Woman Struck By Car Gets Injury Award

1997 Book Of Dreams Recipient Hopes To Fulfill Another's `dream' In '98 
My Children And I Were Recipients Of Gifts This Year, And I Want To Send My 
Heartfelt Thanks To Chris Ritchie And Everyone Associated With The Book Of 
Dreams.

By ELIZABETH AGUILERA; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Thursday, January 22, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 2A 





KINGSTON- Most of the pets Pringle Street Elementary School students
received for Christmas are dead or have a virtual foot in the grave. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And parents say their kids could have used something a little more
practical than the egg-shaped electronic gadgets the Parent-Teacher
Organization handed out the day before Christmas vacation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The PTO, which operates on dues and money from fund-raisers, bought 165
cyber-pets, one for every student at the Pringle Street school. The cyber-pets
were outlawed at school before the students received them, said PTO President
Bonnie Wynder. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Virtual pets are hand-held video games that beep when they are in need- of
food, sleep and companionship. And they seem to need something all the time,
said parents who are left to babysit while their kids go to school. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Several parents are upset because they say Wynder, PTO Secretary Cindi
Zimmerman and Treasurer Debbie Klinges never consulted them about the
purchase. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Every other year the ideas for the gifts were presented to the whole
organization for discussion, if not a vote," said PTO member Staci Miller.
"The bylaws of our organization clearly state the executive board can only
approve purchases up to $25. They had no right to go ahead with this." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wynder, who became acting president late last year, said she had no idea
she was supposed to present the purchase to the group as a whole. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Other parents were irritated that children received yet another virtual
pet- most of them already had one- instead of a practical gift such as a
sweater. They also said the PTO, which spent $4.99 per toy, was being stingy. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We spend a lot of time fund raising and then all they get are these toys
they don't even play with and can't take to school," said parent Terry Olson,
adding that the PTO told her the toys cost $8. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 She also said she was told the students would be given gloves, but they
never materialized. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Parent Christine Bucholtz said the toys do teach children to take care of
something and be responsible. But the students have to want to do it. Her
daughter had four other pets, so she gave the PTO gift to a cousin. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wynder defended the PTO's choice. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Christmas is for kids and they finally got something they wanted," she
said. "If people think there are kids who need sweaters or gloves, they should
talk to social agencies." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Some parents disagree. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "There are a lot of poor kids in this area who could benefit from something
different," said a grandmother at the school Tuesday who did not want to be
named. About half of the school's children come from low-income families,
according to the state Department of Education. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Last year students received folders and school supplies for Christmas. In
previous years they received sweatshirts, beach towels and other Pringle
Elementary apparel. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Principal Kathy Kosenak called the pets "a distraction." Other area schools
have already banned the pets from within their halls. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Kathy Margallis said her son, Jacob, who is in kindergarten, already had a
few pets and the one he got from school died right away. "It's not really
something they can play with, so I don't understand it." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Margallis and other parents who have been left at home to care for the
games said they are fed up with them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "I tried to watch it but when it started

Virtual Pets Sparking Real Battle A School Pto's Choice Of Christmas Gifts For The Students Produces No Good Cheer For Some Parents