NEIGHBORLY LUNCH WILL UNITE CHURCH, SCHOOLS

For more than 35 years, Grace United Methodist Church and Cape Girardeau junior and senior high schools have been neighbors. Thanks to Random Acts of Kindness Week, the congregation and students will gather for a neighborly lunch.

Students will be invited to a free lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers and all the trimmings on May 16 in the church parking lot. Parishioners will be doing the cooking.

More than 200 organizations, businesses, churches and schools have signed up for Random Acts of Kindness Week, which is scheduled May 12-18. There's still plenty of time to sign up, said Joni Adams, managing editor of the Southeast Missourian, which is coordinating the week.

Susan Sherrod, director of Christian education at Grace, said the church has wanted to sponsor an activity for the schools for some time. Random Acts of Kindness Week provided the perfect impetus.

"There are still lots of people who take great pleasure in doing things for others, expecting nothing in return," said Sherrod. "Maybe this campaign is validation for us to return to a time when it wasn't considered corny to be neighborly."

Dan Tallent, principal at Cape Girardeau Central High School, said it sounds like a great idea.

"I think our businesses and our churches need to make this kind of impression on our kids," he said. "They are being good neighbors to the school and letting kids know that people in the community do care about them."

In return, Tallent said, students and staff at the high school are planning kindnesses for the week. For example, one class will be planting flowers and picking up trash on campus. "We have lots of other things planned," Tallent said.

Participation is not just limited to Cape Girardeau and Jackson; schools and groups from Gordonville, Marble Hill, Leopold, Oran, Benton and Kelso have signed up.

Annette Robertson, who works with parent education at the Hearnes Elementary School in Charleston, has requested a packet of information and plans to bring the kindness campaign to her school.

Hanover Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau is also actively participating in the observance. Weekly bulletins mailed to parishioners were decorated with kindness stickers and included a long list of kindness ideas.

"We felt this was something we could put into immediate application," said the Rev. Jeff Sippy, pastor at Hanover. "We're always looking for ways to apply the kindness we receive from God."

The church was already planning a gathering for Birthright and a baby shower on May 12. Kindness activities will be incorporated into the day, including the distribution of kindness bookmarks.

Church members will step up letter writing to shutins and overseas missionaries during the week. Parishioners plan to increase regular visits to hospitals and nursing homes.

Sippy is also taking the kindness campaign home. "My kids are planning to take cookies and hot coffee to the garbage man," he said.

Cape Girardeau American Legion Auxiliary Post 63 plans to take cookies to the Cape County Private Ambulance Service during the week.

"The men and women who are EMTs and paramedics do a wonderful job of responding to any medical emergency in our community," said Bonnie English, auxiliary president. "We would like to recognize them for their hard work."

A list of more than 60 ideas is available free of charge at the Southeast Missourian, 301 Broadway, along with brochures, posters, bookmarks and stickers. More than 5,000 stickers already have been distributed along with 2,000 bookmarks.

To sign up or for more information, call 335-6611, Ext. 121.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS PARTICIPANTS

In less than two weeks, more than 200 businesses and organizations have joined the kindness campaign. Here are the names of the newest participants:

State Rep. Mary Kasten

Zickfield Jewelers

Zickfield's Gift Box

Regional Eye Care Center Inc.

Southeast Hospice

Vineyard Christian Fellowship

Rhodes Companies

Guardian Angel Church and School in Oran

Christian School for the Young Years

Brownie Girl Scout Troop 197 in Jackson

Trinity Lutheran School

Dr. Ronald P. Lessmann

Hanover Lutheran Church

Friends Forever Pre-School

Spirals Job Training

Culligan Water Conditioning

Benders' Angels

Job's Daughters, Bethel #51

Ford Entertainment & Productions

Barnes & Noble Bookstore

City of Cape Parks and Recreation Department

Fourth grade Mrs. Hill Westlane Elementary

Positive Air

Dr. and Mrs. Jay Sheets

Birthright

Rhodes 101 in Jackson

Zion Lutheran Sunday School

Loyd Slinkard Painting Co. Inc.

Banner Press in Marble Hill

Jackson Physical Therapy

Humane Society of Southeast Missouri

Hastings Books, Musics, Video

Convention & Visitors Bureau

Cape American Legion Auxiliary Unit 63

Southeast Hospital Home Health Department

Delta Companies

Regional Employee Assistance Program

Department of Music at Southeast Missouri State University

Kagmo Electric Motor

McLane Development

Williamson Insurance Service

Metropolitan Community Church

Notre Dame High School

Robinson Locksmith & Piano Services

Trinity Lutheran Church 2nd grade Sunday School

Tipton Linen

A Small World

Division of Child Support Enforcement -- Blattner Office

Kids Korner Daycare

Someone's Treasure Clubhouse

Grace United Methodist Church Kindergarten Sunday School Class

New McKendree United Methodist Church

Colonial Cape Girardeau Foundation

Concord Publishing

Data Business Systems Inc.

B.P. Financial Services

H.R.H. Dumplin's

Leopold R-III

Woodland R-4 Third Grade

Keyboards & Kindermusik Conservatory

Dave Patrick Sleepy Hollow

Regional Primary Care

West Side Church of God

Golden Cat, Division of Ralston Purina Co.

Jefferson Elementary Faculty

Ford & Sons Funeral Home

Office of Vice President of Student Affairs at Southeast Missouri State University

Center for Health and Counseling at Southeast Missouri State University

Career Services at Southeast Missouri State University

Registrar's Office at Southeast Missouri State University

Office of Student Development at Southeast Missouri State University

Girardot Center for Youth and Families

Brownie Troop 111 at Franklin School

Horizon Screen Printing Inc.

The Medicine Shoppe

Carpet Connection

Welcome to Cape

Union Electric Co.

SEMO Alliance

Personal Finance Management Class at Central High School

Ken Myles Insurance Agency