They've just teamed up for a very unusual partnership. A company called PowerZoning has a patented process that extracts cold air from basements and pulls it into other rooms that are too hot during the summer, then reverses the process in winter to make homes more comfortable and reduce utility costs.

Rex Halbeisen, president and CEO, has five healthy children of his own and decided the company would like to help needy families that have sick children, especially those who are sensitive to temperature extremes.

So through Aug. 17, working with Angel's Hand Foundation, they're taking applications and nominations. They plan to donate and install the PowerZoning system in the homes of five to 10 families, anywhere in Utah, that have a child under age 18 who is sensitive to heat or cold because of an illness and who bear a financial burden because of the child's medical bills.

Recently, the company donated one of its climate-control systems to the family of Mason Shaw, 3, of Orem, who was born prematurely and suffers lamellar ichthyosis, a rare, inherited skin condition that throws his body temperature out of whack.

Because Matt's enzyme deficiency affected every cell in his body, he was often in pain, says his dad, "but he didn't complain much and was always smiling and happy." He was "an incredible little guy and anybody that met Matt was touched by an angel."

Now they're using Angel's Hands to touch others, as well.

For information on the foundation, visit www.angelshands.org. To nominate a needy family for the PowerZoning system, visit http://www.powerzoning.com/families-in-need.htm.

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E-mail: lois@desnews.com