Much of the duties of collecting money to purchase lodging, food, clothing, medical care, medicine, heating bills and more have been taken over by a marketing class at Milford High School.

"For the past 33 of the 51 years that Mary Miller Fund Drive has been conducted, Milford High School DECA members have been responsible for collections," said Ed Pregitzer, marketing instructor.

The students go from classroom to classroom, collecting pennies, dimes, quarters, other currency and checks from students and staff, beefing up their collection by offering such incentives as a free continental breakfast to top contributors.

Pregitzer said the students also take the drive outside the classroom into the community, getting pledges for a Bowl-A-Thon at Loveland Lanes and donated merchandise from such businesses as New Attitudes, FitWorks, Red Robin and Under Water World.

This year, students collected $5,000, which was presented to the Rev.Walter Buckner, pastor of the Milford-Miami Ministry. The ministry distributes the funds to needy families in the Milford-Miami School District, which covers Milford and Miami Township.

Information, call 248-1114.

On the road

Steve Sanders of Northside figures that his odometer probably picked up close to a thousand miles in the last month.

Well, he had a good reason for driving back and forth to the Indianapolis area. His son, Nick Sanders, is an offensive and defensive lineman for Indianapolis Ritter High School, which won the State Class A football championship last month.

If parent support had anything to do with the Ritter Raiders defeating the Indianapolis Seeger Patriots 28-0, Steve Sanders deserves a trophy.

"I had to make sure I was there for each game," he said. "I was there for the sectional, regional, semi-state finals and the state championship."

Nick Sanders is a senior who packs 295 pounds on a 6-foot, 4-inch frame. He racked up all-city and all-state honors.

Right now he is savoring the victory with other team members and has given some thoughts to Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Ky. He lives in Indianapolis with his mother, Phyllis Lee, but is familiar with the Greater Cincinnati area from visiting his father and other relatives in Hyde Park and Finneytown.

Giving back: Earns Eagle award

Kyle Oldfield of Troop 288, sponsored by Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Bridgetown, achieved the highest rank of the Boy Scouts of America: the Eagle Scout award. For his community service project, he and his crew built a brick barbecue grill, set landscaping bricks and around the flagpole and spread gravel at Hidden Hollow Youth Camp in Miami Whitewater Park.

Kyle, a freshman at Oak Hills High School, is the son of Susan and Keith Oldfield of Monfort Heights.

Scout reaches pinnacle

Daniel Finger of Troop 803, sponsored by Brecon United Methodist Church, has earned the Eagle Scout award, the highest ranking in the Boy Scouts of America.

For his community service project, he and his crew repaired and upgraded the trails at Princeton Nature Center and spread limestone on the trails. His crew also removed invasive Euonymus plants.

Daniel, a sophomore at Princeton High School, is the son of Maureen and Jeff Finger of Sharonville.

Highest rank

Tim Durr of Troop 445, sponsored by Guardian Angels Church in Mount Washington, has received the Eagle Scout award, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America. He and members of his troop landscaped an area and planted fir trees at Kellogg Park for his community service project.

The Archbishop McNicholas High School graduate is attending Ohio University. He is the son of Jane and Mike Durr of Anderson Township.

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