Major bouquets to Lucas Rife — a freshman at North Canton's Hoover High School — for his huge ''giving back'' efforts on behalf of cancer research, especially as it relates to Akron Children's Hospital.

It's what you do when so much has been given to you is Lucas' reasoning.

Lucas was diagnosed when he was 6 with osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma — a type of bone cancer — in his left shin.

His journey to wellness — uncertain at first — went on for 48 weeks and involved chemotherapy and a nine-hour surgery that removed the infected bone and replaced it with a cadaver's bone, rod, plate and several screws.

He missed half of first grade and all of second grade at North Canton's Clearmount Elementary School.

After he went into remission, Lucas took it upon himself to become a ''Change Bandit'' for the hospital's ''Have a Heart, Do Your Part'' radiothon with WKDD (98.1-FM).

He has raised nearly $5,000 for the cause. ''It makes me feel good inside to know that I'm giving back to those who have helped me and to those patients who have come after me,'' Lucas told a hospital official. ''I'm helping two ends — the giving end and the receiving end.''

Lucas, who plays trumpet in the Hoover High marching band and is an assistant manager for the boys' basketball team, was honored in 2004 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, receiving the group's Children & Philanthropy Award for his altruism.

The big ''Have a Heart . . . '' radiothon party — the hospital's biggest fundraiser — will be Feb. 8-10.

For more information about the Change Bandits, please call 330-543-8340 or 330-543-8994.

Eyeglasses found

Kathy Skinner, eye care chairman for the Cuyahoga Falls Lions Club, wants desperately to find the lad or lass who lost a pair of eyeglasses.

Skinner, who collects old glasses for worldwide distribution on behalf of the Greater Akron Lions Eye care Program (G.A.L.E.P.), recently came across a pair of children's glasses with this note attached to them, ''found at Hopewell Kitchen.''

''We pick up 200-400 pairs of eyeglasses, sunglasses, loose lenses and hearing aids every month,'' Skinner said.

The used eyeglasses are sent to optometry schools in the state to be reconditioned for Third World countries. ''It's my understanding that used prescription eyeglasses cannot be distributed in the U.S.''

GALEP funds eye exams and new eyeglasses for persons in need in this country. Please contact your local Lions Club (listed in the phone book) or call Akron City Hospital Ophthalmology Center at 330-375-4831 for adults or Akron Children's Hospital at 330-374-5666 for children under 14.

If you're the parent of the child who lost glasses at Hopewell Kitchen, please call Skinner at 330-929-3329.

Hats off to the Greater Akron Lions Club for its investment in improving eyesight worldwide.

Address for Holcomb

For those wishing to write to Akron's Andy Holcomb, who survived a horrible industrial accident three years ago despite having lost half his body, please send prayers and cards to:

Andy Holcomb, P.O. Box 6209, Akron, OH 44312.

Ison at Akron General

Also, keep those encouragement cards coming to Roschelle Ison, — a patient in Select Specialty Hospital at Akron General Medical Center, 400 Wabash Ave., Akron, OH 44307, who is scheduled this week for a major surgery to reconnect her intestines and close the large hole in her stomach.

Roschelle, who has spent the last 14 months at Barberton Citizens Hospital, undergoing nine surgeries for Crohn's disease, was recently transferred to Select.

Humanitarian award

Tracy L. Carter and Anthony Gorant will be honored at 5 p.m. Sunday at
Arlington Church of God, 539 S. Arlington St., Akron, with the 13th annual Charles Salem Humanitarian Award.

The recipients represent the spirit of Akron's Charles ''Charlie'' Salem, who died in 1990. His contributions were endless: an educator and administrator at the University of Akron; a musician, composer and advocate for social justice.

Carter is director of government relations for the Summa Foundation and Gorant is senior vice president for community affairs at Akron General Medical Center. Both are actively involved in the community as volunteers.

''My motto has always been that giving back is better than sitting back,'' Gorant often says.

''I cannot imagine my life without community service work. It has been tremendously enriching for me.''

Community service also is second nature for Carter. ''I have always believed service should be a part of our lives and am especially honored to be receiving this with Mr. Gorant, whose service work is practically legendary,'' Carter added.

French Market

Save the dates. The much anticipated ''French Market'' — in its 31st year and sponsored by WITAN (Women in Touch with Akron's Needs) — is slated for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 22-23, at Todaro's, 1820 Akron-Peninsula Road, Akron.

The French Market is a juried arts and crafts show spotlighting the talents of more than 45 artisans from Pennsylvania and surrounding states. Proceeds go to WITAN's lengthy list of community projects.

The market will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Admission is $5 at the door.

Lunch is available and there will be raffle prizes galore.