Collaborative effort appreciated

A wonderful thing has happened in our Cape Girardeau County community these past few months. A true collaboration has occurred. Cooperation is one level of coming together for the greater good, coordination is another level, but miracles occur at the collaboration level. Things that would never happen otherwise happen when there is true collaboration. In this case the "greater good" is the success of our youth.

Four organizations have recently collaborated to benefit our youth, and I simply want to say thank you. Each one of these organizations has contributed something significant toward a common goal focused on our youth -- more than 180 who need it the most -- youths served and saved through the Boys and Girls Club.

Thank you to all those associated with the Family Resource Center, Boys and Girls Club and the City of Cape Girardeau for joining the United Way to provide quality after-school programming at the Shawnee Center. At the center of this collaboration is Scott Meyer and Julia Thompson with the city, Ted Yates and Teresa Teague with the Boys and Girls Club, and Denise Lincoln and Pat King with the Family Resource Center, to name just a few. Without their commitment to and support of our youth, this collaboration would not be possible.

Recent financial challenges of our not-for-profits, our schools and our city governments call upon us -- the citizens of our community -- to step up to help these services remain and thrive. What can you do?

NANCY JERNIGAN, Cape Girardeau