GROUPS HELP BUILD CAPE FAMILY'S DREAM

The sun was hot Saturday, but nothing shone as brightly as the Harris family's smiles.

Anthony and Diane Harris and their five children, ages 4 to 15, stood on the porch of their new home at 1833 Dumais Drive, surrounded by people from Target and Habitat for Humanity. Cape Girardeau's newest department store joined with Habitat to build the family's home, along with 40 others to be completed nationwide this year under the program.

Families eligible for Habitat for Humanity homes must meet income criteria and be willing to work on their own houses. Family members select the house plan they want.

The Harrises heard about Habitat through their children's Head Start program. They lived in an old house on the 900 block of William Street, bothered by the constant noise and traffic, plagued by problems with the property.

"The house had four rooms downstairs, but the upstairs was just an open room," Anthony Harris said. "The two girls didn't have any privacy, and the place needed a lot of repairs."

Harris knows his new house is solid because he was working on it at least every Saturday and Tuesday night since May. It was difficult sometimes to get off work as an attendant at Sprigg Street Station, but a lot of Harris' "sweat equity" -- a Habitat term -- went into that four-bedroom house.

Along with him were van loads of people from Target in St. Louis, volunteers excited about helping a hard-working family.

Doug Rowe, store team leader in Cape Girardeau, said he was part of a larger project with Habitat in East St. Louis called "Miracle on 49th Street." Target and several other corporations helped build eight houses on one street.

While Target's latest venture was smaller, Rowe said it still was very important.

"What was nice about the project in Cape was that we were breaking ground for the store and the home at the same time," Rowe said. "A home is a dream for everybody, and Target helping one family achieve that dream is well worth the effort."

There's no rest for Habitat for Humanity volunteers locally. The Kathleen McGill family was selected for the next new home, and the McGills are narrowing down the choices of lots and house plans.

Families interested in applying for help from Humanity can write director Bill Cheeseman at P.O. Box 1122, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702.