VOLUNTEERS SELL OUT AS YELL EDITION RAISES MONEY FOR EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS

The second YELL for Newspapers edition sold out, thanks to some last-minute heroics, topping the money raised last year in Cape Girardeau by more than 60 percent and generating a lot of enthusiasm for literacy in the community. And it's not over: the Cash-Book Journal's edition of YELL will be sold in Jackson this morning.

At the last count, YELL volunteers had raised $16,080 selling newspapers on the street. About 250 newspapers, left unsold in the morning, were sold Tuesday evening at the SEMO District Fair. Another 600 newspapers were purchased by two YELL corporate sponsors Tuesday afternoon, so that the event would be sold out.

"That's just an example of the excitement and spirit of the whole event," said Jon Rust, coordinator of the Tuesday event for the Southeast Missourian.

"We had set up volunteers from Alpha Xi Delta sorority as an emergency squad to sell at the fair in the event we did not sell out in the morning, and they really came through beautifully. And who can exaggerate the role Southwestern Bell and Gary Rust of the Southeast Missourian have played with YELL? They pledged to buy any remaining papers for distribution at local schools.

"The whole day, though, it's an incredible success story for all the volunteers and literacy programs in our community," Rust said. "If Jackson goes as well, it will really be a blockbuster for youth, education, literacy and learning."

The money raised in street sales is divided between the Southeast Missourian's Newspapers in Education program and the Area Wide United Way's special literacy grant program.

In addition, money was raised for NIE through sponsors, which were featured in advertisements in the YELL edition, Rust said. Sponsorship raised an additional $21,757, bringing the total to $37,837, and counting.

"That's amazing," Rust said. "The volunteers were enthu~siastic, spirited and had a lot of fun. They also did a great job.

"It seemed that a lot of groups and businesses glowed about the camaraderie and closeness of being out there working together early in the morning."

Last year, 8,000 newspapers were printed and $12,700 was raised in Cape Girardeau and Jackson. This year 10,000 editions of the Southeast Missourian were printed for distribution in Cape Girardeau and Scott City. Jackson will distribute 1,200.

Scott City joined the YELL effort this year and experienced tremendous success, said Edith Davidson, Scott City coordinator.

"It took us longer to count all the money than to sell the newspapers," Davidson said.

Scott City sold 500 papers and raised $792.

"We had to turn people away," said Davidson. "I think we could have sold twice as many, and I think people were hurt they couldn't buy a newspaper."

Davidson said people were still looking for YELL newspapers Tuesday afternoon.

She said 27 volunteers worked street corners Tuesday. "Most of them said they want me to call them again next year. They were just great.

"This was a community project and all those people really worked together as a group."

Student Council members sold the YELL edition at Scott City schools.

"I learned a lot of things," Davidson said. "I never saw so many people in all my life. They talk about the traffic through here, but I never realized. Those big trucks were coming through our town waving their two dollars out the windows trying to buy papers. It was really exciting."

"The volunteers all had a good time and it seemed very successful," said Dorothy Klein, executive director of the Area Wide United Way. "I was there as they were picking up their papers and as they were turning in their money. There was a lot of enthusiasm for the event. Quite a few of the organizations reserved their corners for next year."

Klein said details on how the United Way's portion of the money will be awarded will be discussed at a meeting today. The money is used for special literacy programs and is not part of the general fund-raising campaign.

"I would like to give a special thanks to the radio stations who were out doing live interviews all morning," Rust said. "KGMO did a great job, and Carol Keeler at KZIM, well, she's one of a kind."

Winning numbers selected for YELL grand prizes are:

10721

11259

11669

12215

12507

13158

13539

13546

14286

14898

16774

16864

17111

17313

19278

19457

19703

19996

20003

20541

Redeem your prize with an original prize sheet at the United Way office, 100 Broadway, rear entrance, in Cape Girardeau, between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Prizes must be redeemed by Sept. 30, 1992. Employees of the Southeast Missourian and the Cash-Book Journal are not eligible to win.