Pictured: Stars participants, volunteers and members of the Skidmore Ice Hockey Program.

In all started like this:

“A short time ago in a rink in Saratoga Springs, came together people of all ages to teach, learn and most importantly have fun practicing ice skating”

On Saturday March 26th we had the season ending ICE SHOW for the Saratoga Stars 2016 program!     The theme of this years ice show was Star Wars!

The Saratoga Lions congratulate all our participants on a job well done, learning a new skill, building confidence and most importantly having FUN!

This years program grew to 40 participants (a max number), the largest group we have ever had.  The season runs from the beginning of January to the end of March and we meet almost every Saturday during the season!

It takes many hands to run a program like this and we would like to take the opportunity to THANK them.

Participants:  Allowing us to work with you in a friendly albeit different environment, on the ice!

Families and Friends:  Allowing us to help your children or friends in a safe environment, learn a new skill, even if they are a little bit afraid in the beginning.

On-Ice Volunteers:  Taking time out of your Saturday to spend with a specific STAR or two or three, is how we can run such a wonderful program.  We hope you gained as much JOY, as you provided each and every week!   This program can only run with the special volunteers who help make it special.    Special Thank You to our On-Ice Instructors, Julie Lewis, Leah Short, Maura Manny and Mike Baxter.

Off-Ice Volunteers:  Again taking time out of your Saturday to help our STARS with their skates (sizes, tying skates, moving boxes, prepping walkers) is how we can utilize every second allowed on the ice each and every week!  Special Thank You to our Equipment Manager (Will Muram), Gate Keepers (Keith Ferrara and Russell Terpening, Volunteer Coordinator (Cheryl Lawyer, extra bonus for name tags)  and of course our Photographer  (Gail Stein Carmichael)!

ICE SHOW:

In order to produce such a special show we needed to have even more hands on deck!

Christine Gillmett-Brown:  Designed the Star Wars costumes and set up the after ice show party!

Control Box: Jim Edwards and Don Hall controlled the music each and every week and hit every point during the ice show!

Announcer:  Phil Klein – This years show was a little more complicated and he hit every spot right on!

Cassie McDonald:  Her rendition of the National Anthem was the first show stopper of the afternoon.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind:  Bringing the puppies for all to play with, as their trainers work so hard to develop guide dogs.

Saratoga Springs Figure Skating Club:   Provided three Soloist to demonstrate their skills,  Mollie Delacruz, Brenna Coonradt, and Anna Armstrong.

Skidmore College Men’s Ice Hockey Team:  Team members join us on the ice towards the end of the show bringing out nets, pucks and sticks and giving everyone a special treat to finish off the season!

Of course none of this happens without the leadership of Lions Saratoga Stars Chairman, Mike Stoneback.  He keeps everyone organized, safe, brings new ideas and collaborates to make each and every week special for everyone involved!  He gets a little help from Lion Mike Baxter.

“I CAN DO IT”     “I CAN SKATE”

Looking forward to seeing everyone again next year and be on the lookout because we have more plans for this program which we will unveil over the next 7 months!

For more information please check our website: Saratoga Stars

Pictured (L-R): Karen Foster, president of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club; John McDonald, Saratoga Springs Lions Club member, past chairman and current board member of the Lions Eye Institute at Albany; Dr. Yasmin Mali, ophthalmology resident at the Lions Eye Institute at Albany; Dr. Renee Rodriguez-Goodemote, medical director for the Saratoga Community Health Center; Kevin Ronayne, Saratoga Springs Lions Club member and treasurer, board member of the Lions Eye Institute at Albany, and Vice President, Operations and Facilities, Saratoga Hospital; Jim Flynn, Saratoga Springs Lions Club past president and current Lions Club Sight Chairman.

 It all began when Terri Lee of the Saratoga Springs Hospital Foundation made a presentation at one of our club’s lunch meetings in 2012.  In December of 2012, the Saratoga Springs Lions Club donated $30,000, over a 3 year period, to help set up the new Saratoga Hospital Community Health Center. This support falls in line with our club’s mission of Sight & Hearing Conservation, Diabetes Awareness, Youth Programs and Community.

But that was not enough for our club.  We saw an opportunity to help develop a program specific to two of our missions, SIGHT & DIABETES. Led by our Sight Chairman, Lion Jim Flynn, who worked in conjunction with club members Lion Kevin Ronayne (Saratoga Hospital) and Lion John McDonald (Past Chairman & Board member of the Lions Eye Institute at Albany), they worked to fill a room at the new Saratoga Community Health Center with vital vision diagnostic tools.

“People with diabetes are at risk of losing their sight,” said Dr. Renee Rodriguez-Goodemote, medical director for the Saratoga Community Health Center. “The value of this type of specialized eye exam is quite literally the opportunity to preserve a patient’s eyesight. “The exam detects changes in the eye that, when diagnosed, can lead to treatment and reduce the chance for loss of sight,” she added. “It is an understatement to say this program would only be possible because of the extraordinary generosity and support by all those involved in our community!”

The first step was to find the equipment necessary to provide this service.  Lion Jim Flynn connected with Dr. Peter Martin, a retired ophthalmologist from Hoosick Falls, NY.  Dr. Peter Martin and his wife donated all of the equipment to the vision center and the Lions provided funding to transport, install, calibrate and repair a few minor equipment items.

Then came the delicate process of staffing the vision center.  Working with Dr. Robert Schultze, Ophthalmology Residency Program Director, Director of Medical Student Education in Ophthalmology, and Director of the Cornea Fellowship Program at the Lions Eye Institute at Albany, we were able to connect an ophthalmology resident and local practicing ophthalmologist to provide the screenings.   Residents will rotate into the program and will be supervised by the different participating opthalmologist’s. The first resident volunteering her time is Dr. Yasmin Mali (see above) supervised by Dr. Edwin Davison Jr. of Saratoga Springs.  We are pleased that other local ophthalmologists Dr. Robert Brass, Dr. Amjad Hammad, Dr. Jeffrey Paul and Dr. Gregory Pinto have agreed to be future supervisors.

“Our Saratoga Springs Lions Club has a rich history of supporting the Lions Eye Institute at Albany,” said John McDonald, a member of the Saratoga Springs Lions Club, and immediate past chairman and current board member of the Institute. The Saratoga club currently has three members serving on the board of the Institute, which is one of only eight regional eye care centers in the United States. A prominent Saratoga Lions Club member, Dave Carr Sr., was one of the founders of the Lions Eye Institute at Albany. “Dave would be proud of the ongoing work we do with the Institute, and the many ways we bring that work back to the Saratoga community, extending the vision he and others had 25 years ago,” McDonald said.

Appointments for a diabetic eye exam are required and can be made by calling the Saratoga Community Health Center at 518-886-5600. The health center is located at 24 Hamilton Street, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866.

Saratoga Community Health Center, a service of Saratoga Hospital, provides high-quality affordable primary care, dental care, and behavioral health services for patients of all ages, regardless of income.

 NABA (Northeastern Association for the Blind at Albany) will also be joining forces with the Saratoga Lions and the Community Health Center in the near future to provide screenings for children.

Much more info on this project and updates to the vision center project can be found at SS Lions Sight Page.

With the grateful help of the very talented daughter of Lion Dave Carr Jr,  Tyler Carr has updated our logo bringing our growing program new branding! Be on the lookout as we have some idea’s for this logo and maybe even another fun logo coming!