HOLIDAY HELP: TOYS THAT TEACH WELCOME

If you can't decide what to purchase when doing your Toy Box shopping this year, go educational.

Many parents are requesting educational toys and books of all kinds for their children this year.

Crayons, coloring books, and cloth or sing-along books are popular requests for children under the age of 7.

Children from 7 to 12 want puzzles, pen and marker sets, and books from the popular Goosebumps series.

Parents also requested See-N-Say and Speak-N-Spell games for their kids."I would like anything, preferably educational," wrote a 3-year old's mother.

Another mother requested anything educational with Christian values for her children.

Toybox is in its 22nd year and is co-sponsored by the Cape Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian. The program works to provide Christmas presents to over 1,200 children each year. Parents wishing to apply should take proof of residency and a Social Security card for each child who lives at the address to the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope, by Dec. 6. New, unwrapped toys and gifts may be delivered to the Southeast Missourian, 301 Broadway, or drop-off boxes at West Park Mall, Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, Boatmen's Bank, Gullivers Travel Agency, Mercantile Bank, Union Planters Bank, The First National Bank, Commerce Bank and Sanders True Value Hardware.

Cash contributions may be mailed to Toybox Trust, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0004.