THE PUBLIC MIND: AWARD WINNER PROUD TO BE PART OF CITY

To the Editor

My fellow citizens:

I was overwhelmed with emotion and felt very humble last Friday night as I was awarded the Rush H. Limbaugh Award for community service at the annual Chamber of Commerce dinner.

I am very proud to be a citizen of Cape Girardeau and Southeast Missouri. Fran and I, in our 15 years here, have always had a desire and felt an obligation to serve our community, which we have inherited from past generations.

As we move through the '90s toward a new century, I have a strong, positive feeling about the future growth and development of Cape Girardeau. There are so many positive things happening in our area now growth as a regional retail center, growth as a regional medical center, the new Mississippi River bridge, the master street plan, the master sewer plan, the acquisition of the water system, the flood project, the port, increased level of industrial and commercial development, city and county residential developments, higher education our great industry of Southeast Missouri State University and its academic and athletic growth, downtown redevelopment, growth of United Way and agencies to serve the social needs of our area. Well, the list could go on I'm sure you can think of more areas of growth and potential.

As these and other opportunities are presented in the future, I feel that we, as citizens of Cape Girardeau, have an obligation to ourselves, our community and future generations to answer each opportunity with "how and when" rather than "can't and no." Certainly we should all challenge a project to be sure it is fiscally sound and has proper direction. However, whether it be a transportation issue, an educational program, a charitable campaign, or any other worthy project we should all look forward with vision and enthusiasm and say "how and when."

Harry Rediger