AFTER 20 YEARS, CHAFFEE C.B. CLUB STILL GOING STRONG AND DOING GOOD

CHAFFEE -- A Chaffee charitable organization has taken the term "Keep on Truckin'" to heart.

The Country C.B.er's Club celebrated its 20-year anniversary Sunday with a banquet and entertainment. The non-profit group was formed on June 7, 1977, by five citizen band radio enthusiasts who were looking do a little good in the community.

Aquilla Chapman, the only founding member who is still active in the group, entertained the crowd of more than 100 people with a bit of strumming, singing and yodeling. Chapman said the group has grown to help many people over the years.

"We've gotten richer and richer and richer," he said. "We've helped a lot of different organizations."

Bonnie Horman, president of the club, said the founders didn't think it would last more than a few months. Now the group holds bingo games four times a month to raise money. Those funds go to families that have been burned out of their homes, cancer patients, the Missouri Veterans Home in Cape Girardeau, the Girl Scouts and a host of other organizations.

The group has spent a great deal of money and time working on the ball fields in Chaffee. It spent $30,000 in 1993 to erect lights around the field. It has also worked to improve the PA system, concession stands and broadcast booth, Horman said.

Horman's son, Delbert Horman, announced at the gathering that the group has finalized a deal to purchase the building it has been renting space in to hold its meetings. Delbert Horman said this will allow the group to get out from under its lease payments, have a steady place to meet and rent out space to other groups.

Besides the anniversary and the announcement, the CBers advertised their banquet in an attempt to bring in fresh members. Bonnie Horman said they need some young blood in the group.

"They don't even need to own a CB," she said.

Delbert Horman jokingly said the group might want to look into changing its name -- to fit in with the times.

"We might want to change the name to the cellular phone club," he said.