Community digest 1/24/02

Where is this?

Look up as you go in, and you'll discover one of Cape Girardeau's most intriguing works of art. If you know where this is, drop us a line or e-mail rowen@semissourian. If you have an interesting story about this week's photo, share it with us. Photos of historic interest also are welcome. A number of people correctly identified the Marquette Hotel lobby, last week's photo.Woman finally masters the roundabouts

Sonny Lee Deimund of Cape Girardeau recently received a package from England that included a newspaper, the Express & Star, as packing material.

"Being curious about their news, I read the articles and thought the story about the woman and roundabouts might be of interest," said Deimund.

Here's the story from the Express & Star:

A woman has passed her driving test at the third attempt after being unable to negotiate roundabouts for eight years.

Moyra Long from Tabley, in Cheshire, spent £7,000 taking more than 400 driving lessons.

Every time the 49-year-old drove into a roundabout, she became so worried she was unable to get off and just drove around in circles.

She said: "I am a lot calmer when I approach a roundabout now but it has taken a while. For ages I just couldn't get off. I got to confused with all the exits and lanes."

Deimund noticed the article because of the roundabout in Cape Girardeau.

Naturalist will discuss backyard birds

The dark-eyed junco can be observed at 85 percent of the nation's bird feeders and heads the list of most frequently reported "backyard" species in North America, according to FeederWatch surveys.

"People will probably see juncos at backyard feeders in this area," said Bridget Jackson, naturalist at the regional Missouri Department of Conservation office in Cape Girardeau.

Jackson will discuss "Birds in the Backyard" during a special meeting Thursday, Jan. 31, in the Hirsch Community Room of the Cape Girardeau Public Library at 6:30 p.m. She will discuss birds which frequent winter birdfeeders in the area, foods that attract different birds and the pleasures of backyard bird-watching.

Community Caring Conference scheduled

Ronald R. Willis, a mental health consultant and president of Green Porch Swing Productions, will be guest speaker at the 13th Community Caring Conference Friday, Feb. 8.

"Lighting Your Candle and Fanning it Flame" will be Willis' topic during a 9:30 a.m. discussion. He will follow that with a 12:30 p.m. luncheon talk, "It Can Be a Real Zoo Around Here."

Mary C. Kasten, retired Missouri state representative and founder of the Community Caring Council, will give the welcome at the conference at 8:30 a.m. The council's Community Partnership Awards will be presented at the conference.

The conference, to be held at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau, is geared toward professionals, parents and ministers who work with families, the aged and children. Registration is $40, and the deadline for registering is Saturday. Additional information is available by calling 651-2099.

Man observes 90th birthday with family

Coy Welker, a retired McDonnell Douglas worker, recently observed his 90th birthday.

Welker of St. Charles, Mo., was 90 on January 6, 2002.

Welker is originally from Patton, Mo., said his daughter, Judy Schaefer, of Harrisburg, Pa. "He was the son of Pola and Mary Koch Welker, whose families came to farm in Bollinger County, Mo., when it was a Spanish territory."

Welker's sisters live in Cape Girardeau County -- Grace Sharrock of Jackson and Clara Fadler of Cape Girardeau. He has a brother, Loy Welker, of St. Peters, Mo.

Winter dance slated for parish center

A winter dance sponsored by the St. Denis Home and School of Benton, Mo., will be held at the Parish Center Saturday.

Music, from 8 p.m. to midnight, will be provided by Decade.

Tickets are $7 per person and $12 per couple and will be available at the door.

Sodas and snacks will be available.

Big ticket raffle winners will be announced. Prizes include a 52-inch TV with DVD player, a computer and printer package, $500 cash, a Sony Playstation II and $100 cash.

St. Ambrose men offer benefit breakfast

The men of St. Ambrose will host a sausage, eggs, biscuit and gravy breakfast Feb. 3 at the St. Ambrose Parish Center at Chaffee.

Serving will be from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

Radio station plans dinner and dance

KRCU Radio will host its second annual Valentine Dinner-Dance Feb. 12.

The event, sponsored by the St. Francis Heart Institute, will be held at the Osage Centre. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. and dancing will follow at 8 p.m. with the swing and big-band sounds of Southeast Missouri State University Jazz Band from 8 until 11 p.m.

More than 225 people attended last year's first event. This year's event is expected to draw an even larger crowd, with a buffet dinner menu that will feature a choice of two entrees, salad, potatoes, vegetables, rolls and a special Valentine desert.

Tickets are $30 and must be purchased before Feb. 8, said KRCU general manager Greg Petrowich. Tickets are available by calling KRCU at 651-5070 or by stopping by the KRCU studios during business hours at 338 N. Henderson.

PIC taking older worker nominationsNominations are now being accepted for "Missouri Older Worker of the Year."

Information and nomination forms are available by contacting Wanda Dillon at Southeast Missouri Private Industry Council (PIC) in Cape Girardeau.

The Missouri contest is sponsored by the Missouri Senior Employment Coordinating Committee (MSECC), a statewide group that helps promote the hiring of older workers.

The MSECC includes a number of organizations: Division of Job Development and Training, the Division of Aging, the Division of Employment Security, Green Thumb Inc., Jewish Vocational Services, the American Association of Retired Persons, the National Council on Aging, the U.S. Forest Service and Area Agencies on Aging.

Contestants must be 55 or older, residents of Missouri and work in Missouri.

Dillon is available at the PIC, 760 S. Kingshighway, Suite F, or by calling 334-0990, extension 14.

Woman will lead discussion of book

Nita Dubois will lead a discussion of "Cane River" at Central High School at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the library.

"Cane River," a novel by Lalita Tademy, is a story of three generations of strong women and the importance of family.

Community garage sale to attract hundreds

The Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department will hold a community-wide garage sale Saturday at the Osage Center.

As many as 500 to 800 persons are expected to attend the 8 a.m. to noon sale.

The sale is one of four sponsored annually by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department. The sales are so popular that all 70 exhibitor spaces are already sold out for the winter sale on Saturday and the spring sale May 11.

The Parks and Recreation Department staff receives about 100 phone calls a month seeking information about upcoming garage sales.

--From staff reports