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When Lansing Community Council President Ed LaVigne stood up to give community input at Monday's Board Of Education (BOE) meeting, he had a surprise for the school board.  "Tonight I am here to say that I am going to give a $500 check to each of our principals," LaVigne told the board.  "They may do what they please with it.  We understand that the Lansing School District is under some duress now as far as finances go.  Without knowing all the details of what you need -- it was brought to my attention today that there is a fourth grade field trip that might be canceled and a third grade trip also."

The Lansing Community Council has been in existance for many years, and for many of those years has acted as a funnel for United Way monies that help fund the Lansing Recreation Program, Lansing Youth Services, Lansing Older Adult Program (LOAP), and the Lansing Drop-in Center, as well as providing relief for people in need.    Two years ago the group was revitalized with the next generation of members, who wanted to continue the funding to these groups, but also to do more.  The group has 8 members with three serving on its board of directors.

"Money is a tool," LaVigne says.  "A very necessary tool, but still only a tool.  If you can generate money that is not a bad thing because you can help people who can't generate money.  When I read the article in the Lansing Star that Frankie Lechner was gong to step down, all of a sudden you were going to lose $10,000 that was going to go out of Lansing programs.  Once you get the money and can use it, you fight not to lose it.  And it sends a very strong message that all the people who kept the council going for so long should be commended."


The Council raised about $4,500 in additional funds and announced this week it will be dispersing $3,000 of it.  The Lansing Library, Lansing Food Pantry, Pine Grove Cemetery, and each of the three Lansing schools will each receive $500.  ""That was a complete surprise," says Middle School Principal Jamie Thomas.  "That was a very, very nice contribution.  It was a very unexpected and generous gift."

The council also hosts the Lansing Harbor Festival, which is scheduled for its second year this August 23rd in Myers Park.  This week the council also announced the winner of the 2008 logo contest is Lansing Middle School eighth grader Corey Dake, 14, whose winning entry reflects the 2008 festival theme "Celebrate Myers Park Bandstand."  It will be used on T-shirts, pencils and other Harbor Festival paraphernalia.

Last year's festival almost didn't happen when a freak storm devastated the park and cut a swarth through the town.  The community, the Town Parks Department, and the Community Council rallied, and only a week later the festival took place with about 2,000 attendees participating in a successful, fun day.   While the Town of Lansing has donated money as well as moral support for the festival in its first two years, LaVigne says the goal is to make it self-sufficient.  The festival almost reached that goal in its first year, and council officials hope to make it a reality after this year.

"We're only in our second year here," LaVigne notes.  "If anybody has any doubt about our commitment, keep in mind last year Harbor Festival was wiped out by a storm.  We scrambled and pulled this thing off the next week.  By the grace of God we were able to do it."


Much of the money has come from donors who gave to the United Way, earmarking their donations for the Community Council or even specific Lansing programs.  Many have designated an amount to be taken from their weekly paychecks.  Donations must come through the United way until the council officially gets 501-C status.  Once that happens it will be a bonafide charitable group and will be able to accept donations directly.

"People talk to each other," LaVigne says.  "There are an awful lot of good people in Lansing with good hearts.  One of the prime examples is that if you drive by the ballfields on Saturday mornings there's a barbecue to benefit somebody.  And it's usually done by different people every week.  Right there is visual proof that there are people willing to help."

Thomas says he is having no trouble deciding how to use the money in his school.  "I have had a number of things we have been asked to provide funding for at the end of the year," he says.  "We haven't been able to because of the budget situation.  So there will be no problem whatsoever finding a way to use the $500 for a program here in the Middle School, trying to preserve things that would be missed by students."

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