The Ithaca Journal (New York), June 24, 2006, Saturday

Copyright 2006 The Ithaca Journal (Ithaca, NY)
All Rights Reserved
The Ithaca Journal (New York)

June 24, 2006 Saturday 1 Edition

SECTION: OPINION; Pg. 7A

HEADLINE: Darts & Laurels

BYLINE: Readers

BODY:
Honest women:
Good deed will brighten future

LAUREL: From the Casey Family to the young ladies who found our daughter's purse at the Buttermilk Softball Fields on June 14 and drove out to our house to return it. You are truly special and remarkable! Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude! We will always remember your kindness. Your actions beautifully display the Golden Rule: "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you!"

LAUREL: From Kaile Tsapis to the Ithaca Agway from the Lehman Alternative Community School: Thank you for generously accommodating two weekends in a row of sell-out chicken barbecues! Your kind generosity helped us carry out educational objectives in Washington D.C., New York City, Cooperstown, and San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico. Your support is greatly appreciated.

LAUREL: The Sciencenter would like to thank high school students Xannie Baker, Meredith Buchberg, Laurel Joy Gabard-Durnam, Lindsey Staley, and Jingwei Zhang of Ithaca High School and Leslie Fisher of Dryden High School for their volunteer work at the Sciencenter. These students are members of the Chemsations!, who presented 10 entertaining chemistry demonstrations at the Sciencenter during the past school year. Their love of science and commitment to offer interactive and engaging Chemistry experiments was shared by visitors of all ages. The Sciencenter's appreciation is extended to each student, who generously offered many hours to learning, practicing and sharing the demonstrations with our community.

DART: From Kathy Fowler to Superintendent Pastel and the Board of Education of the Ithaca City School District. I was on The Commons on Saturday, June 10, for a rally for the Ithaca City School District Educational Support Professionals. I find it absolutely appalling to hear yet again that the BOE and Superintendent Pastel are refusing to negotiate in good faith. Then, Monday's Ithaca Journal report of the rally was very disappointing. The reporter failed to quote the two professors from the Cornell Industrial and Labor Relation School or the director from GIAC who spoke on our behalf. She did quote Roy Dexheimer, who was not even there! He stated that the ESP's only work 10 months. Most of the entire ICSD teaching staff only works 10 months! I hope both the BOE and Superintendent Pastel give the ESP's a fair contract soon and I hope The Ithaca Journal does a better job at fair reporting.

LAUREL: From Robert Bohdan to Gene Endres of Ithaca College and WICB. The "Plastic Shopping Bag Revue" thanks Gene for his last minute techno-wizardry in producing music for our Ithaca Festival parade entry. Without his version of the song "Garbage" accompanying our group we would have only been garbage.

LAUREL: From Anne Grant. As I went to Green Hills Cemetery in Dryden on Sunday to place flowers on my husband's grave the quiet beauty of this memorial garden struck me. Freshly mowed grass, lovely old trees reaching heavenward, small American flags fluttering in a gentle breeze, multicolored flowers in containers as far as I could see. I thought what a peaceful final resting place and said a silent thank you to the Harris family (Rita, Ray and Brent) for the many hours they devote to keeping this treasure in such beautiful condition. They weed, water, plant, trim, mow and rake seven months a year. All this work so we can have a place of tranquil beauty for our departed loved ones, surely a labor of love for history, community and small town American pride. It is with gratitude that I say "Thank you" to the Harris family for this unselfish gift.

LAUREL: From Florence Knapp to the two young men who helped my neighbor after he fell in front of the DMV today. Your help was very much appreciated.

LAUREL: From Dale Parker, GIAC teen program leader. I would like to thank all the cooks who participated in the Real Men Cook event. Your dishes were incredible. I would also like to thank all the people who attended the event and also those who couldn't but gave a donation to the teen program for your caring for our youth made this event a big success.

LAUREL: The VFW 961 Veterans Van Fund Committee sends a very big laurel to the businesses that donated items to be raffled at our fund-raiser day, April 15. All three P&C Stores, East Hill Car Wash, Hunts Auto, Harley Davidson, Napa, Personal Touch Salon, New Images Salon, Joe's Restaurant, Lucatellis, Valley House and Max's Holiday Inn. Also thanks go out to the many people that donated cakes and other items, plus thanks to all the ones that helped. Due to everyone we had a successful day and we can make sure our veterans get to their appointments at hospitals, doctor's offices or other medical facilities.

LAUREL: From Hillside Children's Center. Thank you to Don McKechnie, piano technician, and the Ithaca College School of Music for the donation of a piano to the music program at Hillside Children's Center's Varick campus. McKechnie and members of the school fixed, tuned and delivered the piano at no charge.

LAUREL: From Meredith Wells. A big "thank you" to the volunteers who participated in the Groton Alumni "Staff Appreciation Day" continental breakfast held at the Groton Elementary and High Schools, and the bus garage on May 2. Again volunteers gathered on May 3 to help in the mailing of 4,000 Groton Alumni newsletters. The volunteers worked endlessly to sort, fold, tape, stamp and mail the newsletters and without their effort the job could not have been completed. Groton Alumni volunteers are "shining stars."