MIDDLETOWN - Karl Gaston spends half of his time putting out fires, and the other half starting them.

        He lights inspirational fires in young people, to encourage them to set higher goals and work harder to achieve them.

        Mr. Gaston, who is a full-time firefighter/paramedic for the Middletown Division of Fire, and part-time for Golf Manor Fire Department, is committed to helping others. Volunteering is his second full-time job.

        The 44-year-old Middletonian's efforts earned him the Mary Maurer volunteer of the year award in 2001. Mrs. Maurer, of Monroe, is a noted philanthropist and volunteer.

        As chairman of the Riverfront Classic End Zone Club, a college preparatory program for youths in grades 7-12, Mr. Gaston helps start new chapters. The goal is to make the club national. The Tristate has five now, including the one he formed in Middletown in 1999.

        The club meets at the Middletown Community Center weekly in the summer, and twice monthly during school. It helps guide youths to follow their dreams and reach new heights, through youth summits, conferences, workshops, field trips and community service, such as putting carbon monoxide detectors in some area homes.

        “By the time they're in the 11th grade they have an awesome portfolio that shows community service, college preparatory workshops, plus proficiency, ACT and SAT test instruction,” Mr. Gaston said.

        It's common for him to spend 20-30 hours each week on the club work alone, and his antennae searches constantly for people with specific gifts whom he can challenge to help with the club.

        But club work is just part of his youth initiatives. Mr. Gaston, father of Brian, age 11, and Destinee, 3, is co-chairman of the Youth Park Committee for MiddFest International. He's active with the Power Station Gym Strength Team he started in 1997 with Middletonian Davonne Calhoun to help high school students build strong bodies and strong minds. Members meet regularly and must improve their grades each period to stay on the team.

        Now he's busy starting a new program, GIFTT - Giving Inspiration for Today and Tomorrow - to raise money for health care and other needs for underprivileged youths. Middletown police, fire, and city schools are collaborating on GIFTT. This fall, he will ask students at all area schools to bring in $1, and will solicit businesses and churches to help reach the goal of $150,000 for the fund. It was inspired by a fund-raiser he had for Todd Shields, a teenage heart patient in the End Zone Club, who suggested an expanded effort to help other youthsMr. Gaston and his End Zone club, which operates under the auspices of Riverfront Classic Football Game and Jamboree, are also collaborating with Nike Shoes, American Youth Football, the National Football League and the Power Station team, on a Shoes for Study Program. He will have 2,200 pairs of football shoes to give to Little League, middle and high school football teams in greater Cincinnati and Dayton. Working with Joe Gallett, with American Youth Football, who is involved with Nike, Mr.Gaston got 200 pairs last year. This year, Mr. Gallett, who is also working with Mr. Gaston on a free youth football camp for this summer, came up with 2,200 pairs.

        Cecelia Thompsom, community center director, said his work is outstanding.

        “It's not just for show,” Mrs. Thompson said. “He actually loves these kids and works with them for hours each week. They KNOW he cares. It seems like his plate his full and overflowing, but when someone needs him, he always finds a way to give a little more of himself. He's a wonderful inspiration, so positive. Many of our kids are missing father figures, so he fills many gaps. I'm working on a way to clone him.”

        Mr. Gaston said he was raised to help others, and his volunteering began as a child, mowing lawns for elderly neighbors. Before moving here from Lexington he worked for Habitat for Humanity. After moving to Middletown, in 1996, he developed a motivational speech he took to schools called The Dream Exercise. He talks about how his fire department job is a service and takes them through a visionary exercise to let them see themselves in the future doing what they really want to do.

        “My mother taught me as a child that no matter how little you think you have to give, you have enough to help others,” Mr. Gaston said. “If you help others, God will bring it back to you tenfold. I choose to do these things instead of going out to a movie or some such thing. I love working with youths. They're our future.”

        Do you know a Hometown Hero ... someone in your community dedicated to making it a better place to live and helping others? E-mail Janet Wetzel at jjwetzelsiscom.net or fax to 513-755-4150.

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