BLACK FAMILY REUNION

The second annual Black Family Reunion was held in Cape Girardeau over the holiday weekend with little fanfare. Except for the approximately 3,000 blacks who participated, the event was little noticed by the rest of the community.

The reunion, which is patterned after similar events in cities around the country, was started as an opportunity for blacks from this area and several nearby states to get together and celebrate their cultural heritage. The program has strong financial support from Procter & Gamble.

Although this year's event didn't have the promotion and attention of the inaugural celebration last year, organizers are still pleased with the weekend reunion. "This is a chance for us, as members of a minority, to come together and fellowship," said Dawn Evans, president of the NAACP chapter here. "We're so used to just dealing with each other in passing, we don't really sit down and learn about each other."

And, Evans noted, forming relationships with others in the community, no matter what their race, will make better, safer lives for everyone.

Sounds like a good reason to celebrate.