RESOURCE CENTER HOLDS BLOCK PARTY

Daniel Harris, 4, had little to say about a south Cape Girardeau block party Saturday. He was too busy biting into a slice of watermelon at the celebration at Fort D Park.

But his mother, Jean Harris, had plenty to say about the Healthy Families 2002 Community Block Party at the corner of Ranney and Locust.

"I think this is a good thing," she said after bicycling to the park on a two-seater with her son. "It encourages parents to be involved."

The party, sponsored by the Cape Area Family Resource Center, included free hot dogs and soft drinks. Area agencies handed out free school supplies. At the resource center at 1000 S. Sprigg, a few blocks from the park, health screenings were offered for students going into grades 8 through 12.

Charles Rush, resource center director, said the screenings were designed to help students who need physicals to participate in school sports.

This marked the third year for the block party. The event provides information on schools and social services to area residents, he said.

By early afternoon, more than 100 people had visited the block party, Rush said.