By Janet C. Wetzel
Enquirer contributor

People call Margaret Fritz determined, happy, loving, steadfast and solid as a rock.

She's all that, at 85 years old. Not that you would ever know it. She works rings around many half her age, and she does it expecting nothing in return, and with no complaints about the bad knees that are clearly troublesome.

Mrs. Fritz works 35 to 50 hours a week as director and bookkeeper of St. Michael Center in Lower Price Hill, a ministry for the needy the Cincinnati Archdiocese let her start in 1998.

The motto by which she's lived more than 40 years: "Make today better than yesterday for people who are less fortunate."

A bookkeeper 35 years before retiring in the early 1970s, Mrs. Fritz - known to many as "Aunt Geke" - gets a small stipend for 20 hours of her time.

When asked how many hours she spends there, she laughed and said, "Why, as many hours as it takes, of course. And people know that if they're in a situation where they need help, they can call on me. Necessity doesn't go by a time clock."

Her mission began in 1961 when her church, St. Anthony, was demolished for urban renewal. The priests there, Comboni Missionaries from Mount Washington, asked her to go with them to St. Michael and volunteer there for a few months.

"I'm still here," she said. "The priests are gone, the church closed in 1998 from lack of membership, but I never left."

When St. Michael Parish closed, the area became the jurisdiction of Holy Family Parish in Price Hill, then pastored by the Rev. Mark Burger. The Rev. Steven Angi is the pastor now and is supportive of the center, said Mrs. Fritz, a volunteer at Holy Family.

"The center is just one of those things that had to be done," said Mrs. Fritz. "We got lots of people to help us. Those in need can get a bag of groceries a month from our food pantry. We have a thrift store."

Mrs. Fritz, known for her sense of humor and warm spirit, acts surprised when asked why she spends her life helping others.

"This is nothing. I just do whatever needs to be done," she said. "I'm happiest when I'm doing something to help others. I don't want to get stale."

But the white-haired mother of one and grandmother of three, is adamant that people know that the center is a joint effort made possible by the help of many including donors and other volunteers.

"These people know who they are, and they know we could not survive without their physical help, financial help and donations of goods."

Linda Esterman, St. Michael's outreach worker, said Mrs. Fritz deserves far more credit than she will accept.

"Her work is extensive in our neighborhood, where often people are in need," Mrs. Esterman said. "It may be someone who is hungry, or may need diapers or formula. Margaret's always ready to help any way she can. This place is her brainchild."

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 jjwetzel@siscom.net or fax to (513) 755-4150.