HOME TOUR: LUTHERAN FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES BENEFITS FROM ANNUAL TOUR AND DESSERT BUFFET ON NOV. 27

Cape Girardeau boasts some of the area's most beautiful architecture. A mixture of turn-of-the-century homes and recently built, modern dwellings, the city is perfect for a home tour.

Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Southeast Missouri is conducting its annual house tour and dessert buffet Sunday, Nov. 27, for the seventh year. Every tour so far has attracted hundreds of curious participants, eager to glimpse inside homes they normally could only drive past and admire.

Nancy Stiegemeyer, spokeswoman for Lutheran Services, said committee members choose unique homes for the event and ask the owners' permission to use them. Most grant it.

"Cape Girardeau has so many kinds of houses," Stiegemeyer said. "The old ones are so interesting if they have been preserved or restored. You can't find the same woodworking, windows or exterior design today. But the new houses are interesting because the space is designed for the way people live now."

In addition to appreciating unique architecture, tourists can see how homeowners used window treatments and floor coverings. They can get ideas on furniture arranging or on how to use their own antiques or family heirlooms to decorate.

Six homes are on this year's tour, with two on Spanish Street and one each on Bellevue Street, Vail Drive and Ashland Hills Drive. The sixth is on Illinois Route 3, just across the Mississippi River.

The Illinois residence will house the dessert buffet part of the tour, which features treats from area bakers, spice tea and coffee.

"It all looks so good, most people act like they haven't eaten in weeks!" Stiegemeyer said.

Tourists may start at any home between noon and 6 on Nov. 27. Stiegemeyer said the time allotted should be ample to leisurely view all six houses. Maps are provided with tickets.

About 650 people take the tour each year, raising money for Lutheran Family and Children's Services. Every penny collected from ticket sales goes directly to the charity because organizations and individuals donate all supplies.

The charity provides counseling for individuals, couples, families, children and single expectant parents. It also sponsors support groups, including one for parents whose children have died, one for parents whose children have attention deficit syndrome and one for people who are care givers for the elderly.

"Our fees are on a sliding scale, so people pay what they can afford," Stiegemeyer said. "This means we are constantly in need of money."

Tickets are $10 in advance and available at the Lutheran Services office, 2911 Breckenridge Drive. Other ticket outlets are Schnucks' service desk, Wanda's Coiffures and Williams Hearing Center.

Tickets will sell for $12 at the door of any home on the tour.

For additional information, call Lutheran Services at 334-5866.