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LIBERTY TWP. — Rick Schaeffer said he's treated the past few days without power as a blessing.

He hasn't had to worry about work. He's gotten reacquainted with his neighbors. And his family has gotten a chance to slow down from the rapid pace of everyday life.

"I think it's been wonderful because I've been disconnected electronically," Schaeffer said while stopping by the Ride Share lot on Yankee Road near Cincinnati-Dayton Road Wednesday, Sept. 17, to top off his food-filled cooler with ice provided by the Butler County Sheriff's Office. "The kids are all out playing. We're all sitting on our decks. It's like a party."

Ice supplies ran dry around 3 p.m. Wednesday after on-site pick-ups and distribution to other parts of the county.

Without a refrigerator to keep food cold, Schaeffer and his family have been able to indulge guilt-free on items before they spoiled.

"We ate like we were on a cruise ship," Schaeffer said.

Still, the feelings don't last long, as Schaeffer's children were off school for the third straight day.

"It beats the heck out of a snow day," he said. "It was nice for two days, but it's getting to be just one day too long."

Others agree.

When asked about how the past three power-free days have been at his Liberty Twp. home, all Chuck Poli could say was "boring."

"We haven't done much. I've just been trying to clean up my yard," Poli said as sheriff's deputies loaded several bags of ice into his trunk.

County officials secured 2,400 bags of ice from a company in Wilder, Ky. In just two and a half hours on Tuesday night, Sept. 16, they gave away more than 500, according to Sheriff Richard K. Jones. Those who stopped by Wednesday, Sept. 17, were gracious, thanking sheriff's officials and even the two inmates positioned at the start of the short ice brigade.

"We've had other vehicles showing up just loading the ice and they were delivering it to people in their neighborhood," Jones said Tuesday. "We've had people with medical conditions that need ice."

Jones said he organized the effort based on his experiences three years ago, when he traveled to the Gulf Coast to help with post-hurricane cleanup efforts.

"The first thing I seen when I got to Katrina was they had ice distribution immediately afterwards, and I knew we needed ice," he said Tuesday night, a little more than two hours into the ice distribution. "We've probably had 300 vehicles just since we began this coming to get ice. They were lined up before we go here."

State Sen. Gary Cates and Butler County Commissioner Don Dixon pitched in Tuesday to help load the ice into residents' vehicle.

Denise Becker of Liberty Twp. was driving by that night unaware of what was going on but happily surprised to be headed home with several bags of free ice.

"My entire subdivision has power except for my street," Becker said. "This is awesome. I can have a cold beverage and I can keep my frozen foods cold for one more day."

Jones said the effort made for a "feel-good" event.

"Nobody here is mad at us today," he said. "They're at wit's end. They don't know where to get their ice. They're thanking us and hugging us and their kids are hugging us.