var homeoff = new Image();
  homeoff.src = "images/home_off.gif";
  var homeon = new Image();
  homeon.src = "images/home_on.gif";

  var aboutoff = new Image();
  aboutoff.src = "images/about_off.gif";
  var abouton = new Image();
  abouton.src = "images/about_on.gif";

  var virtual_touroff = new Image();
  virtual_touroff.src = "images/virtual_tour_off.gif";
  var virtual_touron = new Image();
  virtual_touron.src = "images/virtual_tour_on.gif";

  var family_historyoff = new Image();
  family_historyoff.src = "images/family_history_off.gif";
  var family_historyon = new Image();
  family_historyon.src = "images/family_history_on.gif";

  var calendaroff = new Image();
  calendaroff.src = "images/calendar_off.gif";
  var calendaron = new Image();
  calendaron.src = "images/calendar_on.gif";

  var scrapbookoff = new Image();
  scrapbookoff.src = "images/scrapbook_off.gif";
  var scrapbookon = new Image();
  scrapbookon.src = "images/scrapbook_on.gif";

  var newsoff = new Image();
  newsoff.src = "images/news_off.gif";
  var newson = new Image();
  newson.src = "images/news_on.gif";

  var historicaloff = new Image();
  historicaloff.src = "images/historical_off.gif";
  var historicalon = new Image();
  historicalon.src = "images/historical_on.gif";

  var r_shoppeoff = new Image();
  r_shoppeoff.src = "images/r_shoppe_off.gif";
  var r_shoppeon = new Image();
  r_shoppeon.src = "images/r_shoppe_on.gif";

  var tours_rentaloff = new Image();
  tours_rentaloff.src = "images/tours_rental_off.gif";
  var tours_rentalon = new Image();
  tours_rentalon.src = "images/tours_rental_on.gif";

  var get_involvedoff = new Image();
  get_involvedoff.src = "images/get_involved_off.gif";
  var get_involvedon = new Image();
  get_involvedon.src = "images/get_involved_on.gif";

  var favorite_linksoff = new Image();
  favorite_linksoff.src = "images/favorite_links_off.gif";
  var favorite_linkson = new Image();
  favorite_linkson.src = "images/favorite_links_on.gif";

var isMenuAct = false; // the menu is not active yet

function actMenuItem(imgName) {
  isMenuAct = true; // the menu is now active
  act(imgName);
  inact(defImg);
}

function inactMenuItem(imgName) {
  isMenuAct = false; // the menu is no longer active
  if (document.images) {
    inact(imgName);
    timerID = setTimeout('if (!isMenuAct) act("' +  defImg + '")', 100);
  }
}

function act(imgName) {
  if (document.images) 
    document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + "on.src");
}

function inact(imgName) {
  if (document.images)
    document[imgName].src = eval(imgName + "off.src");
}