It’s been a busy few months at the Belmont Child Care Association. Though August is a long way away, planning has already begun for the big summer benefit, and a steady stream of good news about fundraisers and other initiatives has come in over the winter months.

Elisabeth Jensen, executive director of the Race For Education, and The Race For Education Board recently awarded the BCCA $6,000 for the year 2011 for an after school program for elementary children and $14,000 for 2012.

Construction has begun on the Anna House expansion; Michael Dubb, chairman of the BCCA Board, is generously donating the two new rooms.  Beechwood Homes and the New York Racing Association carpenters and staff are making great progress, much to the fascination of the children inside.

In related news, the Alfred Z. Solomon Charitable Trust donated $45,000 to the project for classroom furnishings.

We are grateful to everyone who has so generously supported the children of the backstretch with time and money, and we look forward to the grand opening of this wonderful new space that will allow the BCCA to serve even more children.

While a snowy winter made life on the backstretch harder than usual, it afforded the children the opportunity to play in the snow both inside and out, and to demonstrate their creativity when they couldn’t put their hands on corncob pipes and button noses.

Finally, I am pleased to announce a major fundraising initiative from a long-time BCCA supporter, Jeremy Edge.

On June 12, Jeremy will begin a 190-mile walk from Belmont Park to Saratoga Racecourse. Jeremy, a native of London, England, was formerly an elected Councillor for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and is currently a regular contributor for HRTV. He has been a volunteer at various Anna House events for the past ten years.

It is Jeremy’s hope that his walk will raise both awareness and funding for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF) and for Anna House. He expects to take two weeks to complete the walk, demonstrating his personal commitment to put first those in the horse community who need assistance.

Donations can be made at the websites of the Belmont Child Care Association and the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund; you can also download this pledge form and mail it in, pledging either a flat amount or an amount per mile walked.

You can follow Jeremy’s plans and travels by following on Twitter and by liking the Facebook page TheWalkingBrit.

Many, many thanks to Jeremy for the time, effort, and energy that he’s putting into this endeavor. We’ll keep tabs on his progress from now through the end of the walk.