LAKE WALESBok Tower continues to stand tall north of Lake Wales.

To fend off rumors the tower had toppled in the hurricane, Polk County officials announced Monday that the national landmark was indeed safe.

Polk Public Safety Director Larry Alexander flew in a sheriff's helicopter to confirm that Bok Tower is intact.

Bok Tower, which sits atop the tallest hill in peninsular Florida, this year celebrated the 75th anniversary of its dedication by President Coolidge. It's a part of Historic Bok Sanctuary, home to landscape gardens as well as a renowned carillon, which is encased in the 205-foot coquina and marble bell tower.

Rumors of its destruction circulated widely after the storm. Telephone lines at the tower rang busy Monday.

Dave Nicholson Students, Staff Craft Plan To Help Victims

TAMPADavidsen Middle School students, staff and parents hope to coordinate donations from area hotels for victims of Hurricane Charley.

Teachers and students wanted to know what they could do in the hurricane's aftermath, said Bonnie Kirstein, a student intervention specialist. A friend of hers suggested collecting toiletries to distribute, and Kirstein offered to coordinate the effort through the school in northwestern Hillsborough County.

Davidsen is asking hotels to give shampoo and conditioner, soap, and toothpaste and toothbrushes. Parents will pick up the items by Friday, and the middle school students will sort them. Some supplies will go to the Salvation Army, and some will be sent directly to needy communities.

Kirstein said the community may donate toiletries as well, by noon Friday at the school, 10501 Montague St. For information, call Kirstein at (813) 558-5300, Ext. 230.

Courtney Cairns PastorElectronic Toll-Payers To Receive Credits

TAMPACommuters paying tolls electronically on the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway will get credited for charges made while tolls were suspended as part of the Hurricane Charley evacuations.

Toll were reinstated Monday at 6 a.m. on the Selmon after three days of free rides.

While cash customers whizzed unimpeded through toll booths during the evacuations, electronic equipment still registered vehicles using SunPass transponders.

PerryDawn Brown, spokeswoman for the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority, said the Florida Turnpike Enterprise couldn't turn off the electronic collection systems because it would be too complicated to restart.

Tom BrennanT-Shirt Salesman Gets The Boot

BARTOW``I Survived Hurricane Charley,'' read the T-shirts for sale Monday along State Road 60.

But shirt salesman James Gaylord of Clearwater didn't survive the rules about selling along public rights of way.

Just after Gaylord made a sale to Kim Turner of Avon Park and her 2-year-old son, Cole, a police officer told Gaylord he needed to pack up and get a permit.

Gaylord complied. It hadn't been a fruitful day anyway, Gaylord said. After about $250 worth of sales Sunday of the shirts that included a map of Florida with Charley bearing down on the state, he had sold only a few before 3 p.m. Monday. Most were $15, with small ones such as Turner's going for $12.

Turner said she wanted Cole to have it as a keepsake. Their home in Avon Park was spared, and they had water even though the power went off. They were in Polk County for gasoline and to eat at a restaurant.

Cheryl N. SchmidtLoad Of Ice To Help Georgia Crew Beat Heat

BRANDONJust outside the Brandon Wal-Mart on Monday, Steve Sutton, a Georgia Power supervisor, was sweating profusely as he loaded the back of his pickup with coolers of ice.

``About 500 of us got here the afternoon after the storm'' to help rebuild the power grid destroyed by Charley, Sutton said.

He was preparing to head back to Wauchula, in hard-hit Hardee County, to bring relief to the Georgia Power crews working in the heat.

``We finally got organized enough today to actually get to work,'' Sutton said. ``People were sure happy to see us.''

Yvette C. Hammett