SPECIAL MALL SHOPPING NIGHT HELPS CHARITIES

West Park Mall will be open for a special evening of shopping Sunday night to benefit non-profit organizations that sell tickets to the shoppers who attend and merchants, said the mall manager."This is a win-win situation for all parties involved," said Jim Govro, general manager at West Park Mall. The Westfield Works Wonders, an after-hours evening of shopping at the mall will be held 6:30 to 9:30. Admission tickets cost $5 and are sold by registered, non-profit groups, schools and churches that get to keep the money raised through ticket sales."The organizations win by adding contributions to their coffers, those attending gain a unique private shopping event that allows them to get a jump on holiday shopping and the stores win by gaining early sales dollars," Govro said.This is the second year for Westfield Works Wonders at West Park Mall. All the mall's stores will be open for the evening, and merchants are encouraged to have special sales and promotions that evening, Govro said. So shoppers don't miss anything, a printed program will direct shoppers to discounts and specials offered by the stores. There also will be prizes, including a $1,000 shopping spree, samples from mall restaurants, free beverages, a free digital photo with Santa, complimentary gift wrap and entertainment."It's really a fun night," Govro said. "People come out with their friends or family with their shopping lists in hand."It's also an easy fund-raising event for the organizations selling tickets, said Kim King, a computer technology teacher at Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School. Students there who are members of the Vocational Industrial Club of America are selling tickets to raise money to pay for trips to district and state competitions."There's a lot of people interested in buying these tickets, so if students try at all they can sell them," King said.Plus the organization gets to keep all the ticket money, said Kelso C-7 New Hamburg music and band teacher Marlena Creech, whose students are selling tickets to raise money for a new keyboard."When you sell candy or personal items, you only get to keep about 50 percent of sales. With this you keep 100 percent," said Creech.And it's a fund raiser without big expenses, said Ken Heischmidt, who has been selling tickets for his son's Cape Terror Soccer team. "There's no financial downside like there is when you are selling merchandise," he said. "You don't have to worry about breaking even."Instead, organizations just sell as many tickets as they can, then turn in any unsold tickets. Those will be sold at the door.Last year, more than $26,000 was raised by the 83 organizations that participated. This year, 75 organizations are selling tickets.Govro said last year about 4,600 people turned out the for Westfield Works Wonders. He expects an even larger crowd this year. He doesn't expect parking to be a problem, but said buses have been hired to ferry shoppers to their cars and there will be plenty of parking lot security patrols.

WESTFIELD WORKS WONDERS: ORGANIZATIONS SELLING TICKETS

Nutrition Center-Campbell, Oak Ridge High School Band, Oran Cheerleaders, Perry County Middle School Student Council, Preceptor Epsilon Chapter-Beta Sigma Phi, Puxico High School Beta Club, River City CB Club Junior Members/Class of 2000, River Heritage Quilters Guild, River Valley Craft Club, Rolling Readers USA, St. Ambrose School, St. Augustine School, St. John's Lutheran Church Women, St. John United Church of Christ, St. Mary's Early Education Center, Scott City Band Boosters, Scott City Historic Preservation, SEMO District Fair.Nutrition Center-Campbell, Oak Ridge High School Band, Oran Cheerleaders, Perry County Middle School Student Council, Preceptor Epsilon Chapter-Beta Sigma Phi, Puxico High School Beta Club, River City CB Club Junior Members/Class of 2000, River Heritage Quilters Guild, River Valley Craft Club, Rolling Readers USA, St. Ambrose School, St. Augustine School, St. John's Lutheran Church Women, St. John United Church of Christ, St. Mary's Early Education Center, Scott City Band Boosters, Scott City Historic Preservation, SEMO District Fair.Bass Busters of Southeast Missouri, Beta Sigma Phi-Delta Gamma, Boy Scouts of America Troop 8, Calvary Ministries II, Cape Girardeau County Foster Parents, Cape Girardeau Jaycees, Cape Terror Soccer, Caring Communities, Chaffee R-2 School libraries, Chapter DJ PEO, Children's Miracle Network-Sam's Club, Classic United Soccer Club, Community Counseling Center Foundation, Delta Epsilon Chi-The Marketing Club, Delta Schools Booster Club, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Elite Express Gymnastics Booster Club, Franklin School PTA, Friends of St. Francis, Friends of the Cape Girardeau Public Library Foundation.Future Business Leaders of America, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Home and School Association, Gordonville PTO, Grace Fellowship, Greater Dimensions, Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, International Business Students, Jamaican Medical Mission, Kage Homemakers Club FCE, Kelso C-7 New Hamburg Choir, LaCroix Methodist Youth Group, Lutheran Family and Children's Services, March of Dimes, Millersville Attendance Center, New Vision Youth and Family Services.