Community briefs 9/4/03

Community Caring Council to meet Sept. 19

The next Community Caring Council meeting will be at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 19 at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. Janis Traughber from MPACT will be the guest speaker.

Beggs Pumpkin Patch will open Sept. 27

Experience a working farm at the Beggs Pumpkin Patch in Sikeston, Mo. Get lost in the Lewis and Clark Expedition corn maze or the straw-bale maze. Relax on a hayride, interact with the farm animals, pick pumpkins right from the patch, eat homemade fudge and stock up on fall decorating supplies. The farm opens Sept. 27. An admission fee applies. For more information, call (573) 471-3879 or visit www.beggspumpkinpatch.com.

Honor society to hold yard sale for literacy

Support literacy in Southeast Missouri by attending the annual Phi Kappa Phi Chapter No. 260 Colossal Yard Sale from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Downtown Pavilion in Cape Girardeau.

New and used items, including donated merchandise from downtown area merchants, will be offered at bargain prices.

All proceeds from the sale are used to buy children's books for the honor society's "Born To Read" literacy program, which encourages reading at an early age. A new book is provided to every baby born in Cape Girardeau.

Individuals or businesses who would like to donate items to the annual event should contact Julie Grueneberg at 651-2528 by Sept. 11.

Women in agriculture group to meet in Benton

At 7 p.m. tonight the Scott County Women in Agriculture group will meet at the Scott County USDA office in Benton, Mo. Interested individuals are invited to attend. Call Kay Dover at (573) 545-3593 for more information. Members of the group share an interest in gardening, cooking, family activities and helping the community.

Bollinger family reunion set for Sunday at park

Beginning at 12:30 p.m. Sunday the annual Henry M. Bollinger family reunion will be held at Cape County Park North Shelter 5. All friends and family are invited to this basket dinner.

Hanover Lutheran to hold pet memorial service

To honor and remember pets who have passed on, a pet memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sept. 14 at Historic Hanover Lutheran Church, 2950 Perryville Road, Cape Girardeau.

Individuals who have lost a pet are welcome to bring a picture of their pet to be posted on a memorial board. The candlelit ceremony includes the reading of poems and stories. A Christian prayer will complete the service, followed by refreshments to share.

Central High book club to meet Sept. 30

"The Rapture of Canaan" by Sheri Reynolds will be discussed from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Central High School Library.

Refreshments will be provided. The discussion leader is Abigail Beckwith.

Morton reunion to be held Sunday in Jackson

A noon meal for the descendants of Olive and Pinkney Morton will be held Sunday at Jackson City Park Shelter 1 (near tennis courts). Bring utensils, plates, drinks and covered dish for your family.

Sororities devote evening to community service

Tonight is philanthropy night at Southeast Missouri State University's University Center. As part of sorority recruitment week, service projects will include making IV bag covers, decorating flower pots for assisted living communities and making sock puppets and bags for the Women's Safe House. Items will then be donated to local charitable organizations and hospitals. For more information, contact Kurt Bliggenstorfer at greeklife@semo.edu or call 651-2280.

Newcomer's Club plans events for September

Lunch Bunch, a special interest group of the Newcomer's Club, will meet at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Saffrons Restaurant on Independence in Cape Girardeau.

The Book Club will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at Barnes and Noble. The discussion book is "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch. Call Patti Lessman at 335-4246 for more information.

At 9:30 a.m. Sept. 16 the Newcomer's Club will meet for coffee at My Daddy's Cheesecake.

Wilkinson family reunion set for Sept. 21

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 21 the Wilkinson family reunion will be held at Jackson City Park Shelter 3. Bring chairs and a dish. A collection will be taken for the cemetery upkeep.

Retired teachers group changes meeting date

The monthly meeting for the Retired Teachers Association has been changed to Wednesday. Social time is from 9 to 9:30 a.m. The next meeting will be on the regularly scheduled first Wednesday, Oct. 1. For more information contact president Gene Loftis at 334-5390.

Scott City Kiwanis Club donates to DARE

The Scott City Police Department will use the $100 donation they received from the Scott City Kiwanis Club to purchase workbooks and supplies needed to teach the DARE (Drug Abuse Reisistance Education) Program.

In Scott City DARE is a partnership between the police department and school district. Donations are crucial to DARE's continued operation in the community. The program teaches students ways to refuse pressure to try drugs and alcohol and the life skills necessary to stay away from them and gangs as well.

Salvation Army to hold open house Sept. 22

From 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22, the Salvation Army at 701 Good Hope in Cape Girardeau, welcomes the community to greet the new commanding officers, Majors Michael and Mary Thomas.

Special exhibits of Salvation Army operations and information on services will be displayed. Call 335-7000 for more information.

-- From staff reports