YELL CAMPAIGN RAISES $17,700

Within five hours Tuesday morning, volunteers raised $17,700 hawking newspapers on streets in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City.

The volunteers were selling special editions of the Southeast Missourian during the annual YELL for Newspapers campaign. The money raised will fund literacy programs in the three communities.

This year, 12,000 special editions of the Southeast Missourian were printed and stuffed with prizes and coupons. About 10,000 were sold. Copies are available for sale this week at the Southeast Missourian, 301 Broadway.

This was the first year Mark Kneer, director of circulation and marketing for the Southeast Missourian, participated in the YELL campaign.

"It was really enlightening to see all these community leaders come together for such a good cause," Kneer said. "You don't see presidents of banks and managers of companies out there selling on street corners very often."

About 200 volunteers began work before 6 a.m. Within five hours the selling was done. "It was a long but delightful day," Kneer said.

Joyce Hinze, circulation sales manager at the Missourian, said: "It's amazing how members of the community can join together in such a short time to raise so much money."

Kim McDowell, who coordinated this year's YELL effort, said things went smoothly. She credited the volunteers with the event's success.

Credit also went to those who purchased the YELL edition. The Missourian was delivered as usual to subscribers, but many people purchased additional newspapers to help support the YELL program.

The recommended donation was $2, but volunteers report lots of donations far exceeded the minimum.

The benefits are far-reaching. "Some kid or adult may learn to read because of the money raised today," Kneer said.

Half the money raised from street sales Tuesday will be used to fund the Southeast Missourian's Newspaper In Education program, which provides newspapers to classrooms for teachers and students to use in daily lessons.

This year, requests from teachers to participate in the NIE has been overwhelming. "We've been trying to figure out a way to meet those requests," Kneer said.

The other half of the proceeds funds literacy grants administered through the Area Wide United Way.