Lisa Katz, mother of 15-year-old Amy Katz, who suffers from leukemia, is celebrating Mother's Day on Sunday by encouraging people across the country to register to become bone marrow donors. She and the rest of Amy's Army will be taking part in a nationwide effort to promote the National Bone Marrow Registry's "Thanks Mom" virtual donor drive.

Mrs. Katz, of Mt. Lebanon, along with a group of volunteers, started Amy's Army in 2003 to find a bone marrow match for Amy, who has chronic myelogenous leukemia. The only known cure is a bone marrow transplant. Amy's Army has sponsored donor drives in 12 states, registered more than 8,000 people and found 22 marrow donors. Still no match for Amy.

Now everyone can help by signing up online and using a free test kit in the comfort of their homes.

"The virtual drive is an incredible opportunity for Amy's Army and others seeking donors," Mrs. Katz said. "We now have the opportunity to recruit marrow donors from every corner of the country.''

The National Bone Marrow Registry has pledged to send out 20,000 free donor testing kits to anyone who registers online before May 19. Once participants receive a kit, they simply have to conduct a five-minute cheek swab sample and send it back to the registry.

Volunteers must be in good health and age 18 to 60. The kits must be ordered and returned between May 5 and 19.

"I can't imagine a better Mother's Day gift than finding a bone marrow match for my daughter," Mrs. Katz said.

For more and to order, visit www.amysarmy.org or call 1-877-AID-4 AMY.

East McKeesport Boy Scout Troop 85 celebrated its 50th anniversary by naming the 112th Eagle Scout in its history.

Byron Lesczynski, a 14-year-old freshman at East Allegheny High School, has been a Scout since joining the Tiger Cubs in 1999, said his scoutmaster Doug Edwards.

Mr. Edwards said that Byron crossed over to Boy Scouts in February 2004 and has shown leadership skills by being a den chief for three years, serving as patrol leader and assistant senior patrol leader.

Byron has earned 25 merit badges while climbing the Eagle trail and has participated in many Scouting activities, including weekend camping trips, all-night bowling, snow tubing, local parades and summer camps, Mr. Edwards said.

He is busy outside of Scouts, too. At school he is in all honors classes and on the high honor roll, on the track team and on a junior bowling league team that recently made it to the state finals in a scholarship tournament. He was also in the high school musical, "Oklahoma."

Byron is active at St. Robert Bellarmine Church, where he is preparing to go to Australia in July for World Youth Day to attend Mass with Pope Benedict.

Mr. Edwards, who has been Troop 85 Scoutmaster for 24 years, said Troop 85 received its first charter on March 31, 1958. Thirteen boys were registered at that time.

He said the troop's roster was never below 80, peaking in 1969 with 95 Scouts. A total of 665 boys have been registered over the past 50 years. The troop honored its first Eagle Scout in 1962.

Mr. Edwards said Troop 85 is well above the 3 percent national average of Scouts reaching the Eagle rank. The Troop is sponsored by St. Robert Church.

Mr. Edwards' family has been involved for 47 of the 50 years of Troop 85's history.