HABITAT TO BUILD `OPRAH' HOUSE HERE

Delois Jackson and her three children will have a new home thanks to efforts of the Cape Girardeau Area Habitat for Humanity and Maxwell House Coffee.

The home is one of 10 nationwide the coffee company is funding through the Oprah Angel Network.

Construction of the house begins Saturday. A groundbreaking ceremony was held last weekend at the site.

The local site was chosen as part of the Build a Home America program sponsored by Maxwell House. The company plans to build 100 homes in 100 weeks across the country.

In conjunction with the building blitz, talk-show host Oprah Winfrey challenged her audiences to help Habitat for Humanity build a house in every city where her show can be seen.

Cape Girardeau was included in the viewing area, and a site was chosen.

"We had the family, the Oprah's Angel volunteers, the building lot and house plans, but we hadn't found enough local sponsorship to be sure that we could complete the home on time," said Bill Cheeseman, president of the local Area Habitat.

There are currently three Habitat homes under construction in the city. "We have over 400 volunteers and contributors who have helped with our work and could use another 400 if we can find the materials necessary to build additional Habitat homes," he said.

Two other houses currently are being built by labor volunteers from First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau and La Croix United Methodist Church.

For information or to help on Habitat projects, call 334-4344 weekdays between 8 a.m. and noon.