NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF JAYCEES VISITS CAPE

Kelly Wills doesn't like to complain about America's problems. As national president for the Jaycees organization, he'd rather find solutions to those problems.

"When Jaycees go to work, there's no limit to the possibilities," he said, explaining that Jaycees are known for behind-the-scenes community projects.

Wills stopped in Cape Girardeau Tuesday as part of a 40-state bus tour to "Wake Up America." He will stop in Kennett today before heading to Jonesboro, Ark.

The "Wake Up America" campaign is simple, Wills said. "We're here to inform, educate and activate. There are 76 million people in our age group; it's time to be accountable."

During the 120-day tour through more than 40 states, Wills hopes to encourage people to register to vote and then exercise that right at the polls. The goal is to register 1 million people by November.

"You have to do more than just register to vote," he said. "Phase 2 is to exercise that right. It doesn't do any good to register if you don't exercise."

Cape Girardeau was the 165th stop on the tour, which began Jan. 16 in Tulsa, Okla. The red, white and blue 34-foot bus has been seen on CNN, CSPAN and the NBC television networks. It has probably caused more attention than the campaign, Wills said.

During a trip to El Paso, Texas, a delivery driver hit a telephone pole because he was staring at the bus, he said. "I told the story in Louisiana and they didn't believe me; but in the Holiday Inn parking lot a woman ran into a truck because she was staring at our bus," Wills said. "One way or another we are `waking up America."

The Jaycees organization sponsors several community programs like KidCare ID, and Jaycees Against Youth Smoking.