Clippard shows community spirit

To the editor:

I have recently had the pleasure to experience again what makes Cape Girardeau a great community in which to live. The PTO members at Clippard Elementary School decided to hold a back-to-school picnic and box-top carnival. The box tops we collect earn money for our school, eliminating the need to send our children door to door selling fund-raising items. The picnic was held to give our school families an opportunity to spend time getting to know each other.

More than 400 people attended this event where they were able to socialize in a relaxed environment, thanks to the many dedicated PTO volunteers, Clippard staff members and to all the family members who participated. Thank you to all the PTO volunteers and to Dennis Marchi and Schnucks Supermarkets for donating the hot dogs. Special thanks to our new box-top coordinator Melissa Richards, a new member of the Clippard family, for organizing the carnival. This carnival required a great deal of planning, and its execution provided a fun evening for our children while raising money collecting box tops for our school.

We appreciate the assistance of principal Sydney Herbst and her staff, including box-top liaison Robin Kralemann. And, finally, thank you to the cooks, Tom Richards and Jeff Glenn, for grilling perfectly plump hot dogs that evening.

This wonderful event was evidence of the great community spirit we enjoy in Cape Girardeau, where I am fortunate enough to live.

TRACEY GLENN, President, Clippard Elementary School PTO, Cape Girardeau