Inner City Youth Opportunities, Roselawn, received 120 backpacks for distribution from the new Office Depot store in Springdale Friday.

The backpack donation is part of special events the store has planned this year which will include donating more than 200,000 backpacks to nonprofit organizations and underprivileged schools.

"We will give the backpacks to the children in our program,'' said Jeanne Bell, president and founder of the organization. "We teach life skills through tennis and we offer a tutoring program for children ages 6-18.''

Springdale Mayor Doyle Webster joined others at the new store's opening.

Webster said he was impressed with the efforts of the store to make a positive impact in the lives of children in Springdale.

The store also made$500 in-kind donations to the Anthony Munoz Foundation, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County and the FreeStore/FoodBank Inc.

Pride in citizenship

It is the kind of pride many of us take for granted.

But for Fay Hejazeen of Clermont County, who passed her citizenship test after attending the Literacy Council of Clermont/Brown Counties, it is pride she earned.

Hejazeen came to Cincinnati seven years ago from Amman, Jordan. She is married and mother of two children. And she wanted to become a U.S citizen.

She went to the Literacy Council two years ago, seeking a tutor to help her learn English.

Hejazeen was matched with Jean Ferguson, the Literacy Council's top English tutor for speakers of other languages. For 18 months Ferguson and Hejazeen met twice weekly. Hejazeen was able to take the citizenship test in February.

"This is exciting to me,'' said Hejazeen, of Cherry Grove. "This is home to me now. I am proud to be a U.S. citizen.''

The Literacy Council provides free tutoring to foreign students seeking to improve their English or work on citizenship skills, said Susan Vilardo, executive director of the council. "We also provide tutoring to adults over 19 who struggle with reading and writing.''

Vilardo said families needing help with reading, writing, spelling or grammar, or people from another country who want to improve their English skills, should contact the Literacy Council, 943-3740, or in Brown County, (800) 553-7393.

Arby's charity golf

The Third Annual Arby's Charity Tour Cincinnati golf tournament and auction is set for Sept. 17 at Tournament Players Club at River's Bend, 316 Winding River Blvd., Maineville.

The event benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Cincinnati and the Arby's Foundation.

It is hosted by Restaurant Management Inc., owners and operators of Arby's restaurants in Greater Cincinnati.

For more information, visit the Web site: www.act-tour.com.