Saratoga Arts announced the grant recipients for its 2022 Community Arts Regrant Program that  supports organizations and individual artists in Fulton, Montgomery, and Saratoga counties. 

Some 47 grants totaling $148,500 were awarded to support community- based arts events taking place in 2022. 

“We are thrilled to be setting a record this year not only in the amount of funding distributed but also with the number of projects we will be able to fund,” said Charlie Owens, grants and community relations manager. “After years of isolation, it is thrilling to know these funded projects can continue to create art in our communities and, perhaps more importantly, build community through the arts.”

With funding awarded from the state Council on the Arts, Saratoga Arts’ Community Arts Regrant Program supports artists, nonprofit organizations, and government departments in the three counties, in partnership with qualifying organizations and artists, to present arts and cultural programs of high artistic merit in local communities.

This years’ grant recipients were celebrated at the annual Community Arts Celebration at Saratoga Arts, 320 Broadway, Saratoga Springs.

By Susan Elise Campbell

Business is going smoothly for the new owner of Irresistible Nutrition at 53 Broad St. along Waterford’s historic canal. 

Timothy Van Sleet purchased the tea and smoothie bar in February and attributes the rapid growth of the business to social media marketing and support from his family of entrepreneurs, he said. 

“Irresistible Nutrition was always a tea shop, a beautiful store in a charming town,” Van Sleet said. “But when I took over, our social media postings drew thousands of views and many visitors are now regulars.”

Van Sleet was working at FedEx at the time his wife, Candace Rockefeller, was having their second child. After maternity leave he became a stay-at-home dad while Candace re-entered the work force.

Once he and Candace decided to go into business for themselves, Van Sleet set his sister to work finding an existing business to purchase. He was determined he “didn’t want to work for the man but to be the man.”

“My mother owns Unbeatable Nutrition on Hoosick Street in Troy and my twin sisters operate it,” he said. “She was always an entrepreneur and had a real estate business and a book shop.” 

Marissa Broadley was promoted to director of infection prevention at Saratoga Hospital. She will be responsible for infection prevention and control at the hospital’s more than 20 locations.

 The Ballston Lake resident has 13 years of experience in infection prevention in roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently, she was manager of infection prevention at Saratoga Hospital, a member of the Albany Med Health System.

 With her system colleagues at Albany Medical Center Hospital, Columbia Memorial Health and Glens Falls Hospital, as well as partners at other Northeastern New York hospitals, Broadley has played an integral role in the region’s response to infection prevention challenges throughout the pandemic, officials said.

 “Marissa has been a go-to resource and leader on our team during an often-frightening time,” said Dr. Richard Falivena, vice president and chief medical and physician integration officer at Saratoga Hospital. “She has worked closely with public health officials and her counterparts at other organizations, identifying and communicating best practices to ensure optimal protection for patients and staff. Our hospital and community benefit enormously from her dedication and expertise.”