Community briefs 03/24/03

Red Lobster part of donation drive for troops

Red Lobster in Cape Girardeau collected toiletries and snacks for U.S. troops stationed overseas on March 6. Seven cases of supplies were packed up and mailed on March 12.

Operation Red Lobster USA was originally the idea of Debra Ubamadu, an executive assistant with the company's Dallas Division. The Red Lobster in Cape Girardeau is part of the Chicago division and was the only restaurant in its division to participate.

Mark Luhring, general manager of Red Lobster, said, "We are a restaurant company, not a political group. It is not up to us to decide whether a war should be fought or not, and we do not offer an opinion in regards to that question. Our goal was to see to the comfort and welfare of United States troops overseas, and let them know that our thoughts, prayers, and wishes are with them."

Jackson chamber committee to meet

The Community Development Committee of the Jackson Chamber of Commerce will meet at noon Thursday in the chamber conference room.

Parents group schedules events for this week

Parents Without Partners will attend line dance lessons from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Circle S Saddle.

The groups will attend contra dance lessons from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday. Call 335-0797 for more information.

Girl Scout summer camp opens season in June

Girl Scout Camp Latonka, located on Lake Wappapello, begins its summer season June 15 and ends July 27. It is open to Girl Scouts and non-Girl Scouts ages 7 to 17. Contact the council office at (888) 780-8373 for more information.

Emerson's mobile office to visit Perryville

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's mobile office will be open from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the County Administration Building in Perryville, Mo. Emerson's staff forwards concerns about particular issues or votes facing the 108th Congress, as well as initiate individual cases that people have with various federal agencies.

Mobile Office director Darrell Lingle will be able to answer questions and write down constituents' concerns.

Pennies From Heaven auction plans announced

Doors for the ninth annual Pennies From Heaven auction will open at 5 p.m. May 16 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

The auctioneers will be Chug Crites Auction Service. Funds will provide support for Southeast's Regional Cancer Center Program We Can Weekend, co-sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital and the American Cancer Society. This program provides counseling and support in a restful setting to cancer patients and their families.

For more information, call 334-9254.

Zonta Club sponsoring flea market in April

Sponsored by the Zonta Club of the Cape Girardeau area, a flea market will be held from 7 to 11 a.m. April 12 at Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 N. Ellis, Cape Girardeau. The flea market will be in the Activities Building.

Proceeds will support community projects.

State promotes cultural and heritage tourism

The Missouri Division of Tourism is helping to promote cultural and heritage tourism in Missouri.

The upcoming conference, "Culturalism in America Part II," known to draw many people with an interest in learning the lesser-known aspects of American culture heritage, will be from 6 to 8 p.m. April 11-12 at the St. Louis Radisson Hotel and Suites.

The seventh annual conference is sponsored by the Midwest Organization for the Recognition and Recording of Ethnic Heritage.

For more information or to register, call MORARE at (800) 490-3773 or (314) 865-0708.

Acting workshop for young people to be held

Starcatchers Community Theatre will sponsor a one-day acting workshop for sixth- and seventh-graders from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 5 at the Center for the Arts, 127 W. Main, Jackson. Students should preregister by calling 243-1450. Registration deadline is April 1. The event culminates with a BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair) performance for family and friends at 3 p.m.

The workshop will be conducted by Brooke Hildebrand Clubbs, a theater education graduate of Southeast Missouri State University. Clubbs holds a master of fine arts in acting from Western Illinois University.

Students should dress casually and bring a brown bag lunch. Fruit punch will be provided for free, and snack items will be available for purchase.

VNA, outreach center to hold teleconference

A live-via-satellite televised broadcast will examine factors that define a public tragedy and look at ways people can respond and offer support from noon to 3:30 p.m. April 30 at the University of Missouri Extension Center, 684 W. Jackson Trail. VNA Hospice and University Outreach and Extension in Jackson will be the local hosts for the Hospice Foundation of America's 10th annual bereavement teleconference.

The teleconference will look back at tragic events and focus on some of the responses that enabled people across the nation to survive and cope. To reserve a seat, call Cheryl at (800) 481-0520.

The program is sponsored in part by a grant from Last Acts and the Foundation for End Life Care, in cooperation with the Adventist Communication Network, Association for Death Education and Counseling, Project on Death in America and The Compassionate Friends.

-- From staff reports