MEDICAL BILLS COULD COST FAMILY CHRISTMAS

Appointments and more appointments are all one family knows after one child was hit by a car.

It seems to the parents that they spend more time in doctors' offices and at therapy than they do at home or work.

And their finances are showing it.

The couple has two sons, and all they want for their children this Christmas are baseball mitts.

Maybe playing catch will be like therapy for the injured child. Just maybe, the mitts will be the stimulus needed to boost the child's recovery.

And it's up to Toy Box to help, because the parents cannot afford doctors' appointments and Christmas, too.

Toy Box 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.

All donations will be used to buy gifts for children through the age of 12 who otherwise might not receive Christmas gifts.

Parents wishing to apply should take proof of residency and a Social Security card for each person who lives at the address to the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope, by Friday, Dec. 6.

New, unwrapped toys and gifts may be delivered to the Southeast Missourian office or area locations. Drop off points are located at West Park Mall, Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, Boatmen's Bank, Gulliver's Travel Agency, Mercantile Bank, Union Planters Bank, AAA Travel Agency, The First National Bank, Commerce Bank and Sanders True Value Hardware.

Gifts will be delivered by a team of Jaycee Santas on Dec. 19.

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