FRANKLIN - Officials plan to make the Log Cabin Post Office a focal point of the bicentennial in this Warren County city.

Franklin recently received approval from the Ohio Bicentennial Commission for a historical marker at the site. Already, students are raising money to renovate the building - the oldest standing post office in Ohio and the oldest building in Franklin.

It will be a project to celebrate the state and county bicentennials in 2003.

"They (student volunteers) requested that this be their contribution to Franklin's Ohio Bicentennial celebration," said Joyce Ehlert, chairwoman the City of Franklin Bicentennial Committee. "They are fund-raising to renovate and furnish the historic building on a priority basis. The estimate to renovate the three stories, authentically, is $70,000. This includes installation of electricity to and inside the building plus a security system.

"We are a small city and fund-raising is very competitive. All the funds we collect must go towards the actual renovation and furnishing."

The post office, established April 1, 1805, is at Ohio 73 and Ohio 123, near the Great Miami River. The extended bike path, set for construction next year, will go directly in front of the building.

Originally, the post office sat at 310 S. River St., but was moved to the present site in 1974. In 1976, it was entered into the National Register of Historic Places.

Ms. Ehlert said the Franklin Area Junior Historical Society (grade 8 through 12) and their advisors received permission to take over the building as a project, and to renovate it and present ongoing exhibits there.

BATAVIA -The Clermont County Area Hikers and Walkers will resume their treks 10 a.m. Jan. 18 at East Fork State Park.

Meet at the Mountain Bike Trail entrance off Bantam Road.

At 1 p.m. Feb. 15, the group will walk through Miami Meadows Park. Meet at the Lakeside Shelter off of Ohio 131, east of Milford.

All walks are free.

Information: 732-9733 or 735-8979.

COLERAIN TWP. - Farbach-Werner Nature Preserve will host the region's most talented woodcarvers at Winged Wonders in Wood, Jan. 23-26. .

Exhibit hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Jan. 23, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Jan. 25 and noon-4 p.m. Jan. 26.

The program will feature a variety of bird carvings with "amazing detail," said Bob Hawkins, show organizer. "The artists displaying their work are world-class carvers. They have won national awards for their pieces."

Winged Wonders is free, but you'll need a valid Hamilton County Park District motor vehicle permit to enter the park. The cost is $3 annually, or $1 daily.

Directions: Take Colerain Avenue to Poole Road. Enter on left. The park is one mile south of Northgate Mall.

Information: 521-7275. Or: www.greatparks.org.

OXFORD - Women's Health Services has moved from McCullough-Hyde Medical Building, 5151 Morning Sun Road, to the main campus of the McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, 110 N. Poplar St.

Information: 524-5420, or www.mhmh.org.

Randy McNutt's community column appears on Saturday. Contact him at The Enquirer, 7700 Service Center Dr., West Chester OH 45069. Telephone: 755-4158. Fax: 755-4150. E-mail: rmcnutt@enquirer.com.