STAR TREK CONVENTION READY TO TAKE OFF

Star Trek fans, put on your fake Spock ears and polish up on your impersonations of your favorite characters.

A three-day Star Trek convention, CONtinuum '91, will be held June 21-23 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Cape Girardeau.

Janie McGaugh, chairman of the event, said that this is the second Star Trek convention she has helped put together.

"The first one we did, we held back in August of '89," said McGaugh. "We didn't break even on that show but we really think we will on this one.

"It really takes a lot of work to get a convention like this going. We started planning for this one about a year and a half ago."

John de Lancie is scheduled to speak at the upcoming convention. The actor is best known for his role as "Q" in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Also making appearances will be Majel Barrett, who played nurse Christine Chapel in the original series and in the movies; Richard Arnold, who is a Star Trek research consultant for Paramount Studios; and Jean Kluge, who is a fan artist.

McGaugh said that getting guests for the convention can be a tough task.

"A lot of times," said McGaugh, "it all depends on who you get a hold of. We have to deal a lot with agents and managers to see if that person can appear.

"I did, however, talk to John (de Lancie) personally to see if he could appear and he said he could. Richard Arnold suggested that I call him after we had a guest cancel on us."

McGaugh said that Arnold will be bringing a lot of Star Trek materials used in the show. The items will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

"We also have," said McGaugh, "a 1-inch by 1-inch Star Trek book that was donated for the auction.

"There were only 318 of these books printed up and we have Number 318 to sell."

Besides these activities, two video rooms will be set up. One of these rooms will be showing Star Trek movies and shows, while the other will be showing science fiction films of all types, said McGaugh.

The convention will also include a masquerade ball, a costume contest, a Friday night dance, a contributors' reception, a room set up for role-playing games, a dealers' room and an art show.

Persons interested in obtaining more information about this convention or registering for it should send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Continuum, Inc., 1617 Lyndhurst, Cape Girardeau, 63701.

The convention is being sponsored by KBSI-TV and two Star Trek fan clubs the USS Sally Ride and USS Constellation II Chapters of Starfleet.