MAKING A DIFFERENCE

A student group at Southeast Missouri State University hopes to make a difference Saturday with blood and food drives.

The student chapter of the Association for Work Site Health Promotion is coordinating a blood drive for the American Red Cross and a food drive to benefit FISH, a local food pantry.

The two drives will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at West Park Mall as part of the sixth annual "Make A Difference Day."

The nationwide observance is sponsored by "USA Weekend" magazine in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation.

Last year, volunteers in Cape Girardeau observed "Make A Difference Day" by cleaning up the Civic Center and doing other service projects.

"Usually when you help people out, it makes you feel better about yourself," said Melanie Rudolph, a senior and president of the health-promotion chapter.

The chapter has about 40 members.

Rudolph said the chapter settled on the two projects because the Red Cross needs blood and the FISH pantry is in need of canned goods.

Both the Red Cross and FISH volunteers will be at the mall Saturday, along with representatives of the Area Wide United Way.

The blood drive will be near the Famous Barr wing of the mall. The food drive will be in Center Court.

Vie Keys will play the keyboard at Center Court from 1-3 p.m. Saturday.

"We are hoping people will come and bring food," Rudolph said.