Children who have been abused, neglected or are considered at-risk are given a new start at Boys Hope Girls Hope Greater Cincinnati.

Now you can help the privately funded, non-profit agency in its mission to provide housing and educational opportunities to these children.

A Hearts for Hope Gala, set for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28, brings together community and business leaders to benefit the local Boys Hope Girls Hope.

The gala will be at the Millenium Hotel/Four Points by Sheraton, 141 W. Sixth St., downtown.

The Boys Hope Girls Hope operates three houses in Cincinnati; two in Finneytown and one in Walnut Hills, that offer a home for the kids and help with education through college.

Pat Burke, board chairman, said Boys Hope Girls Hope was started in Cincinnati in 1984 and has been effective in helping kids.

"It is still going strong and has turned the lives of many children around," Burke said.

The agency accepts children into the program at age 9, said Tammy Cuevas, special events coordinator.

"If they stay with the program and graduate from high school, we help get them through college and help them find a job," she said.

The Hearts for Hope Gala is chaired by Nancy and Mike Conaton. Co-chairs are Julie and Doug Greiwe.

The gala will include a live auction, with such items as tickets to the 2005 Crosstown Shootout, Ohio State vs. Michigan football tickets, a one-week stay at a luxury condo in Colorado, tickets, airfare and accommodations to see Hairspray on Broadway, and more.

For information, call 721-3380.

Officer honored

The Cincinnati police officer who spearheaded downtown's new virtual blockwatch program has been honored as officer of the year by the Exchange Club.

In past years, club members usually chose from a couple of department nominations. This time, Sgt. Steve Saunders' was the only name submitted by his supervisors.

"He's just very good at everything he does," said Lt. Col. Richard Janke.

Saunders, 37, joined the force in 1990. He has worked in three districts, taught at the police academy, was one of the department's first bicycle officers and was a sniper on the SWAT team.

For more than two years, he has supervised the neighborhood officers in District 1, where he has drawn praise both internally and from groups such as Downtown Cincinnati Inc. for how much he fostered neighborhood policing and for interacting with community groups.

"He's probably the hardest-working cop that I have," said Capt. James Whalen, District 1 commander.

Saunders is about to leave the neighborhood job. He's transferring to the department's internal investigations section.

For the next week, he's showing around his replacement, Sgt. Maris Herold.

Costumes collected

Children in Netanya, Israel, will get ballet slippers, tap shoes, tutus and leotards through the volunteer work of the eighth-grade class at Yavneh Day School in Kenwood.

The 27 students volunteered to collect the items for their two-week visit to Israel in March, said Barbara Rabkin, development director for the school.

"The annual eighth-grade educational trip is the culmination of the Jewish Heritage studies program, which includes Hebrew language and Jewish history," Rabkin said.

She said the dance shoes and costumes will go to Israeli children enrolled in a free after-school dance class in Netanya, a sister city of Cincinnati.

"The dance students are mainly new immigrants from the former Soviet Union," Rabkin said.

Also collected will be stuffed animals for children at the Children's Hospital of Laniado Hospital in Netanya. She said the private hospital treats all patients, regardless of religious affiliation or ability to pay.