The spirit of Make A Difference Day will spread throughout the country Saturday. Participants will work on special projects, and assist the elderly, children and families in need.

        Created by USA Weekend magazine 11 years ago, this is the largest national day set aside for helping others.

        The United Auto Workers union and Ford Motor Co. in Sharonville are reaching out to seniors and children. Volunteers from the Family Service and Learning Center of Ford and the union will deliver American flags to veterans and will refurbish several playgrounds.

        From 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, flags will go to the VA Hospital in Fort Thomas, home of 85 World War II and Vietnam War veterans; the Lincoln-Crawford Nursing Home in Walnut Hills; and the SEM (Seven Ecumenical Ministries) Haven Nursing Home in Milford.

        Volunteers will start refurbishing Brian's Place, a playground for children with disabilities in Florence, at 9 a.m. Saturday and continue until the project is finished.

        “The is the most comprehensive union-management partnership ever negotiated to meet the diverse needs of working families and retirees,” said Jim Bath, director of human resources for the Sharonville Ford Plant.

        More than 100 students from the combined middle schools and the high school in the Edgewood City School District will gather at the Middle School, 3440 Busenbark Road, on Saturday and be bused to various locations throughout the community to work on Make A Difference Day projects.

        Last year, 125 Edgewood students participated in the Make A Difference Day activities, organized by Trenton Councilwoman Rhonda Freeze. Last year's project was recognized as one of 10 outstanding projects in Ohio.

        Make A Difference Day could mean a different direction for 80 youths, ages 14 to 17, who will complete job readiness training Saturday and be interviewed by the Kroger Co. for jobs.

        The training was conducted by the Forest Park Chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority at the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati, 3458 Reading Road, Avondale.

        “We taught them what to wear to work, about getting to work on time and about taking responsibilities on the job,” said Robin Stewart Busby, director of marketing for the sorority. “We will do mock interviews before they are interviewed by Kroger representatives.”

        The Hamilton County Educational Service Center, Greater Cincinnati's Executive Women International, and Barnes and Noblewill present more than 200 books to students and staff at Duvall Elementary School in Mount Healthy on Make A Difference Day.

        Allen Howard's “Some Good News” column runs Monday-Friday and Sundays. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are committing random acts of kindness that are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at (513) 768-8362; at ahoward@enquirer.com; or by fax at (513) 768-8340.

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