PRIZES, COUPONS AWAIT Y.E.L.L. EDITION SUPPORTERS

Prizes and coupons, along with information about the Area Wide United Way and literacy, will fill a special section of Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers editions to be sold on street corners Wednesday.

Each of the 10,000 newspapers will include a comic book; 350 newspapers will include an instant prize ranging from free food items to gift certificates at area businesses, and each issue will include a lottery number for a chance to win one of at least 18 grand prizes.

The special section of the newspaper will also include a number of coupons for 50 percent off, 75 percent off, or even free items at area businesses. The entire Wednesday Southeast Missourian will also be enclosed.

All this for a suggested minimum donation of $1, said Jon Rust, who is helping coordinate the first-time event.

Y.E.L.L. for Newspapers is sponsored by the Area Wide United Way, the Southeast Missourian, the Cash-Book Journal of Jackson, and Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Money raised will be divided between the United Way and the Southeast Missourian's Newspaper in Education program.

From 6-10 a.m. Wednesday hundreds of newspaper sellers will hit the streets in Cape Girardeau to hawk this special edition of the Southeast Missourian. In Jackson, a special edition of the Cash-Book Journal will also be sold.

The publication purchased on street corners will be different from the one delivered at home. A 24-page special section will be included in the Missourians sold on street corners, which includes information about the United Way and its agencies and information about literacy.

"Many of the advertisements provide helpful tips for what families can do with their children to help them read better," Rust said. "The coupon section alone is a major prize. Some businesses are offering free items like a video tape rental."

Adding to the excitement of Wednesday's activities is a personal appearance by Spiderman, Marvel Comic's super hero. Many of the comic books inserted in the Y.E.L.L. newspapers will feature Spiderman.

Spiderman will be at West Park Mall from 12:30-2 p.m. to autograph comic books.

VIP Industries donated 10,000 comic books, guaranteeing that each person who purchases a Y.E.L.L. newspaper wins a prize. Each book has a minimum value of $1. Rust said several of the books are considered collectors' items and may be worth up to $20.

Rust explained that an additional 350 instant prizes will be inserted randomly in newspapers.

Businesses offering instant prizes are Pizza Inn, Pioneer Orchards, Ponderosa, Jer's Restaurant, Wayside Inn, Town and Country, Witz Restaurant, The Way Christian Book Store, TCBY, Taco Johns, Sands Pancake House, Taco Bell, Arby's and Hamburger Express.

Among grand prizes are a $100 necklace from Hale's Jewelry, free passes to Six Flags, and weekend accommodations in St. Louis and in Nashville. Schnucks is donating a one-year supply each of Pepsi Cola, Dr. Pepper, R.C. Cola, and Coca Cola. The Show Me Center is donating tickets to the Nutcracker Suite Ballet, an upcoming performance just announced.

Rust said additional prizes are being donated each day. The minimum value of a grand prize is $50, but most are worth more than $100.

The grand prizes will be won by matching the lottery numbers printed on colored sheets of paper in each Y.E.L.L. publication. On Wednesday afternoon, numbers will be drawn for each of the grand prizes. The winning lottery numbers will be published in the Southeast Missourian Thursday. The Cash-Book Journal will post a list on the front door of its office.

Persons winning grand prizes may claim their prizes at the United Way office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. any weekday, beginning Thursday.

"The response has been outstanding," Rust said. "Volunteers have been coming out in droves the past few days to join what should be a really exciting event."

Additional volunteers are still needed. For information, contact Dorothy Klein with the United Way at 334-9634.

"Many organizations will be bringing flags and banners to their street corners," Rust said. "There may be some friendly competition to see who can sell the most."

"Local businesses have provided some blockbuster prizes," he said. "The whole community has come together for this very important cause."