A HELPING HAND: BUSINESSES GIVE TOYS, FOOD AND CLOTING TO NEEDY IN AREA

A Cape Girardeau charity will receive a $1,000 donation later this month.

Those in need will stay warm this winter thanks donations of 800 to 1,000 winter coats last week.

Children, adults and the elderly will receive toys, clothing and food for the holidays.

Christmas is the time of year when the warmth of sharing with others blankets the holiday season with a special kind of caring. Many businesses in Cape Girardeau will extend a caring hand and a sense of community spirit as they continue a holiday tradition of providing toys, clothing and food for the less fortunate.

A "Celebrity Table Setting Contest" will provide a $1,000 donation to the winner's favorite charity as top prize.

"We invited local charities to send volunteers to Fantasticks to create holiday table settings," said Bettie Talbert, owner of Plaza Galleria, 2001 Independence in Cape Girardeau. Talbert created a fund of $2,500 to provide various Christmas decorations, table linens and other items to create the table decorations.

"The tables can be seen at Fantasticks now," said Talbert. "There are a variety of designs, including centerpieces featuring animals, angels, candles and other items tastefully coordinated with china, crystal and linens in some surprising combinations."

Customers of the store will vote on the various designs until Dec. 19, with winners to be announced Dec. 20.

KZIM and K-103 teamed up with Schnucks last week in collecting more than 800 coats for kids and adults. Distribution of the winter apparel began Friday at the Salvation Army. It marked the fourth time the two radio stations had collected new and used coats, gloves and other winter clothing for kids and adults.

"This is the fourth annual Coats for Kids drive, and this year's response was overwhelming," said Capt. Elmer Trapp, commander of the Salvation Army. "The community really responded."

The Salvation Army picked up one and a half truckloads of coats on Thursday as the 24-hour promotion ended, using a 14 foot box truck, he said.

Listed here are just a few of the many other businesses that provide holiday cheer to others. They range from retail stores to civic organizations:

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 an area 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. Additional information is available by calling Cindy Snell or Marylene Elliott at Cottonwood, (314) 290-5888.

Fox 23 KBSI-TV, Ponderosa Restaurant, Boy Scouts of America, and the United way joined forces to provide food for the recent Thanksgiving holiday to various not-for-profit agencies throughout the tri-states area.

Canned goods were collected at area Ponderosa restaurants and were distributed in Cape Girardeau, Carbondale and Metropolis, Ill.; and Paducah, Mayfield and Draffenberg, Ky.

Two United Way agencies Safe House for Women and Gibson Recovery Center were among recipient organizations in Cape Girardeau.

The American Express Gift Cheques and American Automobile Association (AAA) outlets have initiated a new program to allow Cape Girardeau shoppers to help support Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America.

For every purchase of American Express Gift Cheques at participating locations through Dec. 31, American Express will donate a dollar to the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America and its local affiliated agencies.

In Cape Girardeau, consumers may purchase the checks at local American Express Travel Service offices as well as at Auto Club of Missouri.

During the promotion, customers will also have a chance to enter the "Give the Gift That Makes a Difference" sweepstakes, which will make them eligible to win thousands of dollars in prizes, including a grand prize of $10,000 in Gift Cheques. The checks are available in $25, $50 and $100 denominations.

TCI Cablevision of Missouri Inc. is collecting food in an effort to make the holiday season a better one for needy children and families.

"A small donation of food can make a big difference," said Roger Harms, general manger of the local cable office, 334 Christine. "There's no better way to celebrate the season of caring than giving something back to those in need."

Those who donate food valued at $10 or more will be offered a special basic cable installation rate of $19.95, or a free premium service upgrade. Food may be dropped off at the local TCI office. Additional information is available by calling 335-4225.

TCI is working with the Salvation Army to distribute donations to those in need.

Sears Roebuck and Co., "E.T.," AT&T and MCA/Universal have teamed up for a special promotion at the Cape Girardeau Sears store, offering shoppers a chance to "phone home" this holiday season, while helping two children's charities.

Sears will encourage shoppers to "phone home" for the holidays by offering a free AT&T long distance certificate with the purchase of an "E.T." videotape and poster for $7.99. The certificate is valued at $2.25 which is equal to the cost of a 15-minute AT&T long distance call during the night/weekend calling period, and can be applied to a customer's AT&T long-distance bill.

Children of all ages shopping at the local store may have their picture taken for $2.50 on a special "E.T." set, recreating the famous flying bicycle scene from the movie.

A portion of all proceeds from the promotions go to Special Olympics and The Children's Action Network.

Kmart stores across the nation are continuing the holiday tradition of caring for communities through their Good News program.

More than 46,000 underprivileged children nationwide selected by local civic organizations did their Christmas shopping at many of the more than 4,000 Kmart stores across the country. Kmart stores opened their doors early for the seventh annual children's Christmas shopping spree.

Each store hosted about 20 children, and each child selected $20 worth of merchandise of their choice.

Toybox, now in its 18th year, is a project of the Southeast Missourian and Cape Girardeau Jaycees to provide toys and warm clothes for less-fortunate children.

Christmas for the Elderly, sponsored by the newspaper and Cape Girardeau County Health Department, provides Christmas gifts for the needy elderly.

Community participation in both projects is widespread and generous. Donations of new, unwrapped toys and clothes are taken from individuals, civic clubs, businesses, and other organizations for the Toybox program.

Articles appearing in the newspaper list the wants of various elderly people for Christmas and gifts are then accepted.

The Cape Girardeau Wal-Mart charity committee has selected Toybox for its 1991 Christmas program.

"Each year we have a store meeting and select a group or program to help fund," said a spokesman of the firm's charity committee. In addition to the local store's contributions, Wal-Mart Co. will provide a matching grant of up to $2,500 for the charity.

The Jackson Wal-Mart will make a holiday contribution to the Jackson Jaycees Bundle of Joy program.

Pro Moving & Storage Co., situated on County Road 635, has also selected Toybox for its holiday program.

"We will donate 50 percent of our profits of one week, Dec. 10-17, to Toybox," said Becky Luttrell, a spokesperson for the company.

The firm moves furniture locally and cross-country.

Schnucks once again is offering Santa Dollars in its holiday gift-giving promotion that provides funds for area charities.

Santa Dollars are brand new, one-dollar bills featuring Santa's jovial face. The bills are legal tender (approved by the U.S. Treasury Department) and may be spent or saved like any other dollar.

Santa Dollars are sold individually for $2 each plus tax on one dollar as required by law. Over the past two years, the promotion has raised more than $2,100 for the Salvation Army in Cape Girardeau.

WEATHER, HOLIDAYS BOOST EMPLOYMENT PICTURE IN COUNTY

He*dline: WEATHER, HOLIDAYS BOOST EMPLOYMENT PICTURE IN COUNTY

Most news is positive on the government's national economic forecasting gauge: construction spending is up, manufacturing appears strong, and unemployment is down.

Cape Girardeau is a little different. Construction in the city is almost double that of a year ago, the housing market has been good, and most retailers are expecting a good year.

"With the good weather to date, construction work has continued into the winter," said Jackie Cecil, director of the Missouri Job Service office at Cape Girardeau.

"Retail sales also appear to be improved," said Cecil. "Employers are hiring more part-time help during the holidays and the employment scene continues to show improvement."

Cape Girardeau County's unemployment figures declined again in October, to 4.1 percent, more than a half percentage point over the 4.7 figure of September.

"Our workforce figures are up, more people are working, and fewer people are unemployed," said Cecil in announcing the figures.

The Cape County workforce for October is 35,788, 221 more than in September. "A total of 34,331 people are working," said Cecil. "That figure is up 591 over the September total, leaving 1,457 without jobs." In September, 1,665 were without jobs.

Jobless figures were down in Bollinger and Perry counties, which fall under the Cape Girardeau office.

October totals in Bollinger County show a workforce of 4,375, with 4,049 working and 326 without jobs, for a 7.5 unemployment rate. That compares with figures of 4,358 in the workforce in September, with 3,997 working and 353 without jobs, for an 8.1 jobless rate.

In Perry County, 10,256 were counted in the workforce, with 9,776 working and 480 jobless, for 4.7 percent. The percentage is down two-tenths from September when Perry reported 10,180 total workers, with 9,685 working and 495 jobless, for a 4.9 percentage.

Nationally, unemployment dropped a half percentage point, from 7.3 percent to 6.8. The good unemployment news has also trickled down to state levels.

Unemployment has been on the decline in Missouri the last four months, said Donna M. White, director of the Missouri Department of Labor and industrial Relations. It dropped to 145,700 in October.

"That figure is down almost 43,000 from the September unemployment figure," said White. "It's a positive sign for the state's economy when there is a decline in unemployment from June to October, especially from September to October." The October unemployment rate is down almost a half percent from September.

"Statewide employment also increased, to an estimated 2,515,500 in October" said White. "That's up about 14,000 over the September total."

White said most job gains (8,900) were in federal, state and local governments.

"The employment sector across deep Southern Illinois maintained a `quiet' strength," said Charles M. "Mike" Vessell, labor market economist with the Illinois Department of Employment Security at Harrisburg. "Virtually every employment sector in the area showed stability if not modest growth."

The number of unemployed dropped slightly in every county across the region, said Vessell. "A number of things impacted this decline ... decline in new claims, return to work for some workers, leaving the labor force."

Only one county Perry reported double-digit unemployment.

"All other regional counties were under 10 percent," said Vessell. "You have to go back several years to find comparatively low rates. And the employment situation could improve, with continued development in the Carbondale and Marion malls and the new hirings at the new Big Muddy Correctional Center near Ina."

However, all is not good on the employment scene. Vessell pointed to the closing of the Florsheim Shoe Co. and Bunny Bread bakery in Anna. The shoe factory, which employs 325 people, will start layoffs in January and continue those layoffs through February. The bakery, which employs 25, will close Jan. 30.

The small size of each county routinely produces large percentage changes from month to month, Vessell explained.

Alexander County, usually one of the top two or three unemployment counties, fell more than 2 full percentages, to 9.2 percent, and dropped to seventh on the list. Union County fell to 7.3 percent, a full percentage point from a month ago.

Perry County in Illinois, which has been over the 20 percent mark during the year, dropped 3 percentage points over the period of a month, to 14.2, still the highest unemployment rate among the top 17 lower counties.