$5.9 MILLION LOBBY OPENS AT HOSPITAL

The celebration is over, and today hospital visitors will walk through a newly completed lobby at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

On Sunday, the hospital threw a party for the community to celebrate the lobby's opening. It marked the culmination of Southeast's five-year development plan.

More than just a room with a view, the $5.9 million lobby features contemporary design. A large fountain sits at the base of a curved staircase leading to the second floor, where the new restaurant Lacey's on the Hill overlooks the lower level.

About 2,000 guests turned out for an open house Sunday, and they were treated to refreshments and self-guided tours. All seemed impressed.

Nancy Mosley, a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, attended the event because she was curious about the changes. She said the new design would make patient registration easier.

Joe Rodriguez, who works in the hospital's ultrasound department, brought his wife, Vicki, to the open house. Both said the new lobby would make a good first impression on visitors.

"It's hard to imagine the way it was before," Vicki Rodriguez said. "I think the new design will make it a lot easier for people to find their way around the hospital."

The impressive number of people who attended the open house put a smile on the face of Jim Wente, hospital administrator. He fielded congratulations from many of the guests but said the work was something owed to the people of Southeast Missouri.

"This is the community's hospital, run by people from the community," Wente said. "We wanted something everyone could be proud of."

Built in 1927, Southeast Missouri Hospital has seen several expansions over the years. The most recent included a Clinical Services Building opened in 1994 and now the lobby wing. Only the areas occupied by the temporary lobby, the auxiliary gift shop and patient registration remain.

The open house wasn't Southeast's only big event Sunday. The hospital also sponsored a party and performance in Capaha Park that evening.

The Decatur Park Singers, including Cape Girardeau native Brandon Hahs, performed their unique mix of show tunes, hip-hop, rock and country western at the Capaha Park Bandshell. The enthusiastic audience tapped their toes and clapped their hands in appreciation.

Hahs, the son of David and Candy Hahs, is in his third summer with the group. He and other members spend their days working for the Decatur, Ill., Parks and Recreation Department and their nights singing and dancing in various Missouri and Illinois cities.

Hahs, 22, auditioned for and was accepted into the group in 1994. In December, he will graduate from Truman State University in Kirksville with a degree in speech communications. His future may not lie in that field.

"I want to sing country music professionally," Hahs said. "I'd like to at least take the chance. If I make it, fine. If not, at least I had a go at it."

He said participation in the group taught him patience, discipline, and maturity and convinced him to give professional singing a try.

"I'm in love with the group," Hahs said. "There is a lot more to it than just singing. It's a true lesson in what life on the road is really about."