CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU DISPENSES FIRST BROCHUR RACKS TODAY

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Florsheim Factory Shoe Store manager Don Hinkebein's idea becomes a reality today.

Hinkebein's idea was to provide service stations, restaurants, and other businesses frequented by the public with brochures spotlighting things to see and do in the area.

"This was the start of a project by the Cape Girardeau Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) to provide brochure racks in area businesses," said Laurel Adkisson of the CVB, during the monthly meeting of the bureau's advisory committee Wednesday. "This week, we started distributing the new brochure racks."

The first rack will be set up today at the Florsheim outlet.

"Hinkebein is a big tourism supporter," said Adkisson. "His store has good traffic from Cape Girardeau and from the nearby area. This whole thing was his (Hinkebein's) idea."

Adkisson said a total of 33 racks had been ordered.

"We have 25 of them ready at this time," she said. "We hope to install then over a period of four to five weeks."

A special presentation was made at the CVB Wednesday. Sandy Bonner, a manager for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., presented framed telephone directories to the CVB, Chamber of Commerce, city of Cape Girardeau, and a Trail of Tears State Park official.

The cover of the directory features a color photograph of Trail of Tears State Park.

"A fifth framed directory has already been presented to the photographer who shot the picture Mark Sterkel, of the Southeast Missourian newspaper," said Bonner.

She explained that the photograph was selected for the cover because it represented "the beauty, history and tradition of the area."

A scheduled election of officers for the advisory board was postponed until the February meeting.

Cathy Crites, of the CVB staff, reported that an eight-week tour guide training course would be conducted, starting Jan. 25.

"The course will include a classroom session concerning history, and how to work with tour groups," said Crites. "The course will also include practice tours among the training group and other organizations in town."

Crites said more than a dozen people had signed up for the course.

Additional information is available by calling the CVB at 335-3312.