The University Club Foundation was established to foster stewardship of the National Register-listed University Club building on Washington Avenue in Albany. But the Foundation is also eager to step in when help is needed by members of the community.
On Friday, October 28, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m., the public is invited to support the Foundation and the Denison Farm in Schaghticoke at a benefit Harvest Home Dinner.
Brian and Justine Denison, along with their children Suzanna and Maggie, have been farming in New York State for seven years. They moved here from Maine, where Brian earned his Forestry degree and Justine taught elementary school. Their farm, 164 acres of rich bottomland nestled along the Tomhannock Creek in northern Rensselaer County, was devastated by flooding, just as the vegetable and berry harvests were in full swing. They estimate their losses to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Tickets for the Harvest Home Dinner are $50 per person, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Denison Farm. The three-course dinner will feature a bounty of freshly-harvested local foods – many sourced from Denison Farm – prepared by the University Club’s award winning Chef, Kevin Pagano. The dinner will be served buffet style, and vegetarian options will be available. The ticket price includes tax and gratuity, but not alcohol.
Several members of the University Club participate in the Denison Farm CSA and set up this benefit to help with recovery efforts. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) connects people to a local farm and farmer. “When you become a CSA member, you agree to support the costs of running the farm in exchange for a share of the harvest,” said Colleen Ryan, one of the organizers. “By paying our membership fee in the dark days of winter, we become partners with the farmer and share some of the risk – but we reap the benefits in pounds of produce over the spring and summer. As members, we thought we should play a larger role in getting the farm back on track for the next growing season.”
Reservations for the Harvest Home Dinner are required and may be made by calling the University Club at 518-463-1151. Payment may be made by cash or check payable to the University Club Foundation, a 501c3 corporation. A portion of your donation may be tax deductible.
The University Club Foundation was formed to recognize and maintain the unique historic and architectural significance of the University Club building and property, its historic neighborhood and the city of Albany, where it has been located since its inception in 1901.
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