The team consisted of the fifth-graders in the Volunteer Outreach Leadership Training program at Springmyer Elementary School in Dent, and the Oak Hills Kiwanis Club.

The 382 students at Springmyer collected 5,500 nonperishable food items, with some children going door-to-door.

"Aside from collections in the neighborhood, the Kiwanis Club purchased a lot of the items,'' said Lt. Col Bart West, assistant chief of the Green Township Police Department, who is also a member of the Oak Hills Kiwanis Club.

West said they put together 40 Christmas baskets.

"Fifteen baskets were given to schools that distributed them to families they knew in need,'' West said. "Another 25 baskets were given to churches that distributed them to needy families.''

Active alumna honored

There isn't much left for Mary Foss Brinkmeyer to do at Summit Country Day School. She has been a student, alumna, Montessori teacher, parent, trustee and assistant head of the school.

Recognizing that kind of record, her husband, Joseph Brinkmeyer, friends, and colleagues honored Brinkmeyer last week with a reception at Summit's Bishop's Parlor.

Her list of services at the school includes developing and implementing Summit's Educating for Character Program. She coordinates Summit's mentor program and was a member of the design team that worked on Summit's Harold C. Schott Middle School.

Brinkmeyer serves as chair of the design team for Summit's new lower school, set to open next year.

She is a resident of Hyde Park.

Toys brought to hospital

Bridgetown Middle School students raised $1,627.50 to help the General Electric Elfuns Society bring toys to children at Shriners Burns Institute. Student council officers shopped from a wish list of patients.

Nurses collect for clients

For the 33rd year, the Visiting Nurse Association has collected cash and gifts and given them to its neediest clients.

VNA, a nonprofit organization, provides home health care in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

Positively kids: Club awards

The recipients of the 34th annual Mount Airy Civic Club Bob Kutzleb Awards were:

Benjamin Martin of Mount Airy Elementary School, Class of 2003; and Eddie Kelly and Stephanie Tenkman of Little Flower Elementary School, Class of 2003.

Mount Airy Civic Club is one of the oldest in Cincinnati.

Degrees awarded

These students have earned degrees:

Jeremy Williams, a bachelor's degree in engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Ind. The Taylor High School graduate is the son of Penny and Joe Williams of Cleves.

Paily Eapen, a received a bachelor's degree in political science from Wheaton College, Ill. The Lakota East High School graduate is the son of Laly and K. Paul Eapen of West Chester Township.

Bob Johnson received a doctorate in chemistry from Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., and is doing post-doctoral work at Penn State University. The Finneytown High School graduate is the son of Evelyn and Mike Johnson of Oxford, formerly of Finneytown.

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