9 minute read
Books, Awards, Veggies & Lemons?! ...Too Good Not to Share
WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED
Stride along with Longshot the
Moose, a loveable character who finds himself in yet another new, unexpected place in Twas the Night Before Christmoose, the latest in a series of picture books by Saratoga Springs author Vicki Addesso Dodd.
There’s Still a Moose on the Loose
This is the third book in the collection of fictional, rhythmically-told tales based on a real-life moose who happened to meander from the Lake Desolation area into Saratoga Springs, on one otherwise ordinary day in June. “It was such an amazing thing to see this moose wander out onto the racetrack from the woods. People came from towns around to see this moose. It made people so happy, it occurred to me that it would make a great story,” said Dodd.
The Series that IS Saratoga
Vicki Addesso Dodd, the owner of Saratoga Springs Publishing, has written six books and has won a number of awards. The Longshot series, recommended for children up to age 10, began with “A Moose in My Stable,” a Mom’s Choice award-winner, followed by “A Moose in My Starting Gate,” a story about friendship and acceptance. “The Moose series is Saratoga in my mind,” said Dodd.
Twas the Night Before Christmoose
was recently announced the recipient of TWO independent publisher's awards. It was chosen for the bronze in the 2020 National IPPY Awards, from a pool of 5,000 submissions, and it won the 2020 Moonbeam Children’s Award. “The Moonbeam was always my dream -and that it’s with this book, I’m just thrilled!” said Dodd. In 2021, look for Dodd’s newest work, “Derby School,” an early-reader chapter book. SF
Saratoga Family Readers... It’s Time to Celebrate!
Get a 20 % discount, or 3 books for the price of 2, by visiting www. saratogaspringspublishing.com There’s a Moose on the Loose! Stumble into new adventures in downtown Saratoga on a Longshotinspired Scavenger Hunt. Get the FREE printout from A Horse in My Stable and visit places including G. Willikers, Ben & Jerry’s, Northshire Bookstore, and Impressions of Saratoga. Get your sheet stamped and submit a completed copy to be awarded your own blue ribbon! Find a free, Colorful Way to Learn and Play at saratogaspringspublishing.com/ activity-sheets.
Caught Eating Vegetables?
WRITTEN BY CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION OF SARATOGA COUNTY
Saratoga County Farm to School Coordinator Nicolina Foti (from the Cornell Cooperative Extension office of Saratoga County) had the opportunity to visit the Schuylerville Elementary students during their lunchtime. Sarah Keen, Food Service Manager at Schuylerville Central School District, partnered with the local Kings Brother Dairy to provide a fun opportunity and incentive for students to eat their vegetables. A "caught eating veggies" contest was held the week of December 7th during the students' lunch period. If students were "caught" eating their vegetables, they would receive a ticket. At the end of their lunch period, the tickets were collected for each class and counted. At the end of the week, the class with the most students "caught" eating their veggies got an ICE CREAM PARTY. The Farm to School Coordinator for Saratoga County surveyed the students who tried their vegetables, and asked what vegetables they tried and if they liked them. They kept a tally for each lunch period of how many students enjoyed their vegetables. The students were very excited to get "caught" eating their vegetables! The overall winner for the "caught eating veggies" contest was Mrs. Rathbun's class, with 91% of students eating vegetables!!
The top class in each grade won an ice cream party donated by Kings Brothers Dairy:
• Kindergarten - Mrs. Curtis (79%) • 1st grade - Mrs. Weed (89%) • 2nd grade - Mrs. Becht (73%) • 3rd grade - Mrs. Rathbun (91%) • 4th grade - Mr. Carner (80%) • 5th grade - Mrs. Penniman (74%) • McMurray & Jordan (honorable mention) Keen went on to say "This was so well received! Multiple parents emailed to tell me how excited their kids were about the contest, and even kids who pack lunch were begging their parents to put veggies in it. The kitchen went through nearly double our usual quantities of veggies during the contest. It was so nice to do something fun and ‘normal.’" The Farm to School program has been working away to keep things going during these unfortunate and unusual times of COVID19. “It was overwhelmingly rewarding to get back into the school and get to hear firsthand how this program impacts students all over our county,” said Foti, Farm to School Coordinator.
pearls OF WISDOM
WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTOS PROVIDED
Books that teach your children what even the wisest among us need to be reminded of… Two of life’s most precious gifts are kindness and friendship.
Author Zane Carson Carruth invites us to join a curious fairy named Abella, and her best friend, Darcie, as they face all sorts of unexpected challenges on their adventures through the delightful world of Tulip Hollow. The story begins with Abella accidently creating the popular children’s tradition in an imaginative reinvention of a classic tale; The
World’s First Tooth Fairy…Ever.
She finds how to use her magic in
The Adventures of Abella and Her
Magic Wand. In Abella Starts a Tooth Fairy School, released last fall, follow along as she learns how teaching others can teach you a lot about yourself, as well.
THE ICING ON THE CAKE
The character of Abella is based on the author’s own daughter, who was eight years old at the time. “The story literally just wrote itself. All my best stories have been like that,” said Zane, who has loved to write since she was a child. Nine years ago, Zane and her husband, Brady Carruth, travelled to our region from their home in Houston, Texas. The following year, they bought a summer condo in Saratoga Springs. After three years, they purchased a spot in Broadway’s Park Place Condos. It only took one look at the Wedding Cake House on Union Avenue however, before Zane made an offer on the fairytale property. “I just love that house!” she said.
GIVING AWAY KINDNESS
Although they are only in Saratoga for part of the year, the Carruths have embraced two of the city’s cornerstones – horses (they own three) and philanthropy. “Generosity is a learned behavior. It’s something that my mother taught me at a very early age,” said Zane, who supports a number of charitable causes, including the SPCA. Zane donates hundreds of free books to schools and non-profit groups. This summer, she plans on donating The World’s First Tooth Fairy, reprinted in Spanish, to the children of the track’s backstretch workers. “I enjoy giving them away. For some kids, that’s their first book and reading to children is very important. It makes such a huge difference in their life and how they go about solving problems. It’s also a bonding time. Children are more secure when they have that one-to-one attention. It builds their confidence and makes more memories. The good things about reading to children are endless.” The World’s First Tooth Fairy stories are now being made into nine videos that will be available on channels including Roku, Binge and Amazon Fire. Zane is also working on the next book in the series, Abello Goes to
the Rodeo.
Find all of Zane’s books on Amazon or by visiting www.worldsfirsttoothfairy.com Author Zane Carson Carruth
Squeeze THE DAY
WRITTEN BY MEGIN POTTER | PHOTO PROVIDED
When life hands you lemons... create The Sweet Lemon Life.
THAT’S WHAT BRANDI GILBERT DECIDED TO DO when COVID, and the unexpected changes it would bring to us all, came knocking last year.
Brandi didn’t know she was doing it at the time - she just knew she wanted to help her friend.
GETTING JUICE FROM THE SQUEEZE
In Fall 2019, Gilbert decided to make and sell t-shirts as a fundraiser for a friend that has pancreatic cancer. She pulled out the Cricut machine her husband gave her four years earlier and printed 25 shirts. Noticing how long it takes to iron them once they are printed, he then bought her a heat press. “That’s really what has allowed this business to take off,” said Brandi, a mom of three; ages 10, 16, and 19 who licensed her home business, The Sweet Lemon Life, in May 2020. Brandi also made personalized face masks for her friends and their seniors’ graduation (Queensbury High School’s Class of 2020). Once my youngest’s teacher saw them, she decided to “advertise” me to the whole district through an email. That’s when the orders poured in for masks - all in the hopes of being able to go back to school in the Fall. “I couldn’t believe how fast the orders were coming in – it was insanity,” she said.
WITH A TWIST
After printing hundreds of masks for the students and teachers in the Queensbury Union Free School District, Brandi was asked to do printing jobs for Senator Dan Stec, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, Queen of Harts Pizza, a division of Stewart’s Shops, and others. She’s not limiting herself to just apparel, either. Brandi, who spent several years staging homes in Queensbury, has a unique eye for creating home décor, signage, etching glassware, and holiday items. For her, inspiration comes from everywhere. What makes The Sweet Lemon Life items special is that Brandi adds in a touch of her optimistic flare. “I try to put my little twist on it,” she said. In addition to vinyl, she etches, and paints, based on her client’s request. “Whatever I’m doing at the time is my favorite. I’m not very loyal to one thing or the other,” said Brandi.
DRINK FROM EVERY CUP
In addition to offering variety, The Sweet Lemon Life custom projects are ready quickly. Because she works efficiently while maintaining a high level of quality, Brandi is able to create one-of-a-kind, custom and wholesale items while also homeschooling her two youngest children this year. Most orders can be completed in less than a week. “I love to make people happy with these things and I pride myself in doing things faster and cheaper than people can find elsewhere,” said Brandi.
Find The Sweet Lemon Life products at My Lake Boutique in Lake George, on Facebook, Instagram or by visiting thesweetlemonlife.com. SF