Community briefs 9/18/06

AARP needs volunteers to assist tax preparation

AARP Tax Aide, the nation's largest free, volunteer-operated tax consulting and preparation service, seeks volunteers as leadership coordinators or to assist in tax preparation. Tax counselors receive free tax training and become IRS certified by passing the IRS exam. Urgent needs are at the Charleston Center at (573) 472-2641 or (573) 794-2241; or New Madrid Center (573) 379-2070 or (573) 794-2241, but help at Cape Girardeau, Jackson, Chaffee, Sikeston, Portageville and Marble Hill is still needed. Call Lavern Nothdurft for more information at (573) 794-2241; toll free at (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.

Sides-Hargroves family reunion planned Saturday

The Price and Nancy Hargroves Sides family reunion is set for noon Saturday at Jackson City Park Shelter 4 at Optimist Hill, west of the lake. Bring table service, beverages, lawn chairs, cameras and appetite. For more information, call 243-8028.

Benefit for class of 1977 Oran High School grad

The Oran High School graduating class of 1977 is sponsoring a bake sale and dinner/auction for classmate Paul Daniels, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. The bake sale, co-sponsored by the 1977 graduating class and Oran United Pentecostal Church, will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday at David's Food Mart in downtown Oran. The dinner is from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Oran Knights of Columbus Hall (ages 6 and under eat free); 7:30 p.m. auction. Live music immediately following the auction. Monetary donations may be sent to Paul Daniels benefit, c/o Alliance Bank, Oran, Mo. 63771.

Sewing Reunion set for Sunday in Friedheim

The 35th annual Sewing Reunion will be held Sunday at Trininty Lutheran Church Parish Hall in Friedheim. A catered meal will be served at 12:30 p.m. Families should bring a dessert to share and their own table service. A business meeting will follow the meal. For more information, call 243-5522.

VFW members and families invited to picnic

The Cape Girardeau VFW Post 3838 and Ladies Auxiliary will hold its annual picnic at noon Sunday at the VFW Lakes. The picnic is open to members and their families. Auxiliary members are asked to bring a covered dish and dessert.

Modern Woodmen hold camp dinners Sept. 26, 27

Modern Woodmen of America Camp 4902 will hold a 4:30 to 7 p.m. dinner Sept. 26 at Frontier restaurant at Fruitland, 5841 U.S. 61, Jackson. Contact person is Betty Jones at 243-3261, 651-0030 or 243-5868. Camp 8116 will hold a 4:30 to 7 p.m. dinner Sept. 27 at Ponderosa, 1301 S. Perryville Blvd., Perryville, Mo. Contact person is Ginger McCloud at (573) 547-1605, 651-0030 or 243-5868. All members are invited. There will be a door prize.

Three fall cruises offered on the Grampa Woo

Take in another perspective of Cape Girardeau's riverfront and the Mississippi River from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 29 with a Bruce Zimmerman blues cruise; from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 30 for a scenic cruise or a 4 to 7 p.m. dinner cruise aboard the Grampa Woo. Cruises depart from Riverfront Park. The Saturday dinner cruise will feature cuisine by Port Cape restaurant. Advanced tickets are required. For more information, call the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau at 335-1631 or (800) 777-0068.

End-of-summer bash at the Mound City Gym Yard

MOUND CITY, Ill. --Set-up time for vendors at the "End of Summer Bash" (sponsored by the Mound City Woman's Club) is 7 a.m. Sept. 30; sales begin at 8 a.m. at Mound City Gym Yard off Highway 37. A free street dance is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the south end of High Street, featuring DJ Nick Adams. Bring lawn chairs. There will be food vendors, booths and yard sales. For more information, call Linda Johnson at (314) 748-9417, Donna Hudson at (314) 748-9877 or Cheryl James at (314) 748-9076.

SEMO holds Sunbeams 2006 cheerleading clinic

A clinic for girls and boys ages 4 to 12 who would like to learn to cheer and dance with the Southeast Missouri State University cheerleaders and perform at halftime Sept. 30 will begin at 9 a.m. with registration at the Student Rec Center. Call Nancy Greaser at 335-8790 to register.

Fall festival set for Sept. 30 at SEMO Greenhouse

Cape County Master Gardeners and SEMO Greenhouse present a fall festival of mums, pansies, asters, gourds, ornamental kale, corn stalks, straw bales and Indian corn from 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 30. Master Gardener Joe Sherinski will make a 10 a.m. presentation. Call 651-2316 for more information.

VFW Post 3838, Ladies Auxiliary sponsor contests

VFW Post 3838 is sponsoring two contests, The Voice of Democracy and The Patriot's Pen, and the Ladies Auxiliary is sponsoring a Patriotic Art Contest. The contests are open to local students, homebound or home-schooled. First- to third-place winners receive cash prizes locally; first-place winners advance to district for judging. The Voice of Democracy, open to ninth- to 12th-graders, requires a 3- to 5-minute tape or CD to be submitted along with an essay. The theme is "Freedom's Challenge." The Patriot's Pen is a 300- to 500-word essay open to sixth- to eighth-graders on the theme "Citizenship in America." Contact Tom Berkbigler at 335-1040. The Patriotic Art contest open to ninth- to 12th-graders. Call Sheila Allen at 243-3075 for more information.

-- From staff reports