Community digest 12/9/04

Car dealer collecting cans for food pantry

Weiser-Hyundai, 386 Siemers Drive, Cape Girardeau, is collecting canned or nonperishable food items for the Red Star Baptist Church food pantry from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Monday. For more information, call 332-1711.

Caring council opening house to community

There will be no Community Caring Council meeting on Dec. 17. Instead, a Christmas open house will be held from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the office, 937 Broadway, Suite 306, Cape Girardeau. Toys for Toybox will be accepted at this time. The council's December newsletter can be viewed at www.communitycaringcouncil.org.

Youths invited to shoot hoops at junior high

Cape Girardeau Elks Lodge 639 will host its annual Hoop Shoot at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Central Junior High School gym for boys and girls, ages 8 to 13. Contestant age groups will be determined by age as of April 1, 2005. Three categories include 8 to 9, 10 to 11 and 12 to 13. Winners in each division will advance to the district, state, regional and finally the championship shoot at Springfield, Mass. For more information, call Dick Wadlington at 334-5690 or Mark Bentlage at 334-0177.

Snapshots with Santa will help Salvation Army

Pictures with Santa will be featured from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, along with face painting, refreshments and surprises at Coldwell Banker Hamilton Realty, 1223 N. Kingshighway. Please bring canned goods, unwrapped toys or a cash donation to benefit the Salvation Army. Sponsored by Coldwell Banker Hamilton Realty, Best Mortgage and Dairy Queen of Cape Girardeau. For more information, call 334-1818.

Scott County genealogy group opening doors

From 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday a Scott County Historical and Genealogy Society open house will be held in the south meeting room of the Riverside Regional Library in Benton, Mo. Refreshments will be served.

South Side Optimists looking for helpers

Individuals wishing to get involved in community service are invited to the next formal organizational meeting of the South Side Optimist Club at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope St., Cape Girardeau. An election of officers will be held and future meeting details including service opportunities will be explored.

-- From staff reports