SPIRIT OF PRESERVATION CELEBRATION 2013

As part of National Preservation Month, Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation will recognize the George S. Bolster Collection and Mark Straus at the 11th Annual Spirit of Preservation Celebration on Friday May 17, 2013 at 6PM at the Saratoga Springs City Center. The Spirit of Preservation Celebration honors organizations and individuals who through their vision and dedication have fostered historic preservation in Saratoga Springs and contributed to the overall quality of life in our city. This exciting event will feature a cocktail party along with an award ceremony where honorees will be introduced by speakers, David Marcell and Julia Stokes.
At this time, SSPF invites community members, business owners, friends, and colleagues, to join Honorary Chair Charles V. Wait in recognizing the George Bolster Collection and Mark Straus for their significant contributions to the city, by joining the Spirit of Preservation Celebration Honorary Committee or becoming a Corporate Sponsor. The names of Honorary Committee Members and logos of Corporate Sponsors will be listed on the event invitation and program with other distinguished individuals, businesses, and civic leaders of Saratoga Springs. Purchase your Honorary Committee or Corporate Sponsorship HERE.
This year the George S. Bolster Collection of the Saratoga Springs History Museum will be recognized for its contributions to preserving the rich architecture and history of Saratoga Springs. Through collecting images of notable early photographers such as Harry B. Settle, Jesse S. Wooley, and others, as well as taking his own photographs, George Bolster left an invaluable resource of 325,000 images to the community. These photographs have been used to supplement the many writings on the history of Saratoga Springs and have provided the basis for many building restorations. The collection has preserved thousands of images of places that are lost and still exist today, documenting the city’s development for future generations to explore and appreciate. Beverley Mastrianni worked with George Bolster indexing the images beginning in 1981 and helped to ensure the Collection was preserved and accessible to the public. For her perseverance and dedication, Beverley will accept the award on behalf of the George S. Bolster Collection.
Mark Straus will be honored for his 40-year commitment to the stewardship of Saratoga Springs’ historic buildings. In the early 1970s, his goal was to breathe new life into the struggling downtown by creating an exciting streetscape to draw residents and visitors to shop locally-owned businesses, including his own retail shop, Mabou. Through solid rehabilitation and business principles he preserved a key shopping block at the center of Broadway, including the Downstreet Market Place and portions of the iconic Ainsworth Building. In addition, Mr. Straus was instrumental in helping to purchase and complete the first rehabilitation of the York Avenue Waldorf School building. Over the years, he has updated, renovated, and adaptively reused spaces to ensure the survival of some of Saratoga Spring’s architectural gems. As he moves slowly towards retirement, he intends to find buyers for his properties who will have the same sense of stewardship.
Anyone interested in participating in the Honorary Committee or being a Corporate Sponsor for the event should respond by Friday, March 22, 2013 in order to be listed in the invitation.  After March 22, 2013 names will be listed in the program. Please contact Sara Boivin, Membership & Programs Director, at (518)-587-5030 or sboivin@saratogapreservation.org.
For more information regarding Honorary Committee or Corporate Sponsorship opportunities, as well as event updates, please visit www.saratogapreservation.org.