Society - Racing for a cure

The admission area was overflowing with eager people scurrying in to receive their free Saratoga t-shirt and find a place to sit. Fans filled the grandstand and cheered for their favorite horses and jockeys. A festive mood prevailed, brought on by the long awaited presence of sunshine and blue skies- the first day without any rain in many weeks! Inside one of the luxury suites at the track, a party gathered not only to enjoy the exhilarating sport of horse racing but also to support a very worthy cause ---- the Elizabeth Nash Foundation.

I did not have the honor of personally knowing Elizabeth Nash but having spent the afternoon speaking with her mother Ann and her father Jim I have a sense of who Elizabeth was and of the incredible journey that defined her short life. When Elizabeth Nash was born she was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder which affects some 30,000 children and young adults in the United States. It is the most common fatal genetic disease in this country. Most people who have been diagnosed with CF live only to late adolescence or young adulthood.

Elizabeth was a vivacious and strong-willed girl who was determined to stick around longer than that. She graduated from high school and went on to earn a PhD in Human Molecular Genetics. She spent her career researching the disease that would eventually take her life at age 33. In 2003 Elizabeth's family and friends established the foundation in her memory. Their foundation provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students with cystic fibrosis. The Nash family also supports young people dedicated to making a difference and finding a cure.

Jim and Elizabeth Nash worked closely with Beebe & Gabriels Financial Services who sponsored Sunday's 2nd annual benefit luncheon at the race track. Matthew Beebe, an AXA financial advisor located in Clifton Park hosted the party which brought in over 14,000 dollars for the cause. Matt and his lovely wife Julie warmly greeted guests at the door. Participants were treated to an open bar and delicious hot buffet while they enjoyed an unobstructed front row view of the track from either inside or the roof deck.

Some of the contributors in attendance were Donna and Scott Snyder of Diamond Point, Steve Seaboyer, owner of Contractor's Sales and builder/developer John Michaels of the Michaels group in Malta. Also trying their luck on the ponies were Dr. Francisco Banchs and Dr. Allyson Bryne who recently moved their dentistry practice to a state of the art facility in one of the new Bonaccio buildings on Division Street. Noted real estate attorney Robert L. Beebe and his charming wife Carol enjoyed the afternoon sunshine along with Attorney Jim Doyle, a Saratoga native and Dr. Eric and Jill Cottrell of Cottrell Dentistry in Queensbury. Violinist Rob Ruchman of New York City enjoyed a cocktail by the rail with Michelle and Patrick Mylod.

As afternoon sunshine faded to shadow, track enthusiasts slowly drifted out of the main turnstiles, basking in their success or tallying up their losses. Those who were fortunate enough to attend the Beebe & Gabriels fundraiser for the Nash Foundation reveled in the win-win combination of spending a day at the track in one the beautiful luxury suites and supporting a continuing effort toward the cure of cystic fibrosis.