The finalists and their focus areas are: Lighthouse Youth Services Inc., for family; Greater Cincinnati Oral Health Council, health and wellness; Cerebral Palsy Services/United Cerebral Palsy of Cincinnati, culture; Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati, environment, and Beech Acres, education.

Each organization will make a presentation at the banquet.

“We are thrilled with the efforts of our members and believe we have selected outstanding finalists,” said Wendy Hushak, founder and president of Impact 100. “They all are worthy of the $123,000 grant.”

She said the five finalists were chosen by committees in each focus area, who evaluated proposals and visited sites to make their selections.

Impact 100 is a year old. Ms. Hushak said the organization was created to offer women a philanthropic opportunity that makes no demands beyond a donation and a vote once a year.

“It is difficult to pile on additional commitments, no matter how interesting or fulfilling,” she said.

Ms. Hushak said the goal when the organization was started was to recruit 100 women who would donate $1,000 each. She exceeded the goal for 2002 with 123 members.

“My wildest dream for Impact 100 is to have more than 500 members from all across the city,” Ms. Hushak said. “We could then give a grant in each of our five focus areas each year and hopefully become a model for other women-driven philanthropic groups across the country.”

She said the goal is to make the membership more diversified in 2003.

Women interested in joining may contact Ms. Hushak at 624-9509 or visit the Web site, www.impact100.org.

I just donated my Michael Jordan starter jacket I bought 10 years ago for my son, George, to the 5 Cares Coat Drive, which runs through Nov. 15.

I hated to part with it, because since my son stopped wearing it, I was keeping it as a collectors item.

But I would rather be a part of the drive to collect 3,500 coats, which will be distributed to those in need by the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Cintas joined the drive this year, donating $10,000 and 1,000 new coats valued at more than $45,000.

The drive is conducted by St. Vincent de Paul and WLWT, Channel 5.

Drop-off points are fire departments in Colerain, Green, Whitewater, Anderson and Springfield townships; and in Harrison, Hamilton, Forest Park, Milford, Blue Ash, Sharonville, Springdale, Fairfax-Madison Place and Mount Healthy.

In Northern Kentucky sites are: Campbell, Kenton and Boone fire departments.

Allen Howard's “Some Good News” column runs Sunday-Friday. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or by fax at 768-8340.

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