Fitness managers get business award

At its annual meeting on Oct. 23, the Southeast Missouri Business Group on Health presented its "Above and Beyond Award" to Debbie Leoni, RN, manager of Fitness and Wellness at Southeast Hospital, and to Sandy Duncan, co-manager of Fitness and Wellness at St. Francis Medical Center. Leoni and Duncan were honored for their dedication to the promotion of community health and wellness.

Cape police department gets $2,000 grant

The Missouri Division of Highway Safety, the Missouri Police Chiefs Association and the Missouri Safety Center awarded the Cape Girardeau Police Department a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program grant of $2,000 to assist in a statewide effort to increase seat belt use in Missouri. Law enforcement agencies in 20 counties will participate in this grant program.

The STEP grant has three components: a pre-survey, an enforcement period and a post-survey. The pre-survey will be used to determine the baseline seat belt usage rate. A weeklong enforcement period will follow to target violations including aggressive driving, seat belt violations. Motorists could be ticketed for all traffic violations as well as for failing to ensure that vehicle occupants buckle up. A post-survey will be conducted to determine if seat belt usage rates increased.

Benefit concert scheduled for today

A benefit concert for Kelsey Essner will be held from 2-5 p.m. today at The Little Ole Opry Co. in Burfordville, Mo. All proceeds of the concert will go to Kelsey Essner, who is 7 years old and has leukemia, and her parents, Ron and Laura Essner. The concert is sponsored by Terry and Jan Hopkins, owners of The Little Ole Opry, and will be hosted by Cy Smith, Kenny Martin and Sherman Taylor. For more information, call (573) 243-5215.

Parents Without Partners events set

7 p.m. Dec. 6: General meeting and orientation at Jackson City Hall in Jackson, Mo. The meeting is free and open to the public.

3 p.m. Dec. 9: Orientation at McDonald's in Jackson, free and open to the public.

8 p.m. Dec. 15: Singles dance at the VFW in Cape Girardeau. The dance is open to the public. Cost is $5 for members, $7 for non-members.

8 p.m. Dec. 31: Singles New Year's Eve Dance at the American Legion Hall in Jackson. The dance is open to the public. Cost is $7 for members, $10 for non-members.

Foundation continues membership drive

The Community Counseling Center Foundation of Cape Girardeau is holding a sustaining membership drive in the five-county service area of the center. Members of the Bronze Level Giving Program donate $25 to the foundation. Donations of $100 are Silver Level, and donations of $200 or more are Gold Level. Donors at the Gold Level can choose from a variety of allocation options for their gift. For 2001, Gold-Level donors will receive a limited-edition color print of a painting by local artist Vickie Outman.

The foundation was formed in 1984. Chairman for the sustaining membership drive is Tim Schwent. Tax-deductible gifts and memorials can be sent to the Community Counseling Center Foundation. For more information, call the Community Counseling Center at 334-1100.

Chaffee Christmas parade scheduled

The 31st Annual Chaffee Christmas parade, sponsored by the Chaffee Chamber of Commerce, will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday. This year's theme is "A Red, White and Blue Christmas." Prizes will be given for the top three entries in the parade, and refreshments will be provided for all participants at the end of the parade. Individuals or organizations who would like to participate should call H.B. Rice at (573) 887-3555.

Event to benefit cancer patients and families

The Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation is hosting its sixth annual "A Christmas Story" concert, a special holiday event to benefit area cancer patients and their families. The concert will begin at 2 p.m. Dec. 2 at Cape Bible Chapel in Cape Girar-deau.

Mike Dumey will produce and direct the concert. The program will feature some of the region's most talented young musicians.

The foundation requests a minimum donation of $5 per ticket. For tickets or more information, contact Southeast Missouri Hospital at 651-5510, or online at www.southeast missourihospital.com.

-- From staff reports