Archive: Around Town

Tonight (Friday) at 5pm Lansing Youth Services hosts its annual spaghetti supper to raise funds to support its programs.  But this time Lansing middle schoolers will also be raising money for Family and Children's Services of Ithaca.  "I am so blown away by this," says Youth Services Program Manager Isabel Bazaldua.  "I am so proud of these students.  A lot of people think of middle-schoolers as selfish.  This program demonstrates to me that they simply need an opportunity to demonstrate their generosity and that they're really not selfish."

The idea formed after Gina Shattuck asked Bazaldua whether any of her students would be interested in creating art for Family and Children's Services.  The organization plans to print student-made art on greeting cards they will sell to raise funding.  Bazaldua brought the idea to her 'Making A Difference' (MAD) group, a service learning program that has 10 students this year.  That got the students thinking about other ways they can raise money for the organization, and they soon came up with plans for a raffle and silent auction as well.

"They were so excited that they want to do that absolutely," Shattuck says.  "But they've taken it one step further.  Not only are they going to create art work to be made into these cards to be sold, but they're going to have a raffle and a silent auction to benefit Family Children Services at their annual dinner."

"Somebody said, 'Let's have a raffle and give the money to Family and Children's Services,'" Bazaldua recalls.  "Someone else said, 'We could buy grocery cards and give those...'"

The grocery cards will be given to Family and Children's Services to distribute to families in need, especially in Lansing.  Meanwhile Shattuck has been approaching local businesses to donate items for the silent auction.

Family and Children's Services is the oldest human services agency in Tompkins County.  Founded in 1885, the organization is a licensed adoption agency, and provides food and financial help to needy families.  It runs a program to train home health aides, and offers licensed clinical and home care programs.


Creating the artwork and fundraisers for Family and Children's Services isn't MAD's first foray into good works.  In collaboration with US Club, another middle school after school group, they have also made dog biscuits and dog toys, and are planning a bake sale.  The proceeds of the bake sale will be donated to the Tompkins County SPCA and Cayuga Dog Rescue.

This Spring Lansing Youth Services is offering nine programs at the middle school, including Master of Tricks, Babysitting Training, Dungeons & Dragons, Primitive Pursuits, Green Thumbs, and others.  The programs are free to middle school-aged kids who live in Lansing.

Bazaldua says that she is most impressed with the way the MAD kids have run with the idea, growing a simple idea into a multi-faceted fund raising effort.  "I love this program," she says.  "I am so wowed by these students"

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