WINE, CHEESE FUND-RAISER TO BENEFIT CIVIC CENTER

Those who donate to the Cape Girardeau Civic Center will feast on wine and cheese. Donors will move from home to home from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Three downtown homes will be visited.

Evelyn Boardman, co-chairman of the event, said her home, at 221 Independence St., will be one of the featured homes.

"All proceeds from the wine and cheese fund-raiser will go to benefit the Civic Center," said Boardman. "This will be the first of three fund-raisers."

Two other fund-raisers will also benefit the Center. On July 26 a benefit auction will be held at the Civic Center. A corporate pledge fund-raiser is being organized.

Those attending the wine and cheese evening, in addition to the Boardmans, will be invited to visit the homes of Al Phillips, at 7A S. Spanish St. and Adele and Charles Kupchella, at 303 S. Spanish St.

"My home is contemporary with antiques located in the old Montgomery Ward Service Center," said Boardman. "Al Phillips lives in a New York-style apartment above Mollies restaurant, and the Kupchella home is a beautiful restored Victorian home from the late 1800s."

The center's board has been searching for funds to cover the Center's basic expenses, such as insurance and utility bills. It seeks grants and United Way money.

"We have formed an all volunteer task force," said Boardman. "Our new board members are very active. Fund raising is a very important source to keep community programs alive at the Center."

The Center houses the Cape Girardeau Public Schools alternative education program, a self-help program for young women and other programs; some of which are being formed daily.

Boardman said this will be an important event for the Center. "It is a great opportunity to help all of the youth of Cape Girardeau with programs," she said. "If we keep the Center going good things will happen."

Dress is casual for the event. No tickets are sold for the event. Those attending the fund-raiser may drop into any one of the three homes during the three-hour event.