CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO GIVE COMMUNITY ITS OWN CITY HALL

ALLENVILLE -- Residents of Allenville, a tiny community west of Cape Girardeau, hope to build their first city hall by appealing to the very people it will serve.

So they started a fund-raising campaign to generate $15,000 for a building and well, said Judy Biester, secretary of the fund-raising group. Allenville has 103 residents.

On Saturday, a barbecue dinner is planned to help raise money for the project. The pork steak meal begins at 2 p.m. and will continue "until we run out of people," Biester said.

The barbecue will be held in the lot next to The Oasis in Allenville and is open to the public. The meal costs $3.50 for adults and $1.50 for children.

Biester said the idea for a city hall came after some Allenville residents were looking for information and had trouble piecing together the city records.

"City papers have always been kept in someone's home," Biester said. "The chairman of the board has kept the papers at his home.

"They weren't able to put their hands on the information and decided we needed a place where everything would be centrally located," she said. "This way information will be available without going to someone's home."

The proposed building would include a kitchen and could be available for family reunions or other community gatherings.

The town already owns a piece of property for the city hall, donated by a resident.

The fund-raising committee was formed in March. "We have had some bake sales, shooting matches, a ham and bean dinner," Biester said. "The kids have even had a lemonade stand at the Town and Country in Advance. They wanted to help too."

Working with Biester on the fund-raising committee are president Regina Borenaman, vice president Stephanie Keene and treasurer Wanda Ross.

Officials with the town board are chairman Guy Borenaman, and members Terry Ross, Frieda Lesch, John Kinder, and Gary Mansker.