The New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association has pledged $25,000 to Mercy House of Saratoga, a new non-profit created to provide temporary residences for a wide range of people in need. The funds will be put toward the construction of a 6,000 square-foot suite of rooms to serve backstretch workers from Saratoga Race Course, within a four-story, 30,000 square-foot building to be built on Washington Street by Bethesda Episcopal Church. The suite will be dedicated to the late Rick Violette, longtime president of NYTHA and a tireless advocate for the Backstretch Employee Service Team (BEST).
“NYTHA is pleased to support Mercy House's development of accommodations for backstretch workers who are being helped by BEST for counseling, recovery and recuperation,” said Joe Appelbaum, president of the NYTHA Board. “We believe that Mercy House will help further BEST's mission, which is to meet the health and social welfare needs of the backstretch workers at Saratoga Race Course through alcohol or substance use counseling and other assistance.”
Construction of the $9-million building, at 26-28 Washington Street, is expected to begin in the coming year.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
