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Iggies commended for family-friendly actions

Thank you, Iggies, and congratulations for becoming the first restaurant (I believe) in Oxford to post the International Breastfeeding symbol! This symbol was created as a result of a contest in 2006 "to increase the public awareness of breastfeeding; to designate breastfeeding and family friendly facilities in public; and to provide an alternative to the use of the image of a baby bottle" (www.mothering.com/breastfeedingsymbol).

The symbol was not created to be posted only in the locations where mothers can nurse their babies "privately" hidden from public eyes (such as a restroom), but to help breastfeeding become a public norm. Ohio has a law protecting nursing mothers in public and is one of the few states that have a more liberal interpretation of the breastfeeding law.

Before putting the symbol up, Ingrid Schreiber, the owner, communicated information to her employees about the Ohio Revised Code (sec 3781.55) as well as the breastfeeding supportive position of the store. Although the store does not have any restrooms, the employees are willing to provide any help needed to create a comfortable environment for nursing mothers and others. While many Oxford restaurants seem to be more geared toward college students, it is very nice to have a family-friendly place (especially for infants and young children). Thank you!

Tomoko Brown

Oxford

Oxford Museum Association appreciates Greeks

Be thankful for Greeks bearing dust mops ... and brooms, buckets, etc. Once again, the Oxford Museum Association was the beneficiary of Greek students who set aside a day to give back to our community. On April 27, a group of six members of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority arrived at the Pioneer Farm to lend a hand in getting the Doty Homestead and the Pioneer Barn spic and span in preparation for company before the visitation season begins Memorial Day weekend.

Within about three hours, both facilities were thoroughly cleaned and ready for inspection.

A big thanks goes to Christina, Jennifer, Jackie, Katie, Kim and Natalie for their abounding energy and excellent work. They actually seemed to make chores fun and, when they finished with the sweeping, dusting, mopping, moving artifacts and washing windows, the Pioneer Farm was a better place.

The Greek service day is a wonderful tradition that impacts Oxford in so many ways. We appreciate all you do!

Bill King

Director of Programs

and Properties,

Oxford Museum Association

Scouts thank fund for Pinewood

On behalf of Cub Scout Pack 961 (Oxford), I would like to thank the Oxford Community Foundation's John E and Grace C. Dome Memorial Fund for the grant to purchase a Pinewood Derby Racetrack. A Pinewood Derby is a wooden car race where Cub Scouts (with some assistance) carve and make a wooden car to compete in a series of local and regional races.

The aim of the races is promote car design, project completion, interaction between parent and son as well as providing a positive environment for the boys to have a race competition.

We used the racetrack in our local Pack 961 Pinewood Derby as well as in our Fort Hamilton District Pinewood Derby. Both were a great success with more than 140 boys participating in the districtwide derby April 5 at Talawanda Middle School. In fact, the track was used for the grand championship finals.

We also would like to extend our thanks not just on behalf of the boys from this year, but also from future years as the track will be used for a long time to come and will provide a valuable resource within our local Cub Scout Pack 961 and the Fort Hamilton District.

Randy Rolke

Pack Leader/Head Organizer,

Pack 961

Tobacco settlement money misused

Devastating. That is the best word to describe Governor Strickland's raid on money allocated to support tobacco control efforts in Ohio. In 1998, the Attorney General signed the Master Settlement Agreement to recover billions of dollars in costs associated with treating smoking-related illnesses.

In Ohio, the tobacco settlement was used to create several endowment funds, including the tobacco prevention and control fund that is administered by the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation. Ohio's settlement was $10.1 billion, and only a portion of the funds received were allocated for tobacco control. The tobacco prevention endowment was to reach a balance of $1.26 billion and yield $60 million annually for a comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation program, without ever using state taxpayer dollars.

Unfortunately the Ohio Legislature has redirected the majority of the Tobacco Foundation's funding to the state's general fund. The most recent raid on the funds occurred last week when Governor Strickland signed a bill that diverts all but $40 million, or less than one year's budget for the foundation, to his economic stimulus plan. This action will stop the significant progress Ohio has made in reducing the devastating health effects and financial toll of tobacco use.

Ten years ago, Ohio had some of the highest smoking rates in the county. In the past several years, utilizing funding provided by the MSA, the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation has expanded tobacco control initiatives. These programs have reduced Ohio's tobacco use by more than 40 percent among youth and nearly 15 percent among adults. There are nearly 375,000 fewer adult smokers now than in 2003.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that states establish tobacco-control programs that are comprehensive, accountable and, most of all, sustainable. Despite significant progress, tobacco remains the No. 1 cause of preventable death in Ohio. If we eliminate funding for tobacco control, our citizens will face the consequences. More Ohio children will become addicted to tobacco, more Ohio citizens will die prematurely from tobacco use, and all Ohio taxpayers will pay the bill for higher health care costs.

By investing in tobacco prevention, we will save Ohio taxpayers money by reducing the $4.37 billion a year Ohioans pay in health care bills related to tobacco, including $1.4 billion in Medicaid payments.

Lori Kondas

Vice president

of Mission Services,

American Lung Association

of Ohio

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