MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY SCENIC DRIVE, CRAFTS, GIFT SHOW IS SATURDAY

The tenth annual Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive will take place this weekend, April 29-30.

The rural communities of Southeast Missouri invite you to join them as they celebrate the year 2000 with open houses, festivals, folk music, crafts, living demonstrations, working mules and horses.

You'll see beautiful dogwoods, azaleas, antiques, quilts, and a route lined with crafts, good food and friendly people.

Brochures are available at most locations or you may contact the Cape Convention & Visitor's Bureau at 573-335-1631 or 800-777-0068.

Don't miss the annual crafts, gifts, antiques and collectibles show on Saturday only at the Jackson American Legion Hall. Doors are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is a $1 admission charge, free after 2 p.m.

Craft items on display will include blue jean skirts, select-your-own T-shirt transfers, gift baskets, hand-poured candles, night lights, wreaths, florals, swags, embellished T-shirts, jewelry, ceramics, quillows, doilies, traditional painting, pot holders and towels, afghans, lap quilts, angels, woodcrafts, bird feeders, Barbie doll clothes and on-site embroidering.

Included gift items are Premier Design Jewelry, picture frames, magnets, clocks, wind chimes, cork sculptures and spun glass.

Antiques and Collectibles will feature limited glassware and reproductions of wind-up tin toys, Victorian fans, and glassware. Also, Ty Beanie Babies and Buddies, Holy Bears, baseball memorabilia, Limited Edition and BAMM Beano Bears.

Also being featured are Precious Moments Limited Graphis. These will include The Creations Mural, Heroes of the Old Testament, Phil's Mural and Hallelujah Square. Each graphic is hand-signed by artist Sam Butcher, world-renowned creator of the Precious Moments porcelain figurines and dolls.

A Country Store will also be on hand with home canned apple butter, jams and jellies, vegetables, peanut brittle, caramel corn, cookies, brownies and other treats.

This year's show is sponsored by the River City C.B. Club. Proceeds are for the Junior Members European Tour, scheduled for June 7. For information on the show, please contact Dixie Burnett at (573) 266-3688.

Area residents participating in the show are: Donna Terry, Beverly Meyer, Don Smith, Fran & B's Ceramics, Sandy Calloway, Imogene Hale, Kathy Steffens, Kathleen Gibbar, Frankie Sutton, Bessie Cook, Shirley & Lawrence Klipfel, Richard Mouser, Bobbie Ulrich, Linda Rhode, Sara Bohnert, Albert & Lucille Halter, Barbara White, Carrie Laurentius, Margaret Carey, Amy Burnett, Kathy Jordan, and Connie Laurentius.