Rock star disses Saratoga; Lions Club turns 100
PLUS: Cap Region pandemic fraudster sentenced and Sovereignty leaves the Spa for Breeders' Cup
“That single act of kindness or that single act of service”
Lions clubs celebrate 100 years.
Two Lions clubs — Saratoga Springs and Albany & Troy — came together to celebrate 100 years on Oct. 11, with a dinner for about 200 people at the Gideon Putnam Hotel, and a roaring ‘20s theme replete with period dress, antique cars, a dixieland jazz band and a speakeasy feel to the night’s event.
“Everybody got into the theme,” says John McDonald, an organizer of the event and past president of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club.
The night included a speech from Keller Johnson, the great-grand niece of Helen Keller. It was Helen Keller’s challenge to the early Lions clubs to become the “Knights of the Blind” that gave those clubs a vision and focus beyond the motto “We Serve,” McDonald says.
Johnson, McDonald says, told the story of Anne Sullivan, the teacher and advocate for the blind who taught a young Helen to be able to communicate with the world even though she could not hear, see or speak.
As a child, Sullivan had an alcoholic father who gave his children to a Massachusetts institution after his wife died. There, Anne was abused and, partially blind from an eye infection, was ignored or even held in solitary confinement.
“An aide baked her some cookies one day and befriended her,” making life more bearable, McDonald recalls.
She eventually was able to advocate for herself and move to a school. It was this education that led her to teach and help others.
The story, according to some online accounts, is more apocryphal than historically accurate, but it highlighted what became a theme of the evening: “That single act of kindness or that single act of service, you just never know what impact that’s going to have.”
“It just really brought it all home,” McDonald says.
Jerry Gordon, the acclaimed Capital District jazz advocate and president of the Albany & Troy combined Lions club, called the party “a good evening” and says that it was a nice way to celebrate service to the community. While calling it clichéd, he says, “We’re looking forward to the next 100 years of serving our communities.”
Recent projects include: Saratoga Stars ice skating program that runs every winter and helps children with developmental or mental challenges to skate; Camp Abilities Saratoga, a week-long sports camp for kids who are blind or have low eyesight; and the Lions Eye Institute at the Albany Medical Center.
“There are two constant threads over that 100 years,” McDonald says. “The first one being that we work hard. We put in a lot of time, and we turn out when a project is going on.” The second? Having fun while doing it.
Giving back
One more week to join Complexions’ Breast Cancer Awareness Month efforts
Complexions owner Denise Dubois is a known longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society (ACS) and October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month — and you’ve got one more week to help her in this year’s efforts. Donate to ACS while at the Broadway spa and be entered to win a raffle valued at $500. Or, buy local — a portion of all online sales of the local beauty icon’s Dubois Beauty skincare line will be donated directly to ACS. Happy shopping. complexions.com
Crime
Cap Region unemployment fraudster sentenced
Amsterdam resident Jodi Drygula was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud, New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang has announced. Drygula — with Anthony Camou of Las Vegas — submitted false unemployment insurance claims to the NYSDOL using the personal identifying info of three other people to fraudulently obtain more than $250k in unemployment insurance benefits intended to support New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the investigation.
Under her plea agreement, Drygula was also ordered to pay $238,193.25 in restitution to the State of New York and $22,572 to the State of California, and she agreed to forfeit $38,900 in fraud proceeds.
Track
Sovereignty leaves the Spa for the Breeders’ Cup
Sovereignty — favorited to win the Breeders’ Cup — left the Spa City for California yesterday. “He looked good,” his trainer, Bill Mott, told Bloodhorse in a report published October 19 after his final workout at the Oklahoma. The winner of the Belmont, Travers and Jim Dandy at Saratoga Race Course — plus the Kentucky Derby — will do a last workout at Del Mar before the Halloween weekend Grade 1 stakes race on the world stage.
Letter to the Editor
Troisi inspires confidence; questions about Moran
Dear Editor,
I listened to the LWV debate, and Jess Troisi stood out as a candidate who combines capability and experience with integrity, composure, and genuine class. In contrast, while Mr. Moran spoke at length about his accomplishments, I couldn’t help but wonder—if everything is so wonderful, why the ongoing controversies and legal bills?
Best,
Anna Smith
Saratoga Springs, NY
Early voting starts Saturday! The Dispatch will cease the publication of all letters to the editor this Friday, so letters need to be sent to editors@saratogadispatch.com by end of day Thursday (tomorrow, Oct. 23). Thank you.
World-famous rock star disses Saratoga Springs in his new memoir
One word: ouch.
[For a shareable link to this story alone, click here.]
On the cusp of becoming a rock icon, this budding musician arrived in Saratoga for an ill-fated three months but just couldn’t hang. He disses our fair town — and its music scene — in his brand-new memoir, on Amazon now.
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