On Dec. 13, a semi-trailer loaded with clothing, toys and household supplies will pull down a gravel road to the Cranks Creek Survival Center, 250 miles south of Cincinnati in Eastern Kentucky's Harlan County.

Juanita Ross and a crew of volunteers will distribute the items to about 3,000 needy families.

"There is nothing there but poverty," said Ross, 76, in her 14th year of delivering items to the area. "It tears me apart to see that much poverty in a country this rich. I just want to help get decent clothing to the school kids so they will go to school, get an education and get out of there.''

Ross has been collecting items at her home in Colerain Township in what she calls the Christmas Caravan. This year Rumpke Consolidated Companies is providing a truck.

The caravan is extending the collection to include coats for all ages, clothes for infants and teens, baby equipment, household linens, small appliances, toys and shoes. The collection ends Dec. 1.

For more information, call 385-6975.

Boxes go global

The freshman class at St. Ursula Academy recently completed its participation in Operation Christmas Child, sending boxes of toys, clothing, activity books, school supplies, hygiene products, candy and other items to needy children all over the world.

Operation Christmas Child is run by Samaritan's Purse in Boone, N.C.

Students were assisted by teachers Barbara Baker and Geri Walsh along with homeroom representatives Christina Gilligan and Stephanie Patton.

Canned goods drop-off

The Cincinnati franchise of Johnny Rockets restaurants teams with the FreeStore/FoodBank, through Dec 23, to collect canned food and non-perishable items.

Academic All-Stars: P&G scholarships

These 2003 graduates were awarded $2,500 college scholarships as part of the P&G Fund Scholarship Competition for children of employees:

From Moeller High School - Steven Beecraft, Daniel Fisher, Christopher Freeman and John Robinson; Cincinnati Country Day School - Michael Appleby; Colerain High School - Kristin Klettke and Justine Mahler; Covington Catholic High School - Michael Wolff; East Central High School - Matthew Graves; Elder High School - Michael Eagan; Fairfield High School - Sarah Dawson and Scott Rose; Fenwick High School - Derek Benz; Finneytown High School - Lillian Jandacek and Kimberly Reizner; home schooled - Jeffrey Binder; Indian Hill High School - Elizabeth Carey and Maria Espaldon; Kings High School - Katherine Grimes; Lakota East High School - Nicholas Bascom and Lauren Fryer; Lakota West High School - Karen Janusz, Todd Mieling, David Nicolas and Carl Schottmiller; Lawrenceburg High School - Keith Kaffenberger; Lloyd Memorial High School - Heather Mitchell; and Loveland High School - Adam Goodale, Joel Gunnarson and Jenna Sauber; Madeira High School - Kristin Hummel, Carol Neumann and Sara Neumann; and Mariemont High - Katherine Conrad, Juli Newton, Meggie Safford, Michael Salerno and Tiffany Zerby.

To submit an item, please call 755-4165.

Our Kids

Award-winning photos by Oak Hills High school senior Jason Larkin will be displayed at the Green Township library branch, 6525 Bridgetown Road, Dec. 1-30.

Jason's three photographs won first and third place and an honorable mention in the Tall Stacks Teen Photography contest sponsored by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

Along with a $40 gift certificate to Pete's Photoworld, Jason received an autographed copy of the book Panoramic Ohio, donated by author, Thomas R. Schiff.

Jason, 17, is the son of Ronald and Teresa Larkin, Bridgetown.