Community briefs 10/5/06

Fraternity, sorority to hold service event

The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and the Alpha Delta Pi sorority will hold a community service event to raise money and collect food and clothing for the Salvation Army from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday at Capaha Park shelter No. 1. There are two other drop-off locations in Cape Girardeau, at Kmart and Dollar General Store on Broadway.

First Free Will Baptist Church to hold sale

An indoor rummage sale will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at First Free Will Baptist Church, 2919 Kage Road in Cape Girardeau. Proceeds will benefit church projects and missions. Crafts, furniture and useful items will be available. Doughnuts, coffee and lunch will be served.

Crump School reunion to be held Saturday

The Crump School reunion will be held at Bethlehem General Baptist Church at Crump beginning with a potluck lunch at noon Saturday. Those who attended Crump School or lived in Crump are invited to attend.

Cape museum to honor firefighters Sunday

Retired firefighters who served at the former fire station at 538 Independence St., where the Cape River Heritage Museum is housed, will be honored Sunday with an open house at the museum. Active firefighters are invited to come and hear stories of retirees who are candidates for a book on their experiences. For more information, call Marge Thompson at 334-3802.

Robotics presentation, demonstration to be held

Children ages 8 and up are invited to a presentation made by a robotics team entering the 2006 SLU-BEST Robotics Competition at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the University of Missouri Extension Center basement, 684 W. Jackson Trail in Jackson. A demonstration and hands-on team-building activity will also take place. Call 824-5546 or 651-6281 for more information.

Centenary to hold forum on stem-cell research

A public forum on Amendment 2, which deals with stem-cell research, will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Centenary United Methodist Church, 320 N. Ellis St. in Cape Girardeau. Both sides of the issue will be presented. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation.

FCE to hold essay and artwork contest

Any student currently enrolled in fourth grade at a public or private school or who is homeschooled may enter the National Association for Family and Community Education and Cape Girardeau County FCE essay and artwork contest. Students must draw a picture by hand and write a short story explaining this year's theme, trustworthiness. Teachers interested in participating should contact literary chairwoman Marilyn Rutherford at 243-8532. For guidelines, permission slips and parent letters, contact the Cape Girardeau County Extension Office at 243-3581. The contest runs through Jan. 15. Work must be done in the classroom. Essays and artwork will be picked up by the literacy committee after the deadline.

Shriners hospital screening clinic to be held

Children who are potential Shriners hospital patients may attend a screening clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 14 at West Park Mall.

Humane Society to hold fall festival at the mall

The Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, in partnership with The Kostomb Shoppe in West Park Mall and Diebold Orchards, will hold a fall festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the West Park Mall parking lot. Safe pumpkin carving from 1 to 3 p.m.; judging at 3 p.m. The contest entry fee will be donated to the Humane Society. Face painting, pictures with Superman and food from Lil Country Store and Sandy and Wayne's Hutch also available. Bring Purina food donations for the shelter. Call 334-3887 for more information.

Cape library begins Great Books series

The Great Books discussion series on "This House of Sky" by Ivan Doig will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Hirsch Community Room at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. Future meeting dates are Nov. 2, "The Places In Between" by Rory Stewart; Nov. 16, "Red House" by Sarah Messer; Nov. 30, "Gilead" by Marilee Robinson; Dec. 14, "Faith and Politics" by Jack Danforth. Meetings are open to the public, and books can be purchased at local bookstores. The discussion series is co-sponsored by the library and the Center for Regional History. For more information, call 334-5279 or the Center for Regional History at 651-2555.

SEMO Bikers Against Child Abuse club meets

SEMO Bikers Against Child Abuse meetings are held at 11:30 a.m. every third Saturday monthly at VFW Post 3838, Cape Girardeau. The meetings are open to the public, and children are welcome. For more information, call the club president at 579-9433. The next meeting is Oct. 21.

Library to offer Internet training class Oct. 26

Interested individuals may sign up to learn basic Internet search techniques at a class from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 26 at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. There is no charge. Registration is required. Call 334-5279 or sign up at the library reference desk.

-- From staff reports