FUND DRIVE SET FOR CAPE COUNTY EXTENSION CENTER

JACKSON -- A $350,000 fund drive to build a new, 7,000 square-foot Cape Girardeau County Education and Extension Center will kick off here next week.

The fund raiser is off to a good start.

"A local family has already donated two-and-a-half acres of ground for the building," said Mary Gosche, human development specialist at University of Missouri Outreach & Extension office at Jackson. Also, volunteers have raised approximately $89,000 in cash and pledges, she said.

"We're going public with the fund drive Feb. 26," said Gosche.

The official kick-off will be held at 11 a.m. in the current location, 815 S. Hope in Jackson. That office space is leased.

Dr. Manuel Pacheco, president of the University of Missouri, and Dr. Ron Turner, executive vice president, and director of cooperative extension, will be on hand to discuss the role of outreach and extension.

Every citizen in Cape County who needs or wants education or information is a potential client of University Outreach and Extension, said Gosche. "This includes farmers, gardeners, homemakers, business people. youths involved in farm and many others.

Currently, more than 90 programs are available at the extension office. The new education center will offer more space -- a conference room and two additional meeting rooms.

A telecommunications facility will make programs more accessible to everyone. The new center will also provide citizen access to computers and the Internet.