Left-to-right, seated: Sarah Stoffregen and Molly Mueller; left-to-right back row, standing: Alicia Richter, Cody Klug, Talor Alley, Tyler Vaughn, Rahel Admasu. (Provided photo)

GIVING BACK

Students help schools Local fraternity and sorority members joined forces to help two Evanston schools. Members of the Forest Park graduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta sorority and the Cincinnati graduate chapter of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity recently completed their annual project for schools, which involved providing book bags and school supplies for students at Parham and the Academy of World Languages elementary schools. "This type of generosity does wonders for the students," said Theodore Jebens, assistant principal at Parham. He said 80 percent of the students at Parham are from families at or below the federal poverty line. The two organizations sponsor the backpack project each year Adonica Jones-Parks is president of the Pi Sigma Zeta graduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta. Caleb Brown Jr. is president of the Delta Theta Sigma graduate chapter of Phi Beta Sigma. $30,000 for Guest House The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has given $30,000 to the Tom Geiger Guest House in Walnut Hills. The money will be used for exterior building repairs needed to prepare the school gymnasium for renovation into 12 permanent housing units for abused women and their children. "Tom Geiger Guest House is proud to be able to restore the school gymnasium in order to provide much-needed housing for 12 families with special needs," said John Convery, executive director. "We are happy to utilize the facility since so many other older facilities have been torn down in our neighborhood." The Geiger Guest House is a nonprofit organization that provides transitional housing for Greater Cincinnati women who have suffered abuse.

Students, staff, parents and supporters at Springmyer Elementary School in Dent have raised $1,000 for hurricane victims through an after-school program.

Ann Schmitt, an intervention aide and adviser for the Youth Power club, said about 85 students in grades 3-5 conducted a coin drive last week.

"We used the theme: Our change can make a change," Schmitt said. "We are in the process of converting the coins and dollars to a check to be presented to the American Red Cross."

The Youth Power club replaced the Just Say No club, a drug-prevention group.

"Youth Power provides students with extracurricular activities through the many projects we conduct," Schmitt said.

Fire house wins award

Anderson Township Fire and Rescue Station 100 (Broadwell) has been named the 2004 Gold Star Chili Fire House of the Year for its efforts in fire prevention, particularly its distribution of smoke detectors and its participation in the Vial of Life program with the American Red Cross.

The award honors a professional or volunteer fire house each year for its efforts in community fire prevention and education.

Perry Gerome, station manager, said firefighters in the district walk door-to-door, distributing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

"We have planned several smoke detector blitzes to target every home in the area," Gerome said.

The station partnered with the American Red Cross in its Vial of Life program.

Sharing tree for shelter

The Haven House emergency shelter is partnering with Elder-Beerman on High Street in Hamilton in the company's annual Sharing Tree project.

Starting Nov. 3, customers may select a gift tag from a tree in the store that lists various items needed by the homeless shelter.

Customers may buy and deliver the unwrapped items to the store's customer service desk by Dec. 8.

"The most needed items are bath towels, winter clothing and bed linens," said Tanya Wells, public relations coordinator for the center.

For more information, call (513) 868-6100 or (513) 863-8866.

Hurricane aid

The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Anderson Township is accepting donations to help the clean-up effort for hurricane victims in Florida. Pastor Henry Zorn will go to Punta Gorda Oct. 17-24 to help with disaster relief.

Nonperishable food items, cleaning supplies and other items will be accepted until Oct. 16 and can be dropped off at 1950 Nagel Road, Anderson Township. If the church is locked, donations can be left in the vestibule.

For more information, call (513) 474-4938.