Pitchon Lev is a nonprofit, national humanitarian umbrella organization, founded in 1998 to help the underprivileged in Israel. And according to Nissim Zioni, who founded Pitchon Lev, Israel is experiencing one of its deepest crises.

Sensitivity for the plight of Israel's poor has reached here, through Diane Young of Clifton, who travels to Israel.

She and Maureen Royle of Roselawn are organizing local drives to collect money for Pitchon Lev.

"By just going to people in shopping malls, community centers, and talking, people were willing to donate," Young said. "After Maureen made a blanket, we sold raffle tickets and were able to raise $1,700 we gave to Pitchon Lev."

A video put out by Zioni points out startling figures about the poverty in Israel.

About 1.32 million Israelis are below the poverty line, including 100,000 seniors and 660,000 children, Zioni said.

He said the organization has reached many of the underprivileged, including the elderly, disabled, unemployed, new immigrants, soldiers, single-parent families, infants and children..

To help, call 961-5494, or make donations to Pitchon Lev, 230 Hosea Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220.

Chief officer appointed

Mavis Bechtle, chief operating officer at Mercy Hospital, has been appointed chief nursing officer at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, effective July 6.

Bechtle will also serve as dean of UC's College of Nursing. She lives in Fort Thomas. She holds bachelor's and master's of science degrees in nursing from Northern Kentucky University.

Bechtle also served as vice president of nursing, interim president/CEO, vice president of operations and chief nursing officer at Mercy.

Lee Ann Liska of Anderson Township was appointed vice president at UC Medical Center. Her appointment was effective Monday.

Liska was chief operating officer of Cleveland Clinic in Fort Myers, Fla., which includes two hospitals, 1,300 employees, 175 physicians and two outpatient clinics.

Benefit for girl

Soccer teammates of Jenny Huber are holding a benefit for her from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Lower Millcrest Park, Victory Parkway and Hopkins Street, Norwood..

Jenny, a fourth-grader at Sharpsburg Elementary School, Norwood, has been battling cancer since October.

Activities will include a soccer shootout contest, cornhole tournaments, football toss, face painting, a dunking booth, moonwalk balloon, and bid-and-buy tables.

For more information, contact Leah Wilmes, 351-5515 or Lisa Stanton, 396-7640.

POSITIVELY KIDS: New Eagle Scout

Charles Gabis of Troop 86, sponsored by St. Joseph Catholic Church, has earned the highest rank of the Boy Scouts of America: the Eagle Scout award. For his community service project, he improved access to an assembly room at St. Joseph and built a retaining wall to stabilize a nearby hillside and improve drainage, boosting the safety and usefulness of the building.

The recent graduate of Villa Madonna High School plans to attend Xavier University and major in biology. Charles is the son of Linda and Paul Gabis of Cold Spring.

Headed to Washington

Evan Leitner, a student at Sycamore High School, will attend the President's Classroom's Science, Technology and Public Policy program in Washington, D.C., this month. The classroom's civic education program for high school juniors and seniors provides access to the leaders who shape America's public policy.

Good work on poster

Samantha Anderson, a sixth-grader at Bridgetown Middle School, won an honorable mention in the Ohio Public Images and Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council poster contest. The council's goal is to encourage students to form friendships without regard to handicaps.

Outstanding student

Jared Krueger, a 2004 graduate of Milford High School, was named one of the top students in the Cincinnati area by the Kiwanis Clubs of Ohio 6th Division. He was one of 50 students recognized for outstanding scholastic achievements.

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