YES, YOU REALLY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Make a Difference Day stands out as an annual bright spot in our community. No matter how disheartening the rest of the news may be, we know that, every year, Cape Girardeau and some of our surrounding cities join a nationwide effort to make life better.

Today marks the 10th year for the event, sponsored by USA Weekend and its subscribing newspapers, which include the Southeast Missourian. This year, more than two million people in the United States will come together and fill various needs.

Nearly 4,000 Scouts in our area will mail out two letters each this year one to a person who made a difference in their lives and one to a person who needs cheering up.

There's also the Community 2000 Substance Abuse Prevention Resource Center's project. The group at Southeast Missouri State University is collecting coupons, gift certificates and other prizes from businesses to be awarded to the area's deserving schoolchildren.

And today from noon to 3 p.m. at the city's Osage Centre, the group will collect community donations of used sporting equipment for participants in area mentoring programs to use.

Sikeston has the most official Make a Difference Day events in the area. Girl Scouts there are collecting personal hygiene items for needy families. One church is making care packages for foster children while another conducts a "fun fest" for seniors. And an expected 50 volunteers will aid city workers in cleaning up a neglected part of the community.

Many others in Southeast Missouri are helping with projects not officially registered with the Make a Difference Day organization, which lists projects on its Web site at www.makeadifferenceday.com.

The idea is to keep the observance going past the fourth Saturday in October, when you can count on these projects.

Actions we take every day affect other's lives. It's the difference between greeting a neighbor or just driving by. It's the difference between picking up trash on the sidewalk or just stepping over it.

And it's the difference between giving of our time and resources or being satisfied with things the way they are.