Cyrus H. Miller III, serving as a playground monitor, has a tissue ready for a Wrightstown Elementary School student who needs one.

Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily star

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Cyrus H. Miller III, a parent of who helps out at Wrightstown Elementary School, isn't used to accolades.

The humble, stay-at-home dad and community activist was surprised that he won Ward 2's first Neighborhood Volunteer With Youth Award.

"I'm shocked. The only award I've gotten outside of grade school was a cup. . . . (I) won the Powerball for $30 a couple of times, and that's about all," said Miller, 35.

Now he can add a neighbor award plaque to his list of honors, alongside the cup he received for his work as a volunteer firefighter in Oracle from the late 1980s to the mid-'90s.

This week, Ward 2 gave out eight Neighbor Appreciation Awards to residents, and one to a local business. The ward office received about 20 nominations for the honors.

Wrightstown's principal, Jon Ben-Asher, nominated Miller for a Neighbor Appreciation Award because of his service to the school, 8950 E. Wrightstown Road.

The winners of Ward 2's first Neighbor Appreciation Awards are:

● Good Neighbor Award — Judy Heggie, Hidden Hills Neighborhood.

● Community Project of the Year Award — Bill Anderson, Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood.

● Neighborhood Volunteer With Youth Award — Cyrus H. Miller III, Wrightstown Elementary School.

● Neighborhood Friendly Business Award — Metro Restaurants.

● Neighborhood Volunteer Award — Ricki Mensching, Harold Bell Wright Neighborhood.

● Environmentally Friendly Neighborhood Award — Brianna Curran, Case Park and Garden.

● Neighborhood Senior Volunteer Award — Frank Salbego, Eastside Neighborhood Association.

● Neighborhood Leader of the Year Award — Peggy Nolty, Seneca Terrace 2 Homeowners Association.

Winners' names were provided by Ward 2.

In a down economy with need rising quickly, two familiar toy-distribution forces have combined their efforts this holiday season in hopes of serving more families more efficiently.

The U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign will take over most of the publicly visible work from Miracle's Inc. of Arizona — formerly known as Miracle in Marana — which in turn will take on distribution duties after the toys are collected.

And working with the two organizations is D.A.D. Promotions, which is helping to put on big events to raise awareness, toys and money for the cause.

"We realized we were just doing the same things. The things were going to the same places," Tim Adams said about the organizations. Adams is co-founder and a board member of Miracle's Inc. "They're best at collecting. We're best at dispersing," he added.

Toys for Tots allows non-profit groups to register the amount of toys needed and when they are needed. In the past, Miracle's has been one of those groups.

At times, because Miracle's also had its own collection boxes in public places, it seemed to be competing for the toys, Adams said.

But now, Miracle's has handed over its contact list so the Marines can put Toys for Tots collection boxes where the Miracle's boxes used to be.

Toys for Tots and Miracle's Inc. will hold a "Fill the RV" toy drive today, Saturday and Sunday.

Today and Saturday, Freedom RV will have recreational vehicles at five Wal-Mart locations: 8280 N. Cortaro Road; 7635 N. La Cholla Blvd.; 2150 E. Tangerine Road; 1650 W. Valencia Road; and 7150 E. Speedway.

On Sunday, all the RVs will converge on Rillito Park Race Track, 4502 N. First Ave., for a concert and celebration at which Santa Claus will make an appearance to see how his helpers have been doing.

Go online to www.miracles incaz.com to donate, to volunteer to help with the toy drive, or to arrange for a donation box at your school or workplace.

Go to www.toysfortotstucson. org to register your organization to receive toy donations.

The last thing this country club needed Saturday was a defibrillator.

Thanks to the sounds of Heartbeat, the Forty Niner Country Club clubhouse, 12000 E. Tanque Verde Road, was transformed into a musical time machine that night.

Playing music from the 1960s through the 1980s, Heartbeat featured drummer and leader Jim Waln, bass guitarist Dee Molina, guitarist Dennis Ryden and another guitarist, Sam Burkes — all in their 50s.

Richard Jeffries, food and beverage director for the country club, said he hopes to book Heartbeat at least once a month.

"We are looking at booking them for New Year's," Jeffries said. "They are really good."

The band plays songs made famous by classic groups including the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Steve Miller Band and the Eagles.

Golfers Dale Ellsworth and his father, Paul, enjoyed sipping beer and listening to the band.

"I'm a drummer in L.A.," said Dale Ellsworth, who was in town visiting his father.

As Heartbeat belted out Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Down on the Corner," he said: "These guys are pretty good. They sound good."

Heartbeat has been together for only a few years, and all the members have regular day jobs.