Polo picnic to benefit Elant

Goshen — The Fourth Annual Polo Picnic to benefit Elant Foundation will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, at the Blue Sky Polo Club in Middletown. Elant will honor Patricia Gilchrest and the Ottaway family for their humanitarian spirit and life-long commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of the people of the Hudson Valley. Gilchrest, the executive director of the Orange County Citizens Foundation since 1989, will receive the Flame of Excellence Award. James Ottaway, Jr., will receive the Lifetime of Caring Award on behalf of the entire Ottaway family. The event includes an outdoor cocktail party and music and an afternoon luncheon served under tents. Six seven-minute chukkers, or periods, will be played on horseback by two polo teams of four, most of whom are top-ranked polo players from Argentina. Guests will be invited to the traditional divot stomp on the field, the end-of-game champagne toast, and the awarding of team prizes. The polo picnic also will feature a Sept. 11 tribute and ceremony. Proceeds from the event will be used to support Elant projects that serve older adults and critically ill people in Orange County. For ticket or corporate sponsorship information, call Anne Arias at 291-3836.