The team of 10 to 15 local doctors, nurses, teachers and others will work through a nonprofit organization Lewis formed called the Village Life Outreach Project.

"I was there last year, but this is the first time leading a group,'' said Lewis, 29. "We want to get into the rural areas where there are no medical facilities. The long-term goal is to establish a permanent medical facility in these areas.''

Lewis also is setting up a pen-pal program to help students from Cincinnati and Tanzania learn about each others' cultures.

Lewis, who lives inFinneytown, coaches high school wrestling and gives talks about sexual health and responsibility at area schools and community health fairs.

For information, go online at www.villagelifeoutreach.org or call 584-8630.

Science educator honored

For creating the Over-the-Rhine Exploratorium, a science discovery and exploration center, Reba Dysart was named one of the nation's most innovative educators in the 2004 ING Unsung Heroes awards program.

Dysart is a teacher at W.E.B Du Bois Academy, 1812 Central Parkway, Over-the-Rhine. She is one of 100 winners, receiving $2,000, and will compete for one of the top three prizes of $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000.

The goal of the Over-the-Rhine Exploratorium is to provide constructive, educational activities that increase student learning opportunities and improve test scores.

"The project brings together biologists, physicians, chemists and other science-based professionals to contribute expertise to students projects,'' said Dysart of Mason. "Our ultimate goal is to serve from 250 to 400 students, not just here, but others in Over-the-Rhine and the West End in after-school science projects.''

Parks thank Rumpke

Rumpke Consolidated Companies Inc. has received the Hamilton County Park District's Evergreen Award in honor of the company contributing $300,000 to help buy a 136-acre tract on West Kemper Road.

The acquired land is adjacent to the district's 265-acre Richardson Forest Preserve and will be used to expand preservation of forest land in the county.

Faith matters: Sermons for everyone

For some members of Disciples Christian Church in Liberty Township, absorbing the sermon has gotten a lot easier.

That's because one member of the congregation has volunteered to project text of the church's Sunday morning services for the past year.

David Moxley, 47, of West Chester, works during the week as a court reporter for Ace Reporting Services downtown. But on the weekends, he puts the skills he's used professionally since 1977 to dictate every word said during the church's 10:45 a.m. Sunday service, and the text is then projected onto a screen.

"It's especially helping elderly people who are hard of hearing, and they get a lot out of it," Moxley said. "They often come up to me after the service and thank me for doing it."

Moxley, who has been a member of Disciples Christian Church, 3401 Hamilton-Mason Road, since he was a teen, had been thinking about doing this kind of work for several years. He approached Pastor Edie Shiflet last year when the church bought audio/visual equipment for an evening contemporary service.

"He took it upon himself to do this ministry, and I think it's a wonderful service. It really is a blessing," Shiflet said.

While Moxley isn't aware of anyone who is hearing-impaired joining the church specifically for this service, he hopes to spread the word and let them know the service exists.

"They are reporters all over the country who do this, but certainly not every church has something like this," he said

Schools in step for band festival

Marching-band fever is upon us. Pass by Bob Miller Stadium at Campbell County Middle School, 8000 Alexandria Pike in Alexandria, and you can feel it.

And you might catch a glimpse of the 170-member Campbell County Middle School Marching Band rehearsing for the 33rd annual Northern Kentucky Marching Band Festival on Sept 11.

The festival is sponsored by the high school and the Campbell County Band Parents Association.

"This is the biggest marching-band festival in this part of the country,'' said Rick Stegeman, publicity director for the Campbell County High School Band Parents Association. "We will have about 26 bands from Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio.''

All bands will compete in the preliminaries. The top eight bands will compete in the finals for the grand champion trophy.

Stegeman said the gates will open at 9 a.m.

The Campbell County Middle School Band will begin the day by performing "The Star-Spangled Banner." The band is co-directed by Todd Whitford and Kevin Towner.

The festival ends with a grand exhibition performance of the 2004 repertoire "Symphony of Exploration'' by the host Campbell County High School Band, Band of Pride.

The festival is a kick off for other performances for the high school band which will participate in the Bands of America Grand Nationals competition in Indianapolis, and the Kentucky state and regional championship competitions

Other activities at the festival include booths, food and drinks.

Cars and chili

The Buenger Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati invites chili lovers and car aficionados to the 15th annual Car Show & Chili Cook-off from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today.

The event will be held at Newport's Riverboat Row near Newport on the Levee.

This Kentucky State Chili Cookoff is sanctioned by the International Chili Society. It has two categories; red chili and chili verde (green chili).

The winner of the 2004 Kentucky State Chili Cook Off will compete in the national championship.

The car show will include police, fire vehicles and motorcycles.

Awards will be given for the oldest police vehicle, the best of show and the people's choice. The event is expected to draw more that 200 show vehicles and 8,000 people.

Proceeds from the show benefit the Buenger Boys & Girls Club in Newport, one of five Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati.

Positively kids: $25,000 music scholarship

Stacey Erin Sands, a graduate of Boone County High School, is headed to DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind., on a $25,000 music scholarship. She plans to pursue a career in music.

Stacey, 18, was a member of the French Club and Boone County Rebel Brigade.

She was president of her school's National Honor Society and served on the school's student council. Her teachers elected her to Women of Boone High School.

Stacey also received an award from the May Festival Youth Choir, where she was a member for four years. She also has been honored by the Clifton Music Club in Cincinnati.

She placed first in the high school women's division competition of the National Association of Teachers of Singing Inc. held in New Orleans in July. She also serves as a deacon at Lakeside Presbyterian Church.

She is the daughter of Jeff and Susan Sands, Florence.

Science symposium

Angela Sla, daughter of Drs. Arturo and Bernadetta Sla of Fort Wright, presented a research paper on the non-random distribution of genes on chromosomes in mice at the 75th annual Summer Student Scientific Symposium at the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, Aug. 16.

The University of Tampa student is majoring in biology.

Outside the lab, Angela explored Mount Desert Island.

"After hiking to the top of numerous mountains on the island, I have learned that persevering through obstacles or difficulties and continuing to work hard makes a goal so much sweeter - and not just in climbing mountains, but also in life," she said.

Presidential scholars

Six students from Kenton County will attend the University of Kentucky this fall under presidential scholarships, valued at $20,000 each.

They are Daniel M. Arnold, Brian Hoffman, Nathan Lowry, Kaitlyn McClelland, Brian P. O'Conner and Mary Lauren.