NEWSPAPERS TO BE HAWLKED FOR EDUCATION

Teams of "old newsboys" will hit the streets of Cape Girardeau and Jackson in September hawking newspapers to raise money for youth activities.

The first-time event, called Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers, is sponsored by the Area Wide United Way, the Southeast Missourian, the Cash-Book Journal and Southwestern Bell Telephone.

Members of civic clubs and other organizations will be selling newspapers Sept. 11 to raise money for the Area Wide United Way and Newspaper In Education, a project of the Southeast Missourian.

On Sept. 11 from 6-10 a.m., volunteers wearing Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers aprons and buttons will be selling newspapers at 99 locations in Cape Girardeau and Jackson. Y.E.L.L. stands for youth, education, literacy and learning.

Volunteers will sell the regular edition of the Southeast Missourian in Cape Girardeau and the Cash-Book Journal in Jackson. But the newspapers will include a special wrapper with information about each of the United Way agencies.

In addition, some Y.E.L.L. newspapers will be stuffed with prizes.

"It will be similar to the Cracker Jack promotion at the mall," said Craig Felzien, president of the United Way Board of Directors. "People might want to buy more than one newspaper for more chances to win a prize."

The prizes have not yet been determined.

Volunteers will accept donations for the newspapers. The recommended minimum donation is $1 per issue. An estimated 10,000 newspapers will be printed for this event.

Regular home delivery for both newspapers will be conducted as usual.

Felzien said, "We have identified 99 locations in Cape Girardeau and Jackson where we need two or more people to sell newspapers." Some locations are on street corners. Others are inside buildings and businesses.

At least 200 volunteers are needed. Some civic clubs have already volunteered their time.

Felzien said local sports figures and other local celebrities will be selling newspapers also.

"We are asking radio and television to do live remotes."

"We hope to create a little friendly competition among the organizations participating," Felzien said. "If a club is working at a particular corner, they can publicize that corner and get their members to buy papers at that corner."

Felzien said, "Through this project we hope to create more support for United Way. This may be a vehicle for organizations and people to get involved who have never been involved before to get involved.

"We want any civic club, organization, church that is interested to contact us and get involved. This is an all-encompassing, community project in support of youth," Felzien said. "It will also be fun."

Kim McDowell, coordinator of the Newspaper In Education program, said, "We are asking you and all your friends to get out and yell for newspapers.

"You can set up your club banner and make this a real service project for your organization."

The money raised will be divided equally between the United Way and the Southeast Missourian's Newspaper in Education project.

The United Way's portion of the Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers money will not be counted toward the United Way's annual fundraising campaign. Instead it will be set aside for special youth-oriented grants.

Half the proceeds will be used to help defray costs of Newspaper In Education.

During Newspaper In Education's first year, nearly 2,500 area students received the Southeast Missourian daily in their classroom. The 200 participating teachers found innovative ways to challenge students using newspapers to teach lessons on geography, vocabulary, history, math, current events and reading.

The cost of the program about $120,000 was borne by the newspaper and a number of corporate sponsors for the first year, but additional financial support is needed for the program to continue. Corporate sponsors the first year included Health Services Corporation of America, Procter & Gamble, Venture, St. Francis Medical Center, Mid America Distributing, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Missouri and Boatmen's Bank.

The money raised through Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers will help finance newspapers for Cape Girardeau and Jackson schools, McDowell said.

For more information, call the United Way office at 334-9634.