FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS USHERS IN SEASON

Many voices: Area Girl Scouts from 35 troops combined their voices to bring holiday cheer to spectators. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans

Holiday cheer: Scouts were in the Christmas spirit, singing several well-known Christmas songs, under the direction of Mary Jane Fieser. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans

With Santa: Getting a chance to pose with that Jolly Old Elf was among the highlights at the annual Festival of Lights. Jackson USA Signal/Mark Evans

Although the wintery nip in the air Monday night did not have the same North Pole feel to it as the previous year, the 2000 Girl Scout Festival of Lights still put visitors in a holiday mood.

"It was not quite as brisk as it was last year, but there was still a lot of good Christmas spirit there," said Mary Jane Fieser, public relations coordinator for the Girls Scouts' Tsalagi Service Unit and director of the evening's singing.

The temperature was 39 degrees at the start of the evening probably 20 degrees warmer than the teeth-chattering 1999 festival.

Between 400 and 500 spectators watched members of 35 area Girl Scout, Brownie and Daisy troops sing Christmas songs, as some 1,000 luminaries glowed across the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse lawn.

"I thought it was a very successful program. It shows a great amount of support from the community," said Fieser, who has led the festival's singing the past nine years. "It gives Girl Scouts a visibility in the community so that people get a chance to see some of the good things kids do the service projects like the large collection of items the collected to donate to Elks for their Christmas Baskets."

Winter items, such as socks, underwear, hats, gloves and mittens were collected for adults and children. The Elks Christmas Basket program will distribute them to families in need later this month.

Fieser led the Scouts in such familiar tunes as "Jingle Bells," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Silent Night" and others, following a welcome by Jackson Mayor Paul Sander.

Fieser credited Chairman Patti Eftink with doing "a great job in connecting all of the troop leaders and the girls and getting everybody informed."

The 35 troops are all from the Tsalagi Service Unite of the Girls Scouts of Otahki Council, serving all girls who live in the Jackson and Oak Ridge school districts.

Santa Claus was also on hand to listen to wish lists and pose for photos and more than 300 cups of hot chocolate were served. A Nativity scene and Santa's House were set up on the south side of the square.

"The program really ties the Girl Scouts and the community together," said Fieser, a former Tsalagi staff member.