COMMUNITY CELEBRATION SET FOR JULY 4

Cape Girardeau will get a balloon and a buzz as well as a bang on the Fourth of July this year.

Several organizations and individuals are working to recreate the community celebration that ended in 1989. A community picnic, Balloon Fest and a fly-over by military aircraft are some of the events tentatively scheduled for the holiday celebration this year.

"It fell by the wayside several years ago, and we're just trying to get it started again," said Pete Poe, one of the event's organizers. "The VFW will kind of be the umbrella organization, and some others will do their thing to help get the activities going."

Rodger Brown, committee chairman of the community-wide celebration and a member of VFW Post 3838, said the event promises to provide a full slate of activities.

U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson has tentatively agreed to give a speech, and the annual Balloon Fest has been rescheduled to coincide with the celebration. Most of the activities will take place at Arena Park

"We want something families feel comfortable bringing their children tp. Right now we're still trying to get everything organized, but we're planning to have a whole lot of things going on," Brown said.

Beverly Strohmeyer, executive director of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, said her organization will handle the arts portion of activities. In previous years, the Arts Council has sponsored concerts by the Compton Heights Concert Band and the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band on the Fourth of July. This year, the organization is hoping to sponsor at least one concert during the celebration.

"We're certainly interested in working together with everyone and making it one big event for the community," Strohmeyer said.

An organizational meeting will be held tonight at 7 at VFW Post 3838. Brown said he expects strong community response and hopes more people will get involved so a well-rounded celebration can be planned.

"We're trying to get anyone who is interested to bring ideas so we don't leave out anything and can provide something for everybody," he said. "It's open to anybody we can get to come."