Pet of the WeekHi there my name is Slinky. I am a spayed female gray tabby. I am an adorable one year old who needs an awesome home to spend the rest of my life in. Will you give an adorable cat a loving home? Come and visit me at the SPCA.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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United Way of Tompkins County Campaign Co-Chairs, Dr. Rob Mackenzie, President & CEO of Cayuga Medical Center and Jean McPheeters, President of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, hosted a special Campaign Committee Meeting at Robert Purcell Community Center. The Food Bank of the Southern Tier organized a service project, which had the fifty-five volunteers and guests packing 220 backpacks to be distributed as part of the BackPack Program.

United Way funded this program, which provides nutritious snacks over the weekends and during school breaks for students in the Newfield and Ithaca City School Districts. Mackenzie and McPheeters announced that the Community Campaign is at 93% of the $2,000,000 goal and based on other gift commitments, the outlook was promising to meet and even exceed this milestone goal by the closing campaign date of March 31st.

With the financial pressures of being a no-kill animal shelter, the Tompkins County SPCA can use all the help it can get.  This summer the shelter was so overburdened that it offered a two for the price of one sale on cats for months.  SO it must have been a welcome surprise when SPCA officials learned that the Kindergarten through fourth grade students at Lansing's Raymond C. Buckley Elementary School had raised $1,506 for the shelter in a three week campaign last December.  "It was about the children and coming up with something they would connect with," says Principal Chris Pettograsso.  "And they do with pets.  They love pets."

Hi there my name is Zeus! I am a white pit bull terrier mix. I am six months old and forty to sixty pounds. I need a home that will love me for as long as I live. If a caring family in need of a great dog comes and brings me home I would be sooo happy! So why don't you be that wonderful family and come and check me out at the SPCA.

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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Ask IMOAsk IMO

Lansing's Advice Column

Email your questions to IMO at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dear IMO,

My co-workers asked me to take part in the office super bowl pool. It's only a dollar per square, but I wasn't very comfortable putting my name down as the organizer of the pool did not get permission from the manager. Am I being overly cautious? Are there legal/ethical issues to consider before placing these small bets?

Thanks,
Mary Beth

Dear Mary Beth,

Any activity in an office that brings people together for enjoyment and camaraderie is a good way to maintain office harmony and promote workplace productivity. Office sponsored events like appreciation dinners and picnics provide employees with a sense of self-worth and appreciation. Other events, like an office pool may appear to serve the same function, but there are a few things to consider.

Dan SegalThis is not another ‘looking out my window at the snow, drinking a hot mug of tea and poring over seed catalogs while daydreaming of the summer garden' piece...I have read 100 versions of that article and while it's fun to read and easy to write #101, this isn't it. No, the only reference to seed catalogs here is this: the article about starting off the new year with a clean desk, which I cut out because it offered some tips that seemed to be written expressly for my desk, is now buried under seed catalogs, on my desk. I can still see the corner of it, sticking out like the ear of a hiding critter.

Part of the headline-"...with a clean desk"-is still visible. But for how long? It's January 5th as I write this, which means I'm almost past the point of "starting" the year. Another ironic tip in the article is to throw out those things on your desk you know you won't read or use, even though you say you will. Is this one of those articles I've cut out before, only to find a year or so later, yellowed and dusty, that I'll enjoy reading but wince at the date?

Winter RecessWinter Recess, Ithaca's weeklong celebration of classroom teachers, has been selected as a Bronze Award winner in the tourism industry's annual Adrian Awards competition. The national honor highlights innovative programs in hospitality and travel.

Now in its 51st year, the Adrian Awards competition is among the most prestigious in the tourism industry. Organized by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association, this year's competition attracted nearly 1,300 entries. Award winners will be honored at the annual Adrian Awards Gala in New York City, Jan. 28.

Slogging through the rain forest for two and a half hours on foot to go to a one room schoolhouse isn't everybody's cup of tea.  It's muddy, there are no roads, and you have to carry everything you want to bring with you.  But that is exactly what two Ithaca High School students plan to do.  Russ Sternglass (18) and Golda Rosenfield (18) will be leaving for the Cabecar Indian Village in the middle of Costa Rica on February 13 to share music and art with children at two Indian schools there. 

The schools are one room school houses, one four old and the other built last year, largely from donated money.  "We'll drive a bus to the edge of the world, through the mountains and through the rain forest until we get to the center of the Indian reservation," says Casey Carr, Sternglass's mother.  "The Indians have been self sufficient so far.  But since they've been crammed into such a small space, they've eaten all of the wild animals on the reservation in order to survive.  Now they're trying to survive by growing crops.  So one of the reasons for these schools is to try to teach the children how to be environmentally healthy and self sufficient at the same time.  Otherwise they will wipe out the little that they've been allowed to have."

Last Friday Lions and Leos club members gathered in Lansing Community Center to welcome a new member to the Leos.  Sean Streb (13) was sworn into the Leos as the club's newest member.  The Leos Club is the youth version of the world-wide service organization.  "My brother encouraged me to join," Streb says.  "I'm looking forward to going to Woodsedge and all those projects."

Ask IMOAsk IMO

Lansing's Advice Column

Email your questions to IMO at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dear IMO,

My children and I are converts to Islam. My husband is from Pakistan. We met in college, and when things got serious between us and wanted to get married, I decided to become a Muslim as I did not have any religious affiliation. We have been happily married for 10 years. We practice a very "American" form of Islam-I do not wear a head scarf, and we share all duties and responsibilities.

The problem is with our children, ages 7 and 6. They want to celebrate Christmas, but my husband says it is a Christian Holiday, and it would not be right for us to merely exchange gifts since it has a much stronger religious meaning. The kids feel really bad around the holidays knowing there will be no Christmas tree or gifts in our home. How can I explain to him the cultural/secular meaning behind the holiday and have a little celebration in our home?

Samira

Dear Samira,

Pet of the WeekHi there, my name is Dryden. I am a female gray and white tabby. I need a wonderful home with wonderful people. So please come and visit me at the SPCA to see if I am right for you!

Visit the SPCA Web Page

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