High Notes: Jan. 22, 2018

PHOTOGRAPHER: Zachary Matson

SCCC professor Alicia Richardson talks food insecurity while showing the pantry on campus for students and staff.

In Saratoga Springs, the Saratoga Springs Lions Club held its third annual food drive and collected more than 2,000 pounds of food and personal care items to restock local food pantries and help other organizations for the poor. Along with the food, the campaign helped collect nearly $275 in cash. The “Because Hunger Doesn’t End With the Holidays!” campaign included donations to the Salvation Army, Franklin Community Center, St. Clements, Shelters of Saratoga, and the Wilton and EOC food pantries. The success of the day can be attributed to the generous patrons of the Price Chopper, Market 32 and Hannaford supermarkets in our area.

In Schenectady, faculty and staff volunteers at Schenectady County Community College have helped dozens of hungry students and their families get nutritious meals and snacks through the creation of a food pantry on the campus. The pantry, founded in 2016 as food carts placed in school hallways, has expanded to a full-sized food pantry that partners with the Regional Food Bank for the purchase of discounted food. The food helps not only hungry students, but students who might be trying to afford an education while also fending for a family. Last year, nearly 180 students took advantage of the pantry.

In Clifton Park, Belmonte Builders is donating more than 88 acres of wooded land to the town to help expand its open space. The acreage, located off Bonneau Road, includes two connected wooded areas next to the Stony Creek Reservoir and will be added to the 1,400 acres already set side in the down for open space. While the town has no plans for the land right now, a blog post by Belmonte Builders website suggested the land could be used to extend the West Sky Trail, which stops at Bonneau Road, through the donated land all the way to Judith Drive. The company also suggested the town might consider eventually purchasing the reservoir,

High Notes is a feature of The Gazette Opinion section that spotlights the good being done in our communities by individuals, organizations and businesses. Reader submissions to High Notes are welcome. Send suggestions to Editorial Page Editor Mark Mahoney at [email protected].