Archive: Around Town

Last week as the Backtalk Band played at Myers Park for the second-to-last Concert in the Park for the season, three Lansing 4th graders set up shop next to the stage.  Julia Rasmussen, Baylee Spackman and Jena Gooch organized a bake sale to benefit the Tompkins County SPCA.  Julia, who has a cat and a dog and two hermit crabs, is no novice to raising money for the SPCA.  When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, she wanted to help.  "I just took a whole bunch of my allowance," she says.  "For my party I asked people to bring money for the SPCA.  Then I sent it"

When her mother suggested later that she raise money for local cats and dogs, she followed through.  "Of course they sent her a nice thank you letter," says mom Caroline Rasmussen so she got jazzed about helping the SPCA."

The SPCA promised to bring kittens, but when they arrived the music was too loud for them, so they were hustled away.  But that didn't deter people from buying from the girls.  They brought trays around, not waiting for people to come to their table.  Some of the treats they had to offer were cookies, cakes, zucchini muffins and bread, banana bread, rice crispy squares, and brownies.  They had drinks and Popsicles as well.

The girls plan to go to the Lansing Recreation Department Cooking Camp next week, and they baked most of the desserts along with their moms.  "I baked a cake, chocolate chip cookies, some zucchini muffins," Julia says.  "I handed her the ingredients," says Caroline.  "Julia is a great baker.  She's an amazing baker."

By the end of the concert the three girls, along with their moms and friends Molly Spackman, Emily Rasmussen, Alex and Parker Hay, Marissa Saprano, had grossed $185.  Julia's mom took the three to the SPCA Tuesday to present their donation.  "They were very pleased with their accomplishment," Caroline says.  "We had a very happy time playing with the kittens, cats, and dogs waiting for adoption.  We resisted bringing any pets home but it was tough!"


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