By Janet Wetzel
Enquirer contributor

When Coleen Binning retired from teaching in 1989, she traded her blackboard and chalk for a pencil and notepad to keep track of her activities.

These days, Binning uses her time to help visitors at the Cincinnati Art Museum and to be active in her South Milford Neighborhood Association.

She works many hours each week on the board, doing telephone work and other duties.

The association works with police through a neighborhood watch and keeps tabs on other concerns, such as rabid raccoons roaming the neighborhood last year.

Binning, 65, taught first-graders for 33 years, mostly in Milford schools, Now, she is known as a helper, the neighborhood information specialist and the cookie lady.

"She's a local wonder, a fireball," said Cristina Egbert, a neighbor. "She holds all the neighborhood meetings at her house, and makes her homemade cookies for them. Even if only a handful comes, the work goes on. She's full of energy, delightful and very persuasive."

Binning said she has "somehow become the Aunt Bee for our little Mayberry."

"Someone called the other day and said, 'Do you know who this big yellow dog in my back yard belongs to?' I did," she said. "If they need a baby sitter, they call me to see who's available. If they need a plumber, or if a tree falls down in their yard, they call me."

She has plenty of accurate information for Art Museum guests. She started volunteering upon retiring, and is now at the information desk in the front lobby.

"It's challenging, it's fun, and it's extremely stimulating. I love the interaction with visitors," she said.

Binning lives in Milford with her husband, Gene, and "a big old cat named Scooter."

She's recently taken on another neighborhood association project - developing a history of the mill town. Already, she said, long-time residents have started providing wonderful information.

Do you know a Hometown Hero - someone in your community dedicated to making it a better place to live and helping others? E-mail Janet Wetzel at jjwetzel@siscom.net, or fax to 513-755-4150.