Rick Feller, a backup snowplow driver for the Hamilton County Engineer's Department, plowed through snow, ice, slush and sleet during the past winter, enough to prepare him to win first place in the Ohio Invitational Snowplow/Equipment Roadeo competition.

Feller, a traffic operations foreman for the department, placed first among drivers from all over Ohio - and a few from New Jersey, Delaware and Texas - in the event held in Dublin.

"We had to drive on an obstacle course with a fully equipped truck," Feller said. "It is designed to see how you can handle the vehicle and how close you can get to objects without hitting them. There were about 80 or 90 drivers in the competition."

Feller, 42, has been with the department 16 years. He won the local competition before moving to the regional and then state meets.

"I won a trophy, a jacket and a small amount of money," Feller said.

The Harrison resident and his wife,Brenda, have one child.

• • •

For their skills in helping young people to become future designers and construction contractors, Emily Delaney of Messer Construction and Richard Butz of Champlin/Haupt Architects have won the Outstanding Mentor Award this year.

Awards were presented by Judi Cline-Kadetz, founder of the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) Mentoring Program, at a special banquet at the College of Applied Science, University of Cincinnati.

Banquet sponsors were: Messer, Turner Construction, GBBN Architects, Foppe Technical Group A.M. Kinney, Inc, Parson Brinckerhoff, Sigma Capital, Inc., Thelen Associates, D.A.G. Construction, Society of Marketing Professional Services, Ohio Blue Print Co., and Varnau's West Chester Garden Center.

Cline-Kadetz said ACE's mission is to encourage, enlighten and motivate high school students towards careers in architecture, construction, engineering and related fields.

• • •

A $100,000 grant from Federated Department Stores will be used by Sister Ann Rene McConn and Cincinnati Housing Partners to rehabilitate eight more homes.

Since 1985, the group has rehabilitated 145 homes in Lockland, Carthage and Hartwell.

• • •

More than 64,000 students from 122 schools in southern Ohio raised more than $300,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through the Olive Garden's ninth annual Pasta For Pennies program.

Top fund-raising schools were: Princeton, $31,963; Fairfield, $13,102; Springboro, $9,130; Mason, $7,897, and Loveland, $7,312.

For more information, call 361-2100.

---

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 by fax at 768-8340.