CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WOULD BOOST TOY BOX

Mike Seabaugh hopes the Christmas spirit kicks in soon.

Seabaugh, Cape Girardeau Jaycees co-chairman of the 1995 Toy Box toy drive, said organizers are anxiously awaiting donations so they can start filling orders.

The Jaycees and Southeast Missourian are sponsoring the drive.

The Toy Box Trust's reserves of toys and funds were depleted during last year's distribution, he said, and donations have been slow getting started this year.

"We haven't even started working yet to fill orders," he said. "We're going to try to start Monday, if there's anything for us to work with. We don't really have any money. We don't have any toys. We're really hurting as of right now."

Now that it is December and people are getting serious about their Christmas shopping, Seabaugh hopes they will remember to pick up a few extra toys for children who might otherwise have no Christmas.

So far more than 200 applications for toys have been turned in.

"I'm guessing we'll get at least another 200 more, probably," he said. "That leaves us with a lot of applications to fill. We've got a little over two weeks from Monday to get all of this done."

Without donations of toys and money, some requests for toys won't be met, he said.

Deadline for parents to apply for their children to receive toys through Toy Box is Friday. Applications may be filled out at the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope. Children ages 12 and under who live in Cape Girardeau are eligible for Toy Box. All applications must include children's Social Security numbers.

Jaycees Santas and elves will deliver the toys to children's homes Dec. 21 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

New, unwrapped toys may be dropped off at Boatmen's Bank, Capital Bank, Coldwell Banker, Gulliver's Travels, Commerce Bank, Mercantile Bank, First National Bank, Chuck E. Cheese's, West Park Mall or the Southeast Missourian.

Retailers are invited to donate toys or offer discounts on purchases for Toy Box.

Donations may be sent to Toy Box Trust, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702.