A fraternity at Miami University has helped to supply funds for a nonprofit child advocacy group.

The Kappa Alpha Theta Fraternity held its annual "Cakes for CASA" pancake cookout at Oxford and raised $700. The money went to Parachute, the voluntary arm of Butler County's Court Appointed Special Advocates, said Tanya Buchanan, who trains and coordinates volunteers for the program.

"CASA's mission is to act as an advocate on behalf of abused and neglected children throughout the country," Ms. Buchanan said. "Our group here is part of a national group

"We raise our own funds because Parachute is nonprofit and not a part of the county budget. Parachute is supported by individuals, corporate donations, grants and groups such as the fraternity that conducted a fund-raising event."

She said Parachute volunteers work with one family at a time on a weekly basis.

"Our main mission is to get to know the abused or neglected children in order to provide information to the court," she said.

She said Parachute volunteers have provided more than 69,000 hours of advocacy services at a value exceeding $3 million to nearly 1,000 children since the organization was founded in 1987.

For more information about volunteering or donating to the group, call 887-3880.

Don't throw away those holiday greeting cards. They can be recycled to help the abused, abandoned and neglected children at the St. Jude's Ranch in Boulder City, Nev.

Mary Shinkles, coordinator of solid waste for the Boone County Public Works Department, has teamed with Bob's 50% Off Cards in Florence to recycle the cards.

"We started this last year and it has been a booming success," Ms. Shinkles said. "We collected 58,000 cards last year."

She said Bob's recycles the cards and she mails them to the ranch.

Children at the ranch make new cards from the old ones and sell them in the Ranch newsletter and gift shop.

Drop cards off at the Bob's store, 8470 Highway 42, Suite C, Florence. Or call (859)-334-3600.

This year, 118 families will get a gift through Sharing Tree, an annual partnership between the city of Mount Healthy and the Mount Healthy City School District.

Students, staff and the community will collect toys, food and clothing to be distributed Wednesday.

Bring donations to the Sunshine Fund, Mount Healthy City Schools Treasurer's Office, 7615 Harrison Ave.

The Warren County Bar Association has donated $1,500 to area food banks. Donations went to FAITH Emergency Services, Mason; Franklin Area Community Services Food Bank; Kings Food Pantry, South Lebanon; Lebanon Food Pantry; and Little Miami Food Service, Morrow.

If your neighbor, group, church, school or club is doing something special to make holidays brighter for the less fortunate, the Enquirer would like to recognize those efforts in Some Good News. Please send information to Allen Howard at ahoward@enquirer.com, or call him at 768-8362.