Green Doghouse Challenge

I saw this press release today and had to share it. I hope someone I know will enter. It sounds like a wonderful opportunity to showcase green building technologies while supporting the SPCA of Tompkins County!

Image courtesy of suphakit73 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

1st Annual GREEN DOGHOUSE CHALLENGE
to benefit Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County
and the SPCA of Tompkins County

The annual Ithaca Area Green Buildings Open House is one of the premier events of its kind in the country, showcasing two dozen homes and businesses that feature both cutting-edge and traditional, time-honored green building methods, materials, and technologies.

In conjunction with the SPCA of Tompkins County, the first animal shelter in the nation to receive LEED Silver certification, we’re bringing the green to our four-legged friends, with a challenge to build the ‘greenest’ doghouse in Tompkins County. We invite you to design and build a doghouse using principles of sustainable building. Doghouses will be on display as part of the 2014 Ithaca-Area Green Buildings Open House Weekend (Saturday & Sunday, October 4 & 5, 2014) and will be auctioned as a joint fundraiser for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County and the SPCA of Tompkins County at the opening party at the SPCA of Tompkins County on Friday, October 3rd.

Important Dates
September 12th – application due and team materials packet last pick-up date
October 1st – doghouses to be delivered to SPCA of Tompkins County
October 3rd – GBOH weekend opening party, with silent auction of the doghouses
October 17th – all doghouses must be removed from SPCA property

Design Specifications

• Your house should have outdoor functionality. This means it should have a roof and should be waterproof.
• You may use any durable materials, whether recycled, reused, or purchased. It is highly recommended that you use materials that cannot be easily destroyed by dogs or Central New York weather.
• While there are no dimensional restrictions, your doghouse must be movable. The doghouse must be able to be transported to the SPCA and the buyer must be able to transport the doghouse to his/her home.
• Please consider using one or more of the following ‘green’ features in your doghouse:
  o Blown cellulose insulation
  o Local materials
  o Reclaimed or salvaged materials
  o Living roof
  o Non-toxic finishes
  o Passive Solar
  o Rainwater catchment system

Guidelines for Entry

• This competition is open to all individuals, students, businesses, and other groups.
• The non-refundable entry fee is $25. The first 6 entries received will be reimbursed with a $25 gift certificate to Agway TrueValue for use on the building of your doghouse.
• Enter online here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1KvAmPuE9YyaPjnCyhPEhBjpTnTf4CPlvbUWwzHnZcEc/viewform . The application and entry fee are due by 4 PM on September 12th, 2014. Gift certificates should be picked up by that date.
• All entries must be complete and dropped off at the SPCA of Tompkins County on Wednesday, October 1st, 2014 between the hours of 12 PM and 6 PM. Entries will be displayed during the Green Building Open House Tour on October 3rd-5th at the SPCA. Once dropped off, all entries become the property of the SPCA of Tompkins County until they are auctioned off to buyers. The SPCA of Tompkins County reserves the right to reject any participants’ entry.

If you have any questions, please contact Mila Fournier or Guillermo Metz of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County at 607-272-2292 or at ymf5@cornell.edu or gm52@cornell.edu

Ravellenic Games: Part II

I knit two cat beds for the Tompkins County SPCA. The sides are floppy, but the beds themselves are cushy, so I hope some of the cats will enjoy them. For this, I received three medals – one in Free Dance (an open event), one in Charity Curling, and one in Stash Skeleton (for using yarn that has been in my stash for awhile).

 

March for the Animals

The March for the Animals was at the beautiful arboretum at Cornell Plantations. Unfortunately, it was a very rainy day, but we had fun anyway! The March raised around $90,000 for the SPCA. Thanks to everyone who sponsored us!

Invasion of the Chihuahuas

After a request came in from Best Friends, the Tompkins County SPCA took in 20 little pups from high-kill shelters in Los Angeles. Most of the dogs were adopted within days! This is one of the reasons we are marching to help raise funds for the SPCA. You can still sponsor us today!

March for the Animals

Walter would like you to sign up to participate in the Tompkins County SPCA March for the Animals, which will be on Saturday, September 22. The March will start at the Cornell Vet School and end at Cornell Plantations, where there will be a band, BBQ, and more celebrations!

If you can’t walk, please sponsor us via our fundraising page or click on the March logo on the top right of the blog.

The money will help the SPCA with their mission of saving animals – it’s the biggest fundraiser of the year.