Zoo fun

And no mess to clean up: Kids and animals go together like peanut butter and jelly. So do kids and birthdays. That's why the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden just added personalized birthday parties to its program repertoire.

The base package includes 10 admission tickets, two parking passes, one hour in the Birthday Tree House, a decorated birthday cake, ice cream cups, juice boxes, goodie bags for each child and a certificate for the birthday child. Base packages are $150 for members and $175 for nonmembers. Call 559-7739 or e-mail groupsales@cincinnatizoo.org for details.

Volunteer here

Lawn care: Put away the hammer and nails for now, and think lawn mowers and edgers. Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity has the land available for the houses it plans to build next year, but it needs help maintaining them until volunteers are ready to build. Crews are needed to cut grass and clear properties. If you can devote at least a half-day or one day a month, call Doug Kraus at 621-4147, Ext. 240, or e-mail dougk@cincinnati-habitat.org.

Queen for a day

Have tiara, will travel: River Downs is looking for the first-ever Ms. River Downs. She'll be chosen during a pageant Aug. 2 during Ladies' Day at the racetrack. Women ages 18-29 are encouraged to register.

Contestants will be judged in three categories: interview, swimsuit and Derby wear. Judges are former Miss Cincinnati Deborah Hanessian, Selena Smith of Heyman Talent Agency and former Cincinnati Bengal Dave Lapham.

The winner will get a crown and sash, flowers and more than $500 in cash and prizes. Her first assignment will be to present the trophy in the Ms. Southern Ohio Stakes on Aug. 3. Other duties throughout the year include special appearances on major event and stakes days.

To register or for details, log onto www.riverdowns.com or call River Downs at 354-8308.

Behind the wheel

Should dad still be driving? An accident involving an elderly driver who killed 10 people shopping at a farmers' market in Santa Monica, Calif., last week has focused a spotlight on whether the elderly should be retested on their driving skills after a certain age.

AARP recommends driving with an older individual in order to assess ability, and watching for risky driving behavior such as changing lanes without signaling, going through stop signs or red lights, slow reaction time, problems seeing road signs or traffic signals, straying into other lanes, going too fast or too slow for safety, problems making turns at intersections, especially left turns, and jerky stops or starts. Make sure the driver can see over the dashboard and reach the pedals easily.

For more information on the subject, go to the AARP Web site: www.aarp.org/confacts/caregive/transportation.html.

Send items for On the Fridge to Barbara Lowell at blowell@enquirer.com or call 768-8380.