kindergarten schedule. Children need to know that routine as well, because if they’re enrolled somewhere for only two or three days a week, they’re always asking ‘is there school today? Is there school tomorrow?’ They don’t really have a concept of time at that age,” Edwards said.

“It’s just very rewarding to be with these sweet little beings every day. They haven’t formed all of their concepts and strong opinions, so we get them innocent and pure and we can shape their little minds. We’ve even had a student come back to do a college internship because she was studying early childhood education. I also have a student, who I had years ago, who is now serving in the military and he messaged me a couple months back saying to save a spot for three years because he has a son that he wants to put into Storybook Academy. It’s rewarding every day
but it’s really rewarding when you have all of these people that have such good things to say about you, and that we’ve made such a mark on them as a child that they want to come back and visit and have good memories,” Edwards said.

Storybook Academy also offers summer camps for ages three to seven with different themes each week. Edwards was assisted for 20 years by her sister, Jamie Cotter-Sacala, and has been assisted by Lisa Rhodes for the last year. If you are interested in learning more or registering your child for Storybook Academy, call 518-587-0707 or email Melanie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thursday, 28 June 2018 12:11

Randi Cowper: A Galway Ninja Warrior

Photos provided.

GALWAY — Imagine you’re settled in with your husband and two sons watching the tv show American Ninja Warrior and you suddenly have this thought, “I could do that, too.”

That’s how Galway native Randi Cowper became involved with ninja training. She adventured three hours away to the closest ninja gym, which was in Vermont, and gave it a try. She was immediately hooked. After that, her husband of seven years, Dustin, built her a ninja course in their basement and backyard. She ran track and cross country through high school and college, she also did cross-fit for a few years, but nothing like this before.

“Two years ago, I kind of just decided that I wanted to get on the show, American Ninja Warrior, so my husband built a course in our backyard and I was called to compete in Cleveland last year, where I did really terribly,” Cowper laughed.

“I fell on the second step right in the very beginning of the course so it kind of just gave me more desire to train harder and do better. We then converted our basement into a ninja gym. We have our backyard and our basement, and I was able to get back on Ninja Warrior this year,” she said.

Cowper’s obstacle attempt was not shown on the show this year either, but she did go further than the year before.

“I did a lot better, I almost got to the third obstacle this year, so I just missed the landing platform and fell in the water,” she explained.

This has turned in a passion for Cowper over the last two years, out of nowhere, and now with the Saratoga Ninja Lab opening, she will be a trainer there, finally able to immerse herself in the ninja world, only 20 minutes from home. The Saratoga Ninja Lab is for all-ages and will have summer camps for kids starting in August.

“It’s just so much fun and such a great workout and you don’t even realize you’re working out because you’re having such a good time and then you want to keep doing it,” Cowper said.

In order to get called to compete for a spot on the show, participants must fill out an application and send a threeminute video that makes them stick out from the other 70,000 applicants.

“There is something like 70,000 people who apply to be on the show so to be a normal mom from a small town in upstate New York, you don’t really think you’re going to be one of those people. So, I think the first time was just surreal and I really didn’t have the confidence in myself or my abilities so when I got up there, I was just totally a deer in the headlights, with all the cameras and everything. So, when I got the call this year, obviously I’ve been training for another year, so I feel stronger and better than I ever have, but it’s more of like a self-confidence I never had before from this year over last year,” she said, explaining the difference in performances.3

Cowper does plan to compete again next year.

“The show is great, but the training is not about getting on the show, for me anyway. It’s just about seeing how strong you can become physically and you’re happier and you have a purpose and you feel good about yourself. So, the show is great, that’s kind of like the cherry on top but that’s not why I’ve been training,” she stated.

Cowper’s oldest son, Seth, is “more into video games and he wouldn’t tell me if he thought it was cool just because he’s at that age,” Cowper said.

Her youngest, Aiden, “definitely thinks it’s awesome, he’ll be at the gym,” she said.

For now, she has her day job at the Alpin Haus RV Saratoga location as the business manager and will start training at the Saratoga Ninja Lab once they open.

“When I started doing this, I was just a regular mom who had insecurities and low selfconfidence. The training for the show has totally changed my life, physically, obviously I’m stronger than I’ve ever been, but emotionally, my confidence, it’s awesome and I want to share the passion and love that I have for it with anyone that I can,” she said.

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