Palamountain Benefit boosts scholarship aid at Skidmore

Skidmore?s annual Palamountain Scholarship Benefit, now in its 30th year, took place August 4 at the Saratoga Polo Field, drawing some 420 guests for an evening that featured a gourmet dinner, live and silent auctions, and a polo match.

This year the net amount raised was approximately $150,000. All the funds go to the Joseph C. and Anne T. Palamountain Scholarship Fund, created to honor the College's fourth president and his wife for their 22 years of leadership. Joseph Palamountain served as Skidmore president from 1965 to 1987.

?This is our 30th year, and the attendance shows the remarkable loyalty we?ve established, ? said Mrs. Palamountain, who noted ?the tremendous dedication of key members of the summer thoroughbred racing community.?

Added Mrs. Palamountain, ?We need worthy and educated leadership in our country and in the rest of the world, and higher education is the path to achieving that. Scholarship aid is crucial to the process.?

Throughout the years, one of the main attractions of the event has been the quality and presentation of the food, all of it prepared by Skidmore?s Dining Services. Under the direction of Executive Chef James Rose, this year?s offerings included six distinctive entrees, a cold seafood display, a wide range of summer salads and fresh fruits, and of course something for the sweet tooth.

Rose points out that he and his staff draw heavily on products from local farms as well as from the Skidmore student garden, which was launched this past spring on an open lot on North Broadway across from the college?s main entrance. ?We try to do our part for sustainability, relying on local resources as much as possible,? he said.

Auctions add to the excitement
This year's Palamountain Benefit auction offered dozens of items, including travel packages, boxes at the Saratoga Race Course, original artwork, and fine jewelry. Among the travel items were a stay at the highly rated Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Ariz., and getaways in St. Thomas, and New York City.

The top bidders included Lew Titterton, who purchased an original work by abstract painter and Skidmore professor emeritus David Miller for $2,400.Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson, who are among the honorary chairs of the event, were high bidders at $1,200 for a pair of garden urns from Hidden Gardens. The couple also contributed $10,000 to the benefit's Fund-a-Future auction. The Fund-a-Future donations for the evening totaled $46,650, with the funds going directly to scholarship aid for Skidmore students

The ?heads-and-tails? auction, which required a $20 entrance fee and was determined by multiple flips of a coin, was won by Susan Law Dake ?71. The prize was two roundtrip tickets on Jet Blue to any destination the airline services. The tickets were donated by Robert Land ?89, general counsel at Jet Blue.