They start playing a gospel song Hogan wrote titled "Every Christian Knows The Way To Go."

Before the day is over in a small apartment at 2610 Park Ave., Walnut Hills, the two men play and put 20 or 25 songs on a tape recording.

It is their hobby.

Hogan admits his singing is lousy, but what he is most interested in is the Finger Tips - a gadget he invented to keep his fingers from getting sore when he presses the strings on the guitar.

"The Finger Tips are made out of cloth and leather," Hogan said. "I measure the fingers, draw a pattern and then use a sewing machine to put it together. This is the real thing. You can play as long as you want to and your fingers will never get sore."

Hogan is a tinkerer and mostly enjoys fiddling with electric equipment, once making an electric guitar he gave to his grandson.

He's not looking to make a dollar - Hogan doesn't market his inventions. He just likes applying his probing mind.

Red Cross Ride

If you want to kick off the end of spring with some scenic riding, check out the 2004 Red Cross Ride, a benefit for the Red Cross, sponsored by Furniture Fair.

The main feature is a 64-mile parade-style motorcycle ride on some of Kentucky's back roads. The ride begins at 1 p.m. Sunday at Turfway Park, where it also concludes.

The cost is $25 per motorcycle and no cost for a passenger.

A Cinergy Post Ride Celebration with food, music and entertainment will be held at Turfway. Bank One will present a raffle with the winner choosing between a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle or $10,000.

For information, go online at www.rideforthered.org or call (513) 579-3085.

Or just do the Ball

For those who would like to support the Red Cross, but are not necessarily fond of biking, there is the Red Cross Biker's Ball - a benefit at Paul Brown Stadium. Black tie or gown are not required.

It starts at 8 p.m. June 19 in the West Club Lounge at Paul Brown Stadium.

Participants may dress in black leather pants, a Harley-Davidson T-shirt and a leather vest.

The evening includes a live auction with such items as floor seats to the Crosstown Shootout and a spa weekend from the Westin Hierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Call (513) 579-3085 for information.

GIVING BACK: Scholarships awarded

The Excellence Alliance Foundation and Cintas Corp. are partnering in a program to provide a total of $2,000 in scholarships to four students at Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development in Cincinnati.

The students are Robert Morel, Richard Pfeiffer, and Adam and Brian Worley.

The scholarships will be presented at 7 p.m. June 17 in Idea Auditorium during the graduation ceremony at Scarlet Oaks, a division of Great Oaks Institute.

John Rexroad of Cintas and Gary Gebhart, director of Adult Workforce Development at Great Oaks, will make the presentation.

The nonprofit Excellence Alliance Foundation strives to attract, educate and develop students by awarding as many scholarships as possible to educate the future work force in the contracting industry, said the foundation's Shannon Poe.

Poe said Excellence Alliance is a membership organization that provides independent contracting companies with comprehensive business management tools that include training, purchasing power, human resources services, consulting and marketing services.