Pitching in for the community

In June, Cape Girardeau resident Karen Cox and members of the church she attends traveled to Joplin, Mo., to volunteer and help with disaster relief efforts.

"Several of the men and women that went had full- time jobs in which they asked those they worked for if they could be sponsored," Cox said. "Of course they weren't expecting to be paid but thought they would ask anyway. One of the men that went worked for Hutson's Furniture in downtown Cape Girardeau. Without any questions, Hutson's agreed to sponsor him. I just thought that was so neat, especially when times are so hard and money is so difficult to come by. I thought it would be neat to recognize Hutsons for being so generous and giving back in a real time of need."