A computer specialist with the Defense Technical Information Center for 16 years, Coach Billy now needs more annual leave. Not one to take time for himself, he'd piled up some 1,100 hours of sick and annual leave. But he's worked only about 50 hours--all of it from home--since August, and his leave will run out in January.

The federal government has a leave-sharing program, and employees who have surplus time can donate it directly to Billy. Employees can access OPM Form 630-A or -B, at opm.gov/forms/html/opm.asp, and submit it to the Office of Personnel Management.

And this just in: Coach Billy will be the beneficiary of the 23rd annual oyster roast sponsored by Friendship Baptist Church and White Oak Equipment, on March 3, 2007.

One thing's for sure: No matter how much people give to Billy now, it's no match for what he's already given countless area kids. And he's only 37 years old.

RICHARD AMRHINE is a writer and editor with The Free Lance-Star.