LFCS HOUSE TOUR STARTS DEC. 1

Beautiful sites and sounds will be making people happy during and after the holiday season thanks to the 1996 Lutheran Family and Children's Services Holiday House Tour.

The home tours have occurred for nine years, and proceeds from the event will benefit the social service work of the agency.

"We provide adoptions services, pregnancy counseling to new mothers, crisis prevention, and all sorts of general counseling," said Tammy Gwaltney, director of LFCS.

Lutheran Family and Children's Services counsels well over 300 people each year. Another 500 people use LFCS' adoption services and various support groups. Approximately 75 percent of the people served by the agency are non-Lutheran.

"We are truly a community-based service agency," Gwaltney said.

Two homes from Illinois and three from the Cape Girardeau area are on the tour schedule this year. New to the event is a silent/secret auction featuring items donated by area businesses and individuals. Also new to the tours are a number of door prizes donated by local banks and businesses.

"We just have such loyal people who come back to the home tour that we decided to try and make it more special for them," said Gwaltney. Auction items available for bid include holiday wreaths, a decorative white wicker sled, two collectible Christmas ornaments, a Santa statue, and a bread maker, she said.

Gwaltney said available door prizes include savings bonds, gift certificates, gift baskets, and a coin proof set.

Stops on the tour include the Martin home in McClure, Ill.; the Davis home, in Rivercrest, Ill.; and the Zimmer home, the Bess home and the Tanksley home, all in Cape Girardeau.

Gwaltney said the Davis home was on the tour three years ago during the flood of 1993. The home has been recovered, she said, and the family has again volunteered for the tour.

"People usually volunteer to be on the home tours because they want to help the agency," said Gwaltney.

The home tours begin Sunday, Dec. 1, at noon and will last until 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets can be bought in Cape Girardeau at the Schnucks Kingshighway store, Wanda's Coiffures, and the LFCS-SEMO office.

In Jackson, tickets can be purchased at the Way Christian Book Store, the Andrew Jackson, and Mane Attraction.