HALF OF PHONE BOOKS TURNED IN

Almost half of the Southwestern Bell telephone directories delivered in 1993 have been returned for recycling.

Area students and businesses established a record for recycling outdated telephone directories in 1994 by collecting more than 28,000 old directories the past month.

"This year's response to Project ReDirectory exceeded all expectations," said Craig Felzien, area manager for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co.. "It's the kind of community effort that shows how strong people here feel about the environment and recycling."

Felzien, speaking at an awards breakfast held at the Cape Girardeau Country Club, said the collection rate puts the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area in the top third of the nearly 40 communities where Project ReDirectory is conducted across Southwestern Bell's five-state territory.

"Of special note this year is the work by schoolchildren, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, who helped make this successful effort possible," Felzien said.

Southwestern Bell Telephone and Southwestern Bell Yellow Pages presented area schools with $500 contributions and other prizes Thursday. Scouts will be awarded special patches for their participations.

Felzien said Project ReDirectory's sponsors were a key in the campaign's success.

They included Southeast Missourian, KZIM Radio, KFVS TV-12; Schnucks Markets, J.C. Penney Co., Inc., Boatmen's Bank, Schaper's IGA, Domino's Pizza, Cashbook Journal, Spartech Corp., Procter & Gamble Paper Products Co., Southeast Missouri State University, St. Francis Medical Center, City of Jackson, City of Cape Girardeau and Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems Inc.

Project ReDirectory is conducted annually in more than 40 communities within Southwestern Bell's five-state region of Missouri, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.