A single-family home on Union Mills Road was damaged by fire Thursday afternoon, according to the Broadalbin-Kennyetto Fire Company.

Fire was coming from the first and second floors and the basement when crews arrived at 765 Union Mills Road around 4:44 p.m.

No injuries were reported. No one was home at the time the fire broke out, Broadalbin-Kennyetto Fire Chief Bill Robinson said Friday.

The fire was reported by a neighbor. The occupant of the home returned around the same time.

Crews attacked the fire from inside the home on all three floors and vented the roof. They remained on scene until around midnight.

“Everybody did a good job, came together and did our job to extinguish the fire,” Robinson said.

Fire damage primarily impacted a bedroom. The entire home suffered smoke, heat and water damage. Robinson was unsure if the home would be salvageable.

The sole occupant of the home was displaced by the blaze, at least temporarily. Assistance will be sought from the American Red Cross.

The cause is under investigation by state police fire investigators, Robinson said.

Assistance at the scene was provided by the Perth Volunteer Fire Company, Mayfield Fire Department, Berkshire Volunteer Fire Department, Galway Volunteer Fire Company, and Providence Volunteer Fire Department.

Police, Lake Valley EMS, Fulton County Emergency Management Office and National Grid also responded to the scene. The Hagaman Volunteer Fire Department was on standby for Perth.

Reach Ashley Onyon at aonyon@dailygazette.net.

Travis Witbeck raced his way to victory in the fifth-annual Sunflower 50 on Broadalbin’s small go-kart track. And, while he might have earned the bragging rights, the real winner was Operation At Ease.

Witbeck didn’t keep the $250 winner’s check from the Aug. 24 race at Hightower Raceway; instead, he joined others in donating to Operation At Ease, an organization that takes dogs from shelters, pairs them with veterans and first responders and provides training for post-traumatic stress, mobility and psychiatric service dogs.

On Thursday, the Perry family, owners of Hightower Farm, along with friends and family, presented Operation At Ease representatives Joni Bonilla and Makenzie Merendo with a check for $40,000 from this year’s event — including Witbeck’s winner’s check and an additional $50 he donated.

“That’s is impressive,” Bonilla said. “It is always humbling to see the community come together to support what we do. It is always appreciated. It is hard to come up with the right words. They took their time, their home and gave us the day.”

How the Sunflower 50 began

The Sunflower 50 began with local drivers Matt Perry and John DuMond inviting local racers to get together for some fun on the backyard track with Predator go-karts.

The small group grew, and after a suggestion from a friend, the Sunflower 50 was established with the purpose of providing support for a local charity. In 2023, the proceeds from the event were donated to the Crossroads Center for Children and to the Veterans and Community Housing Coalition – Vethelp in 2024.

“This is a wonderful, fun event that raised a lot of money for us,” Merendo said. “It will be very helpful in the future to save dogs and people.”

The Rotterdam-based organization has worked with veterans and first responders to provide service dogs for a decade.

“We work with many local shelters, but get many of our dogs from the Mohawk-Hudson Humane Society and Project Paws in Fort Edward,” Bonilla said.

“We work with a lot of different groups. We have a great relationship with our local VA and other veterans who have come through our program will refer us. Interested people can start by visiting our website or just giving us a call for more information.”

Plans are already underway for the 2026 race, which will be held in conjunction with Perry’s Sunflower Festival and Farm Days. The beneficiary will be determined in the near future.

“Thank you to the Perry family for opening up their home,” Bonilla said. “We know their love of racing and for making us racecar lovers. We are looking forward to coming on to support next year’s charity.”

The Sunflower 50 go-kart race raised money for........

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