Isadore has a successful marriage, a healthy 2-year-old son and another child on the way, and he has built a new house in Bright, Ind.

"Those are blessings," Isadore said.

Betty Turner of College Hill stands before her new air conditioning unit. (Melissa Heatherly photo)

Betty Turner, a 72-year-old College Hill resident, can count her blessings, thanks to Isadore. She suddenly faced the prospect of going through the summer without air conditioning - until Isadore stepped in.

"My air-conditioning unit was broken, and I had asked Officer Kyle Smith of District 5 if he knew someone to fix it," Turner said.

Smith has taken a personal interest in looking after Turner while on his beat.

Smith recommended Isadore. When Isadore looked at the unit, he said he could fix it for $600 or install a new unit for $800. Turner couldn't afford either, and Isadore said he couldn't do the work for free.

"But I started thinking about my blessings, and I changed my mind," Isadore said.

"He came back with another man and said he wanted to take a look at the unit. They stayed out there several hours. I was thinking, 'How am I going to pay for this?' When he came into the house he said, 'Guess what? You get the new air-conditioning unit free.' I almost fainted," Turner said.

"She is a sweet lady, and I thought that was so great that she was willing to pay $100 a year to pay it off. After thinking about my blessings, I just couldn't accept it," Isadore said.

Dean of academics

Michael Rakel, director of student services and chair of the Social Studies Department at Carroll High School, Dayton, Ohio, has been appointed dean of academics for Moeller High School.

Rakel received the Miami Valley Catholic Education Council Outstanding Teacher Award in 1996 for initiating the school's alumni association.

Freedom Scholarship walk

Girl Scout Troop No. 508 from Summit Country Day School will hold a Freedom Alliance walk-a-thon at 3 p.m. today.

The event will start at Johnny Rockets at Newport on the Levee.

The walk-a-thon is being held to raise money for the Freedom Alliance Scholarship fund, which provides college scholarships to students whose parents have either been killed or have been permanently disabled from serving in the military.

For more information, call 240-1007.

Volunteers

A new community-service project will warm the hearts of children who are removed from their homes in emergencies.

The Mason Education Association in the Mason School District has bought 144 teddy bears and has personalized them with quotations and ribbons.

Mason Education Association member Shelly Benesh-Hausman said the bears have been given to fire and police officials in the Mason, Warren County Sheriff and Deerfield Township departments.

"These teddy bears will be given to children when they have to be picked up and taken away from their homes in emergency situations," said Dan Mueller, president of the Mason Education Association. "The idea is to try to give them a homelike setting when they are taken from their homes."

The Bears Who Care project was created by Andy Goetz, an English teacher in the Mason School District and a member of the education association.

One of the quotations include: "When you're down or troubled or need a little love, just wrap your arms around this guy for a great big hug! We are thinking of you! MEA Bears Who Care."