STRICTLY BUSINESS: THUMBS UP: AND, MORE THUMBS UP FOR `CHRISTMAS CHEER'

It had been a long shopping day, two weeks before Christmas, and the tired shopper decided at the last minute that the evening's family menu would consist of soup and sandwiches from a restaurant located in West Park Mall.

There was a problem...no parking places in front of the mall,

But, wait. a car was leaving.

Only problem, another vehicle was waiting for the space.

The driver of the 2nd vehicle, moved on past the coveted space, and pulled into a space further from the perimeter of the mall.

The first shopper got the parking space... "what luck," she thought, "Santa lives."

When she looked around, she spotted the driver of the other vehicle, who waved, and called out, "Merry Christmas." He explained that giving up the closer space was just his way of "sharing the Christmas spirit."

Anyone who has parked "a sleigh" loves that spirit. Let's hope they pass it on.

Thumbs Up:

A Cape Girardeau family now has warmth in its home.

Holigan Homes, an area home-building development company, and one of its suppliers, Jeff Bien of Jeff's Heating and Cooling, stepped forward when the plight of one family was detailed in the Southeast Missourian.

The family's furnace could not be used became of holes in the equipment that were potential sources of carbon monoxide.

Holigan Homes provided a new combination furnace and air-conditioning, Bien installed it...all free.

A second group also offered the free furnace and installation. Cape Winair Co. was prepared to provide a furnace at cost, State Farm Insurance agent Bo Shantz volunteered to cover the cost, and Allied Mechanical offered free installation.

More Thumbs Up for

Christmas Cheer

Many people and businesses in the Cape Girardeau area are extending caring and/or helping hands and a sense of community spirit these days.

Some do it with kindness, others provide toys, clothing and food for the less fortunate.

Children, adults and the elderly are among those whose holidays will be brighter this year because of the efforts of local businesses and in many instances participation by customers as well.

It's impossible to mention every good deed of every caring business during the holiday season. The list goes on and on. But here are just a few of the businesses and organizations that bring holiday cheer to others. They range from the Cape Girardeau Public Library to the Southeast Missourian to a number of retail businesses.

Renowned holiday programs

Toybox and Christmas for the Elderly are two of the best-known holiday programs in the Cape Girardeau area.

Toybox, now in its 23rd year, is a project of the Southeast Missourian and Cape Girardeau Jaycees to provide toys for less-fortunate children.

Christmas for the Elderly, sponsored by the newspaper and Cape Girardeau County Health Department, is in its 14th year and provides Christmas gifts for the needy elderly.

Community and business participation in both projects is widespread and generous. Donations of new, unwrapped toys and gift items are taken from individuals, civic clubs, businesses and other organizations for the Toy Box program, and people area quick to respond to certain needs of the elderly.

"Shop With a Cop"

Wal-Mart and the Cape Girardeau Police Department team up each year for the "Shop With A Cop" program, which provides more than 100 needy youngsters an opportunity to buy Christmas gifts.

Wal-Mart provided funds for the program by donating a percentage of its sales from 7 to 10 a.m. Dec. 6.

The program is sponsored by the Wal-Mart Charity Committee and police department volunteers.

This year's "Shop With a Cop" program was held last week at the Cape Girardeau Wal-Mart Supercenter.

Youngsters selected by the Division of Family Services were given money to purchase gift items for themselves or their relatives.

An annual event

A similar program -- minus the police -- is an annual event at Kmart stores, sponsored by the store's Good News Committee. Kmart annually hosts a group of 20 youngsters who will be presented with $20 to spend any way they like.

Children for the Kmart program are selected through the Easter Seal Society.

Each child received a gift from Kmart, and was given $20 to spend on items for themselves or their relatives.

Cash funds for projects

One of the largest manufacturers in the area, Procter & Gamble, provides $500 funding each for a number of projects each year.

In past years, Procter & Gamble has provided more than $2,500 in holiday funding to a variety of projects this year, by request. This year, two groups requested funding -- Missouri Veterans Home and Cottonwood Residential Center. Each received $500.

"Coats for Kids"

A lot of children will be warm for the winter, thanks to the annual "Coats for Kids" drive, sponsored by Schnucks Food & Drug store and Zimmer Radio Group.

More than 1,250 coats were collected during the one-day campaign, held at Schnucks Store.

The Salvation Army, which also assisted in the drive, will be responsible for distributing the coats through their facilities at 701 Good Hope.

"Food for Fines" program

The Cape Girardeau Public Library, 711 N. Clark, is holding its "Food for Fines" campaign this month.

"People having overdue books or other library material can bring in canned or non-perishable food items instead of money," said a library spokesperson. "We'll gladly accept food items even if a person does not owe a fine."

The library will give the food to FISH, which will distribute it to the many local families the organization assists.

The campaigns runs through Dec. 31.

Gift Tree for children

Weber TV & Appliance of Cape Girardeau, 818 Broadway, is sponsoring a gift tree for children at Cottonwood Residential Treatment Center.

The tree contains ornaments representing each child currently at Cottonwood. People are encouraged to select an ornament and purchase a gift from the "wish list" on the ornament. Cottonwood, 1025 N. Sprigg, is a mental health treatment center for children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17. Some of the children have homes and family, but some do not. The gifts may be taken to Weber TV & Appliance. Tax-deductible donations also may be made.

"Home for Holidays"

The "Home for the Holidays" program is sponsored by the Stoddard County Ambulance Service.

The ambulance service provides free rides for nursing homes residents to visit their families for the Christmas holidays. The service is available to any resident in Stoddard County that is not ambulatory.

Visits can last from a few hours to overnight Dec. 24-25. Following the visit, the service will transport the resident back to the respective nursing home.

Toys and food

Auffenberg Chrysler, 611 S. Kingshighway and Dayspring Church have joined forces to distribute toys, food and other gifts to about 40 families.

This is the fifth year for the program, sponsored by Auffenberg.

The company sets aside money from each new-vehicle deal since Nov. 1 to fund the program.

....And, Thumbs Up to the hundreds of firemen, police, doctors and other medical workers who give up sharing Christmas with their families to share it with the community.

B. Ray Owen is business editor for the Southeast Missourian.