CARNIVAL, ARTS AND CRAFTS FAIR JOIN MONDAY TELETHON AT SHOW ME CENTER

Local organizers are gearing up for the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon. They hope to better the $298,457 that was put on the Heartland toteboard last year.

For the first time, local segments will be broadcast from the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

The 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. telethon will share the Show Me Center with a MDA benefit that is open to the public.

Show Me Fest 94 will bring an arts and crafts fair, carnival rides and games, along with live entertainment to the center, said coordinator Carla Fee with the Cape Girardeau MDA office.

This marks the 29th year for the telethon, which is being aired on KFVS-12 for the 14th consecutive year.

KFVS-12 Breakfast Show weekend anchor Terry Turner will team with staff meteorologist Pam Land to host local segments from the Show Me Center, said Ken Lucy, MDA district director. Heartland News anchor Mary Ann Maloney, along with sports director Randy Ray, will host the local segments from the University Mall in Carbondale.

Clay County Amusements will set up a full-size Scrambler and Moonwalk inside the Show Me Center for the festival. A ferris wheel and a swing ride will also add to the thrills.

The four rides will flank the stage where local telethon segments will originate. Radio station Q-99 will broadcast from the Show Me Fest.

Some of the local acts scheduled to entertain include the Class Act Gymnastics Team, line dancing by the Country Club Western Dancers, gospel singing by The Miracles, magician Bill Coomer and square dancing by the Blue Bird Stompers.

Neuman Amusements of Poplar Bluff will donate the entire day's collections from the video games to MDA.

Burrows Amusements from Jackson and area civic clubs and businesses will provide a dozen games where kids and adults can win prizes. A&W Root Beer floats and cotton candy will supplement Show Me Center concessions.

The goal of this year's telethon is to break the $46 million total nationwide. Pledges can be made to the telethon on Labor Day by calling 651-5171.

Eighty-three cents of every dollar that MDA received last year through the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon and other sources was allocated to program services. Fee said this ranks MDA as one of the highest among large American voluntary health agencies in percentage of income spent on programs.

MDA is a voluntary health agency working to defeat 40 neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive patient and community services and professional and public health information.

Those wanting more information about MDA, its programs or recent research findings can contact the Cape Girardeau office at 335-4400.