Community briefs 10/20/03

Vision 2020 team holds information exchange

The Vision 2020 Community Relations Council Riverfront Team will hold an information-sharing workshop from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Osage Community Center for any federal, state, county or city representative who would like to share current or future happenings in Cape Girardeau. The future development of the River Front and Downtown on both sides of the floodwall from Cape Rock Park to Old Fort D are the subject of this workshop. A number of issues will be discussed including time frames for projects, possible future expenses and ideas for future funding, and the correlation and combination of present and future projects. St. Louis 2004 will be present to share its experience in making a dream a reality.

For more information, call Jess Hopple at 335-3683.

Cape Girardeau Dinner Club meets Thursday

The featured entertainment at the Cape Girardeau Dinner Club at 7 p.m. Thursday will be Steve Schaffner. With friend and fellow musician Derrick Irwin, the pair will perform Irish, Cajun, German, jazz and contemporary music.

The dinner club meets six times a year and features speakers and entertainment from around the globe. Individuals interested in attending the performance or joining the club may call club secretary Judith Anne Lang at 334-9509. Advance reservations are required.

Halloween carnival to be held Saturday

New Vision Counseling, 619 N. Broadview, Cape Girardeau, will hold a Halloween carnival from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

NAMI of the Bootheel meets next week

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of the Bootheel will provide group meetings from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 28 for individuals to share fears, insecurities, approaches to problems, successes, and to reinforce good and appropriate coping skills. Call the Community Counseling Center at 334-1100 or leave a message at 243-6146.

Annual Grossheider reunion set for Sunday

The annual Grossheider reunion will be at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the Trinity Lutheran Parish Hall in Friedheim, Mo., with a potluck dinner. Coffee and lemonade will be provided; bring your own table service. For more information, call Norma Sewing at 243-2943.

Scott County historical society meets Tuesday

The next Scott County Historical and Genealogy Society meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Riverside Regional Library in Benton, Mo. Everyone is invited.

Book discussion group meets at Cape library

The book discussion group of the Cape Girardeau Public Library will meet at 7 p.m. Oct. 30. The featured book is "In the Presence of My Enemies," by Gracia Burnham and Dean Merrill, and is available at the reference desk.

Parents group has several events set

Parents Without Partners will attend line dance lessons from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Circle S. Saddle in Gordonville. There is an admission fee.

The group will attend "Coping by Beginning Experience" at Divine Homes Realty in Cape Girardeau from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday. No admission fee. From 7 to 10 p.m. group members may also attend Education is Fun/Cutthroat Rummy at Riverside Regional Library in Jackson.

The group will sponsor a single's dance from 8 p.m. to midnight Saturday at VFW Hall in Cape Girardeau. The dance is open to the public. There is an admission fee.

Chili dinner to benefit victim of bike accident

A benefit chili dinner will be held for John Niedbalski, who was injured in a bicycling accident, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 2 in the St. Paul Lutheran Church basement. The benefit is to help with home expenses so his family can keep a home for him to come home to. After a long stay at St. Louis University Hospital, he was transferred to St. Mary's for rehabilitation.

Children under 6 eat free. For more information, call Sue at 243-0651.

AARP seeks tax volunteers for 2004AARP is looking for volunteers to help senior and low-income taxpayers complete their federal and state income tax forms in 2004. No experience is needed. Free training for volunteers will be provided by AARP in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service.

For more information, call AARP at (888) 227-7669.

Halloween stories to be read at Riverside Library

Preschool story time begins at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at Riverside Regional Library in Jackson. Children are encouraged to dress up in costumes to hear Halloween stories.

Humane Society animals up for adoption at AT&TCats and dogs from the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri will be available for adoption from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 1 at AT&T Wireless, 350 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau.

St. Ann's Sodality readies for craft fairThe annual St. Ann's Sodality Craft Fair will take place at the Immaculate Conception Parish Center in Jackson from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 1 and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 2.

Cape senior center taking walnut donationsThere will be a pickup truck near the front entrance of the Cape Girardeau Senior Center, 921 N. Clark (north of Bingo World), for individuals wishing to donate walnuts.

For more information, call 335-1352.

Illinois dinner, auction to benefit animalsThe 10th annual Artists for Animals dinner and auction will be held Nov. 1 at the Great Boars Inn on Kratzinger Hollow Road in Anna, Ill. Doors open and the silent auction begins at 5 p.m.; dinner will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The live auction will start at 7:30 p.m.

Lewis, Clark program to be held at Fort Massac

A free historical program will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at Fort Massac State Park's new visitor center in Metropolis, Ill. Fred Shaw will perform as Neeake, a Shawnee elder, and Tim Bischoff will portray Drouillard, a hunter recruited by Lewis and Clark at Fort Massac.

For more information, call Sheryl Durham at the Southernmost Illinois Tourism Bureau at (800) 248-4373.

-- From wire reports