He recently donated prints of three original paintings to Life-Span.

"I like doing this because I believe firmly in helping these organizations," said Fabe, 86. "I have had a wonderful career. I have had a stroke, but I am recovering nicely and painting every day."

Fabe is a graduate of the Cincinnati Art Academy and studied at the Art Students League in New York.

He set up a studio in Cincinnati in 1940 and later taught at the Art Academy while painting and doing interior design.

He was on the faculty at the University of Cincinnati's College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning from 1958, retiring as professor emeritus of fine arts in 1987.

He received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from UC in 1997 and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from UC's evening college.

LifeSpan is a private, nonprofit United Way organization offering home-care health programs, guardianship programs for people on Social Security who are mentally disabled, and in-school counseling programs in Butler and Warren counties. It is based in Hamilton.

"We reach about 15,000 individuals and families a year," said Frances Sack, LifeSpan's director of development. "We are in the process of setting up an office in Middletown."

Al Neyer joins chamber

Al Neyer Inc. is the newest corporate member of the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce, said chamber president De Asa Brown.

"Our experience in urban development has taught us to look at the needs of our community as a whole in order to be most effective," said David Neyer, president and CEO of Al Neyer Inc.

The company is a commercial real-estate developer and design-build firm.

Vocational training

About 335 children from inner-city neighborhoods were given a hands-on introduction to the building trades this summer in a program in the back yard of the Betts House, 416 Clark St., West End.

Bond at the Betts House, a summer youth program, is funded by grants from the Fine Arts Fund, the Spirit of Construction Foundation and "Summertime Kids 2004" from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.

Trades offered this year were an introduction to spinning, weaving and knitting; mixing mortar and laying brick, nailing shingles on a simulated roof, and telecommunications basics.

High school fund-raiser

Runners jammed the new track at the Finneytown High School stadium Friday for a Lap-A-Thon fund-raiser and to celebrate the completion of the new stadium.

The event was sponsored by the Finneytown Schools Educational Foundation.

The event is part of the foundation's multi-year, $1 million Finneytown Pride campaign to upgrade the school district's main campus.

Behind the badge: Veteran officers promoted

TRENTON - The police department in this Butler County city recently promoted two veteran officers.

Timothy Traud, 50, was promoted to lieutenant. A member of the department since 1981, Traud will serve as the department's administrative officer and second in command. Lt. Traud graduated from the Police Executive Leadership college (PELC) in June sponsored by the Law Enforcement Foundation in cooperation with The Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police.

PELC is an intensive three-week program designed to prepare first-line and command officers for leadership and administrative duties.

David Rosenfelder, 28, was promoted to sergeant. He has been with the department since 1988.

He will supervise patrol operations in his new role, Trenton Police Chief Rodney Hal said.