C.V. Whitney that for her birthday he install air conditioning in the Canfield Casino, since she did not want her guests to suffer the heat at her annual ball. Along with the Whitney Gala each year, the building is used for many fundraisers, weddings and other activities that benefit the community. In 2015, Marylou and her husband, John Hendrickson, donated the cost to build Centennial Park in Saratoga Springs as a gift to the city for its 100th Anniversary. Adirondacks Marylou Whitney was the largest private landowner in the state of New York by owning Whitney Park. Whitney had ties to the Long Lake area in the Adirondacks. Upon CV's death in 1992, Marylou inherited Whitney Industries, a large gravel and lumber business with 51,000 acres (210 km²) of critical Adirondack real estate. With John Hendrickson taking the lead in negotiations, some 14,700 acres (59 km²) were sold to New York State for $17.1 million, after initially seeking rights to develop 40 exclusive shoreline estates on the western stretch of the Whitney Estate. Environmentalists strongly advocated New York State to purchase 14,700 acres. The acquired lands are called the William C. Whitney Wilderness Area. On July 16, 2007 Marylou and John donated $250,000 to the Long Lake Library, a gift of five times the library's operating budget. In celebration of the gift, the library will be renamed The Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney Long Lake Library. The Marylou Whitney Medical Complex in Long Lake, New York, was also dedicated in her honor for her devotion to their needs. She is also a supporter of the Long Lake United Methodist Church. New York City In New York City, Whitney was one of the first supporters and largest underwriters of the USO. She was honored as USO Woman of the Year for her financial support and her support during World War II at which time she hosted a radio show called "Private Smiles". The show aired around the world from Kansas City. Her show was reported to have a better rating than her dear friend, Walter Cronkite. In a nod to Marylou's radio persona, C.V. Whitney later named a race horse "Pvt Smiles." Pvt Smiles competed against Secretariat in the 1973 Belmont Stakes American Sportscasters Association (ASA) Whitney, an ASA member, served as Honorary Dinner Chairman of the American Sportscasters Association's eighth annual Hall of Fame Dinner (December 3, 1992) and their ninth annual