The 12th Annual Mardi Gras for Homeless Children, from 6:30-10 p.m., March 3, sponsored by the Northern Kentucky Restaurant Association, may be the biggest celebration of the year.

It involves more than 40 restaurants providing food tastings, a variety of beverages, live New Orleans jazz and a live and silent auction.

But even bigger than the fun and food is that this fund-raiser has put $350,000 into four agencies that assist needy families.

This year's goal is $60,000. The event will be at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington.

It is hosted by the Mardi Gras Queen and King: Marge Schott, former Cincinnati Reds' owner, and WLW radio talk show host Bill Cunningham.

"This event was started when we learned from a study about the number of homeless children in Cincinnati,'' said Gordy Snyder, event chairman. "When we started 12 years ago, about 500 people attended. Last year, 2,300 people attended. We learned that the biggest problem of homeless children was providing food. Funds from the Mardi Gras provides food for a year for several agencies.''

Fund-raiser money has benefited Bethany House Services, 1841 Fairmount Ave., Fairmount; Brighton Center's Homeward Bound Shelter for Youth, 13 and 15 E. 20th St., Covington; Mercy Franciscan at St. John, 1212 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, and Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, 205 Pike St., Covington.

Jessica Fair, a second-year student at Art Institute of Cincinnati, won the competition to design the poster for the 2003 Mardi Gras.

Tickets are $40 and may be obtained at the Drawbridge Inn, Embassy Suites Rivercenter, Hilton Hotel at the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport and at the Marriott Inn at Rivercenter.

For more information, call (859) 291-6572

The Mid-Miami Healthcare Foundation, through its Trauma Care Community Outreach Program, raised more than $200,000 to provide tools, training and technology to all area emergency medical squads and the Middletown Regional Hospital trauma center.

Jessica Woodard, development coordinator for the foundation, said the campaign ran from May 2002 to last week.

"We set a goal to raise $150,000," Woodard said. "The amount raised involved the generosity of more than 740 residents, businesses and civic organizations in Warren and Butler counties.''

She said the funds will be used by the 26 emergency squads in the areas.

Michael J. Dickerson, chairman of the foundation board, said trauma is the No. 1 cause of death among people ages 1 to 44.

"By raising the bar on trauma communitywide, we are reducing the impact of traumatic injuries and helping to save many lives in Butler and Warren counties,'' Dickerson said.

Allen Howard's "Some Good News'' column runs Sunday-Friday. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or fax 768-8340.