HEALTHY FAMILIES BLOCK PARTY PLANNED FOR JULY 15

Parents, grandparents and children can enjoy an educational and entertaining afternoon July 15 when the Family Resource Center hosts the Healthy Families 2000 Community Block Party.

The event will be held from 1-5 p.m. at Fort D next to May Greene Elementary School, 1000 Ranney. Children can enjoy water balloon tosses and other games while adults visit some 20 booths that will feature information about services and free health screenings. Local groups also will provide entertainment throughout the day.

"Our focus is on Cape Girardeau families, churches, agencies and organizations working together to empower healthy families and safe communities," said Family Resource Center executive director Sharland Reed. "The focus is on linking people from this community with the various service providers."

Hundreds of people attended the original block party last year, which marked one of the first projects the Family Resource Center sponsored in the community. The organization grew out of a Community Caring Council task force formed in 1995 and officially opened its office at 1000 S. Sprigg last April.

Reed said the purpose of her organization is to provide a centralized facility that is easily accessible to the residents of south Cape Girardeau. Rather than creating new programs, Reed tries to form partnerships with existing agencies seeking to improve provision of services in the community.

"If they can go there and talk to service providers, that is one way for residents to find out what is available and how to get there and access those services," she said. "It's a win-win situation on both sides."

Several programs are already in place at the center. Both hospitals provide educational programming periodically, and an adolescent obesity clinic sponsored by the hospitals and Southeast Missouri State University has been meeting since June 7.

Children from the neighborhood have been utilizing the center's computers and branch of the public library since the day it opened. A summer food program for youth and senior nutrition program for elderly also have been well-received, Reed said.

"We're trying to schedule programs for all aspects of the family," she said. "We want them to decide how often they want to come and what kind of services they want."

The Family Resource Center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Friday. For more information about the center, call (573)334-8170.