WESTFIELD TO HOLD SHOP FOR GOOD CAUSE

West Park Mall is charging $5 admission to shop Sunday night, but customers aren't complaining. Their favorite nonprofit organizations will benefit, and the shoppers will have a chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree or one of more than 100 door prizes.

The event from 7 to 10 o'clock is called Westfield Works Wonders and will benefit 78 nonprofit organizations throughout the region. Westfield America is the name of the company that owns the mall and 28 others throughout the United States.

Organizations that have been selling the $5 admission tickets will keep all the money. Shoppers also are free to assign their $5 to any nonprofit organization they want to benefit.

Tickets can be purchased from organization members, the mall's customer service desk or at the door Sunday night.

The organizations to profit are spread across the region and include Oran cheerleaders, the Easter Seals Society and the Clippard Elementary School Choir.

The last group has sold a whopping 550 tickets worth $2,750. Cheryl Hendricks, the mother of one of the students, said the group is raising money to pay for a January trip to Lake of the Ozarks to perform for the state music teachers convention.

The group has set a goal of raising between $2,500 and $3,000 and had planned bake sales, Beanie Baby raffles and appeals for donations until Westfield Works Wonders came along.

"This was a wonderful opportunity to raise money," Hendricks said.

One parent bought 30 tickets to give to his employees, she said.

The group of fifth- and sixth-graders will continue raising money and use any excess to buy new instruments for the choir.

The Vocational Industrial Clubs of America at the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School has sold 372 tickets thus far. The Alma Schrader Elementary School sixth-grade class has sold 186 tickets.

Besides getting the chance to win the shopping spree sponsored by The Bank of Missouri along with trips, gift certificates for jewelry, customized dolls and other door prizes donated by merchants, shoppers will be treated to a variety of musical entertainment, including carolers and choirs.

Three shuttle buses will transport shoppers to the entrance. There also will be complimentary coat checking, complimentary gift wrapping, food samples from Mr. K's and complimentary beverages from Coca-Cola.

Everyone who enters can get a free picture taken with Santa Claus. Joyce Hunter, the mall's marketing director, said rain checks will be given if the demand is too high.

"We want everyone to go away with a positive experience," she said.

The mall has more than 85 tenants. Both major department stores will be open.

Westfield Works Wonders addresses the problem of who to make donations to during the holidays when many charities are so deserving.

"This is the greatest shopping event we have ever put together," says Jim Govro, the mall's general manager. "It's not just a shopping event. There is no one other event in the region that has this opportunity to help so many."

Govro said a test run of the concept at four shopping centers in Connecticut raised $150,000 in one evening. The company has five shopping centers in St. Louis that will conduct a Westfield Works Wonders on the same night and 23 others throughout the country that are doing it Nov. 22.