Leadership Cape groups present slate of project ideas

Health, food, activities and fun were among the many topics discussed by groups at this month's Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce First Friday Coffee.

The event was sponsored by Six Flags St. Louis and SoutheastHEALTH. Six Flags brought special guests Bugs Bunny and Sylvester of the Looney Tunes to discuss new attractions, and Jack Hembree, director of HealthPoint Fitness at SoutheastHEALTH, discussed the importance of setting aside just a few minutes for exercise each day.

The morning's main feature included five presentations from the Leadership Cape class of 2014. Leadership Cape is an annual program offered by the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce that is designed to help Cape Girardeau professionals build leadership skills, as well as the opportunity to discover what Cape Girardeau has to offer.

Team Safety Squadron

Public safety and improved communications were the driving goals behind Team Safety Squadron's presentation. To achieve them, the group recommended establishing partnerships with the city's public safety offices and organizations that offer programs and information about how to stay safe, particularly on the road. After establishing these connections and improving communication between these groups and the public, the team recommended building a Safety Town. It would be a permanent structure -- ideally at the Osage Centre, Shawnee Park or Arena Park -- that would serve as a way to enforce bicycle, pedestrian and roadway safety.

Team Volunteers Needed

Many people in Cape Girardeau want to volunteer but are not sure what the needs of the community are or if they can provide the commitment the organization needs, according to a presentation by members of Team Volunteers Needed. To address this issue and make the process more efficient, the group proposed making a website. It would be similar to a dating website in that users could make a profile that would include details about their schedules and interests, then they could be matched to suitable organizations. Users would be notified when a matching volunteer opportunity was available and could select "yes" to volunteer or "no" if they're unavailable.

Team Health and Wealth

The third team to present, Team Health and Wealth, pitched its idea for a Heartland co-op, which would feature locally grown produce and handmade products. The idea is to feature better food, most organically grown or purchased from local farmers, and provide more healthy opportunities in the community. The co-op would be housed in a permanent structure downtown and would work with the local farmers market rather than compete with it. It also would feature space for local nonprofit organizations to set up each month to offer information about their services to interested customers.

Team River City Bike Share

The mission of Team River City Bike Share was to create accessible, healthy activities that provide fitness and transportation opportunities for the community. By setting up kiosks around town where members of the public could rent bicycles for a few hours or the entire day, individuals and families could cruise through downtown or along the LaCroix Trail. The kiosks could be set up at the Osage Centre, Shawnee Park and Southeast Missouri State University. Before making a stop at any of these locations, users could check a smartphone application that tells them how many bikes are available at each kiosk.

Team What the Truck

If Team What the Truck's idea became a reality, Cape Girardeau could be home to Food Truck Fridays. Under the team's proposal, on the first Friday in May, June, July and August, food trucks would set up throughout the day at Arena Park. The variety of food provided would draw groups of all ages, the team said, and the park already features picnic tables and a spacious area for people to sit and enjoy their food. There also could be opportunities to allow the trucks to set up at other times for special events, like Tunes at Twilight.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

777 N. Main St., Cape Girardeau, MO