Southeast Missouri Hospital on cover of new SBC phone books

The latest edition of SBC Southwestern Bell's local directory is headed your way with a change of face.

Instead of a nature or landscape scene, the cover of this year's Cape Girardeau Region directory features Southeast Missouri Hospital, a spot the hospital obtained as part of its overall advertising schedule with the directory.

"We have begun to make that spot available as part of advertising or a barter, trade-out, arrangement," said Don Fisher, spokesman for SBC Southwestern Bell. "A few years ago, we started putting banner ads on the bottom of the cover."

Delivery of the directory to area residences, businesses and government offices begins this week and will continue through December. Area residents will collectively use the directory an estimated 6 million times, according to Marsha Haskell, SBC regional director of external affairs.

In addition to Yellow Pages and White Pages information, the phone book includes money-saving coupons and a Community Pages section with helpful local information.

Project ReDirectory

Area residents are urged to take part in the 11th annual Project ReDirectory campaign to recycle outdated directories. From Dec. 18 through Jan. 17, old phone books may be dropped off in Cape Girardeau at Schnucks at 19 S. Kingshighway, Bank of America at 2001 William St. and 800 N. Kingshighway, First Missouri State Bank at 2 S. Mount Auburn Road, Food Giant at 1120 N. Kingshighway, Southeast Missouri State University Student Recreation Center at 750 New Madrid, City of Cape Girardeau Recycling Center at 120 N. Broadview, and Domino's Pizza at 1028 N. Sprigg. Domino's delivery drivers will even pick up old phone books when delivering pizzas and also provide a $1 discount.

In addition, old directories will be picked up with other recyclable materials as part of Cape Girardeau's curbside collections program.

In Jackson, drop-off sites include Food Giant at 528 W. Main, the City of Jackson vehicle maintenance facility at 416 Florence, Bank of America at 320 W. Main St., and First Missouri State Bank at 1846 E. Jackson.

Information on the nearest drop-off location is available by calling a toll-free number shown on the new directory's cover, (800) 953-4400, and then entering the appropriate postal zip code. Only outdated directories should be dropped off, since other items such as plastic bags can cause problems in the recycling process.

Benefits of recycling

"For every ton of directory paper that's recycled, 17 trees are saved, as well as landfill space roughly the size of a typical bedroom," Haskell said. "Outdated phone books can be used to make a wide variety of products."

Project ReDirectory sponsors include SBC Southwestern Bell, Bank of America, City of Cape Girardeau, City of Jackson, CWI of Missouri, Domino's Pizza, First Missouri State Bank, Food Giant, Schnucks and Southeast Missouri State University.

The parent company of SBC Southwestern Bell, SBC Communications, Inc., recently earned a 2002 Stewardship Award from the National Recycling Coalition for its Project ReDirectory efforts conducted each year in hundreds of communities across the nation.

jgosche@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133