Posts Tagged ‘belmont child care association’
Friday, December 18th, 2009
By Bradford Cummings
More times than not when we write about an industry-related charity for our weekly feature, Good News Friday sponsored by Liberation Farm, it’s a story that tries to compel the public to give money to an underfunded cause. With so many good organizations out there, it is difficult, especially in this down economy, to find enough money to go around. So when I called Donna Chenkin, executive director of the Belmont Child Care Association in New York, to follow up on this year’s Gifts for Anna House Kids program, I was a little concerned I would be met with disappointing news.
To my surprise and holiday delight, what I found was exactly the opposite. Instead, this story was one that truly represented the spirit of the Christmas season. After hanging up the phone with Ms. Chenkin, the hair on my arms was standing up like it did when I was a 10-year-old trying to push past my dad on the stairs to open the presents Santa left me under the tree.
Individuals, Thoroughbred racing organizations and corporations from across the country came together on Dec. 12 for the eighth annual shopping day for the children of the backstretch workers at Anna House, the childcare facility located in the stable area of Belmont Park. In what may have been a sparse Christmas at best, these families became the grateful recipients of the true meaning of the holiday season.
A record number of children participated in this year’s event with close to a thousand all together when counting their parents and other guardians. This was clearly larger than they ever expected.
“Four hundred-fifty children, 90% of whom are Hispanic immigrants, ‘shopped’ for their parents and siblings. Accompanied by a volunteer, the children go into a room that resembles a department store to pick out the gifts,” said Chenkin. “Scarves, hats, gloves, infant clothing, toys and games donated by the Marines Toys for Tots Program, cosmetics, shaving kits and the latest clothing styles for teens, women and men. Volunteers wrap and tag the gifts for the children, who leave with smiles as big as Secretariat’s Belmont Stakes victory.”
“We were so successful this year. It was almost overwhelming to us,” said Chenkin who clearly was touched by the outpouring of aid for this special program. “It’s really blossomed.”
In fact, it was so successful, she admitted they would probably have to move the event next year. “It’s so big it was like Filene’s Basement in there.”
“It’s really become a special thing,” said Chenkin. “I always think we aren’t going to have enough but somehow we always do. People care about kids and their future.
“At the end of the day the volunteers, who spent many hours on their feet, were just as happy as the children knowing they are making the families’ holidays more enjoyable.”
Clearly, the feeling of a packed house was the only thing Gifts for Anna House had in common with Filene’s Basement. The rest was filled with the heart and soul of Americans who unconditionally care about children. That sort of giving, especially during a recession, is the epitome of what makes this time of year so special.
For more information about Anna House and to learn how to contribute to this and other causes supported by this incredibly important organization, visit their website here or call (516) 488-2103.
Copyright © 2009, The Paulick Report
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Liberation Farm celebrates the many horsemen and horsewomen who strive each day to make things better for horses and those who work with them. To learn more about Liberation Farm, click here.
Tags: anna house, belmont child care association, Donna Chenkin, Gifts for Anna House, Good News Friday, liberation farm
Posted in Good News Friday | 4 Comments »
Friday, March 27th, 2009
On the eve of some great racing – the 2009 Dubai World Cup and the Florida Derby, it is a good time to point out the times the Paulick Report has highlighted the brighter side of life in the Thoroughbred industry. While the news seems pretty bleak and often is, there are many positive things we can all focus on as we look forward to an exciting 3-year-old season — for both colts and fillies.
Back during the week of Thanksgiving, we spent each day highlighting one of the many strong Thoroughbred charities working hard to make our industry a more humane one for the horses that compete and the people who help put on the show. We began that week with Anna House, an extension of the Belmont Child Care Association AT Belmont Park that provides childcare for the hard-working backstretch employees. There was ReRun, a horse adoption organization that put together an auction of their “Moneigh” collection to raise funds. We explored the multi-faceted mission of Thoroughbred Charities of America, a former colleague of mine at the Bloodhorse and Thoroughbred Times who dedicates much of his time to the Salvation Army, a halfway house of sorts in Tranquility Farm which transitions Thoroughbreds from the racetrack to adoptive homes and the Exceller Fund, named after the hall of fame horse who died tragically in a European slaughterhouse.
We also featured The Pickens Plan…not the one that’s trying to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. This Pickens plan was run by T. Boone’s wife Madeleine who has a passion for saving wild horses and restoring some of our nation’s tradition of mustangs roaming the Western front. Having an extensive background in the industry after being a partner in the Eclipse award-winning racing and breeding operation with her late husband Allen Paulson, she has decided to work towards giving many of these unwanted animals a sanctuary. We wish her luck and will continue to follow her quest in 2009 and beyond.
And then there are the untold stories of racetracks that are doing things right, both morally and financially. We tip our hat to Suffolk Downs, the first track to step up with a “zero-tolerance” horse welfare program that bans trainers whose horses are sold to slaughter. I had the great pleasure of visiting both Tampa Bay Downs and Oaklawn Park early in 2009. In a time when many tracks are struggling and see slot machines as their only salvation, these two are concentrating on the racing in Thoroughbred racing…and creating a winning product.
It has been a strong fund drive this week and I want to thank those who provided us with moral or financial support. I feel blessed to have this opportunity to help shape the conversation as we travel through these important crossroads. Sometimes it seems like a daunting task to find long-term solutions to this sport we all love so much, but together I believe we can truly change the course of our industry. If you think the Paulick Report is an effective tool in working through these problems, I ask that you consider a donation of $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, $100 or $50 to help further enhance this site. When considering your donation, compare our value to the $50 cost of a Sports Illustrated subscription, $100 for a year of the Bloodhorse and $1,000 for a full year of the online Racing Form subscription. All donations are kept strictly anonymous.
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Tags: anna house, belmont child care association, exceller fund, Madelein Pickens, moneigh, oaklawn park, rerun, salvation army, suffolk downs, Support the Report, tampa bay downs, thoroughbred charities, thoroughbred charities of america, tranquility farm
Posted in Horse Slaughter, Horse Welfare, Industry Reform, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, Thoroughbred Auctions, Thoroughbred Business | Comments Off
Monday, December 1st, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Long before most Americans knew that ex-racehorses could end up on someone’s dinner plate in Europe, the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation was doing what it could to provide an alternative to the slaughterhouse or a life of neglect and abuse. Founded in 1982, the TRF is the oldest, largest and best known operation dedicated to helping Thoroughbreds no longer able to race or serve as breeding animals.
The founder of TRF was Monique S. Koehler, who had a unique vision to have these horses serve as part of a vocational training program at the Walkill Correctional Facility in New York. In short, the TRF would provide the horses and Walkill would supply land and inmates who would be taught how to care for the horses as part of their own rehabilitation. The program has been a success, for both horses and the humans who have cared for them. Many former inmates have been quick to credit the TRF program for their own personal turnaround, as the therapeutic value of working with horses has been well documented. Click here to see a video about the TRF produced by HRTV.
This unique prison program has been replicated in five states that have TRF farms at correctional institutions and since the spring of 2004 the organization has operated a rehabilitation and retraining facility – the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center – at the Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. The Secretariat Center is now open for public visitors from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with interactive demonstrations on Saturday mornings from 10-11 a.m. Horses from the Secretariat Center have been adopted out for second careers to horse owners around the country.
Like all welfare organizations, the TRF depends on donations to fulfill a mission that hopes to eventually rescue all ex-racehorses from slaughter, neglect or abuse. Breeders who produce the horses were recently given an option by the Jockey Club to contribute to the TRF through a checkoff program at the time a Thoroughbred is registered. Click here for details. But there are many ways to make a gift, sponsor a horse or adopt a horse.
Beginning today and running through Dec. 20, the TRF has launched an online fundraising auction of items ranging from racing memorabilia to exclusive vacation getaways. To see the list of auction items and begin bidding, click here.
Throughout the past week of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Paulick Report has focused on a variety of equine charities or individuals in the Thoroughbred industry who have dedicated a part of their lives to helping others less fortunate. These are only a small number of the many extremely worthy organizations and people who are making a difference to make this a better industry.
Here are links to the organizations featured in the past week: Belmont Child Care Association/Anna House; the Exceller Fund; ReRun; the Salvation Army fund-raising page started by my former colleague Ron Mitchell; Thoroughbred Charities of America; Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation; and Tranquility Farm.
There are others, too numerous to mention, and I would invite readers to list their favorite equine charities in the comment section below. I sincerely hope each of you will consider a gift, no matter how large or small, to an organization that is making a difference in our lives and in our industry.
Tags: anna house, bcca, belmont child care association, equine charities, exceller fund, horse charities, horse slaughter, Horse Welfare, monique koehler, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, rerun, ron mitchell, salvation army, tca, thoroughbred charities of america, thoroughbred retirement foundation, throughbred charities, tranquility farm, trf, wallkill prison
Posted in Horse Slaughter, Horse Welfare, Industry Organizations | 4 Comments »
Monday, November 24th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
The Paulick Report will spotlight a different charity each day of Thanksgiving week, when we traditionally take time to reflect and give thanks to the blessings we have and to help those less fortunate. This is a difficult time for many Americans, and charitable organizations are already feeling the effects of the global economic crisis. We hope you’ll spend a few minutes to learn about some of the charities that make us a better industry, and consider giving to these or to others that we won’t have the opportunity to publicize. Remember that no gift is too small.
The Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA) was established in 1998 to provide on-site care for the pre-school children of working families at New York-area racetracks and to provide funds for those families unable to afford the cost of care. It was formed at the initiative of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association.
A 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation, BCCA has benefited from the support of the New York Racing Association, Jockey Club and other organizations, but the construction of Anna House, the facility constructed on Belmont Park property leased for $1 a year, would not have been possible without the generosity of numerous individuals. Foremost among those are Michael Dubb, a Long Island developer and philanthropist who brought construction oversight and vision to the project and serves as BCCA’s board chairman, and Eugene and Laura Melnyk, who donated $1 million to kick off the capital campaign.
 As anyone in the Thoroughbred industry knows, work days start early and can run seven days a week. Conventional day-care is not an option for many backstretch employees because of the cost or the hours the services are needed. Anna House, open 365 days a year from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m., provides a wonderful opportunity for the youngest children of backstretch workers to be cared for in a safe, nurturing and stimulating, learning environment.
An annual highlight for the Belmont Child Care Association is coming up on Dec. 13, when a special shopping event gives the children of Anna House a chance to be a gift-giver. Donated gifts, such as toys and clothing for infants, toddlers and teenagers, and books and adult clothing (warm clothing preferred) are set up at Anna House as a “store.” Children arriving at the facility have an opportunity to chat with Santa Claus, and with the help of a volunteer create a shopping list for their family. They then pick out their presents, which are wrapped and tagged by Santa’s volunteer helpers for Christmas delivery.
Last year, more than 350 children shopped for their families, and even more are expected this year.
To donate new items for the shopping events or to make a tax-deductible contribution, click here, or contact the BCCA at (516) 488-2103, or send to : Belmont Child Care Association/Shopping Event; 2150 Hempstead Turnpike; Elmont, NY 11003.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: anna house, backstretch workers, bcca, belmont child care association, belmont park, eugene melnyk, horse racing charities, horse racing jobs, jobs in racing, Jockey Club, laura melnyk, michael dubb, New York Racing Association, nyra, Paulick Report, Ray Paulick
Posted in Industry Organizations, New York Racing Association | Comments Off
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
By Ray Paulick
Jess Jackson, the majority owner of Curlin, is hoping to shame the owners of Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Big Brown into challenging the reigning Horse of the Year in the Aug. 30 Woodward Stakes at Saratoga.
Jackson said if Big Brown runs against Curlin in the Woodward he will donate $50,000 from the Curlin for Kids Fund to Anna House, the non-profit day-care center for the children of backstretch workers at Belmont Park run by the Belmont Child Care Association.
“Big Brown’s camp recent remarks about Curlin inspired me to offer an incentive to get these two great horses to race at the legendary track at the Spa,” Jackson said in a press release. “Both horses are eligible for this race and both have plenty of time to prepare for what would be Thoroughbred racing at its very best and in the name of a great cause.
“This type of competition between horses is exactly what Thoroughbred racing needs — an event that introduces the excitement and competition of racing to a broader audience,” Jackson said. “Imagine Horse of the Year Curlin racing against Derby winner Big Brown, on a legendary track. I would love it, the fans would love it, and the horses would love it. ”
Don’t hold your breath waiting for the IEAH Stable or Paul Pompa Jr. to accept the challenge on behalf of Big Brown. Despite the comments by Big Brown’s trainer, Rick Dutrow, that Big Brown is “way better than Curlin,” the Boundary colt’s connections are looking for a specially created turf race for 3-year-olds at Belmont Park in mid-September. The $500,000 Woodward is for 3-year-olds and upward at 1 1/8 miles on dirt. Big Brown’s owners have said they will then point their colt for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on the new synthetic surface at Santa Anita Oct. 25.Curlin’s plans after the Woodward have not beendetermined.
Curlin worked on Monday in preparation for the Woodward, going six furlongs in 1:14.62 on the sloppy Oklahoma training track at Saratoga. The Grade 1 Woodward would be Curlin’s first race at Saratoga. Under the weight for age conditions, Big Brown and other three-year-olds would carry 121 pounds; 4-year-old Curlin and other older horses would carry 126 pounds.
Copyright © 2008, The Paulick Report
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Tags: anna house, belmont child care association, Big Brown, Breeders' Cup, breeders' cup classic, Curlin, curlin for kids, Horse Racing, IEAH, jess jackson, New York Racing Association, paul pompa jr., Paulick Report, Ray Paulick, rick dutrow, saratoga, woodward
Posted in Big Brown, Curlin | 7 Comments »
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