CHAMBER SETS THEME FOR ANNUAL DINNER

There'll be something new at the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner next year: Shuffleboard, karaoke and gambling for prizes.

"This year's annual dinner will kick things off and set the tone for change," said Linda Minner, chamber special projects director. "We decided to go with a theme for the year and that will start with our annual dinner."

The theme is "Smooth Sailing This Century."

"The nautical theme will be incorporated into the annual dinner," said Minner. "What better way to begin than with the inaugural cruise of the USS Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce?"

Every corner of the chamber "ship" will hold something new, said John Mehner, chamber president and chief executive officer. Members can play shuffleboard, gamble for prizes or participate in karaoke.

"The new century brings some new changes for the chamber," say Mehner and chamber board chairman Bart Ozbun.

Ozbun, who will end his reign as board chairman at the meeting, said the chamber was revamping some of its committees and will add a couple more committees.

"We're excited about changing some things at the chamber, and the year 2000 is the perfect time to do just that," said Mehner. "This year's dinner will offer more to a greater variety of members while still retaining some of the chamber's most important programs."

Those important program includes some special award presentations at the Jan. 30 event: the Small Business of the Year Award, the Rush Limbaugh Award and the Go-Getter Award.

A social hour will be held from 6-7 p.m. at the Show Me Center, with a buffet dinner at 7 and awards presentation and program at 8.

Invitations to purchase "boarding passes" will be sent soon. The dress for this year's event is "nautical."

The chamber, with more than 1,200 members, is the state's largest chamber in cities of 50,000 and under population.

New chamber board officers will be elected later this month and will officially be welcomed at the annual meeting.

The first Small Business award was presented in 1992 to Advance Business Systems. The annual award is presented by the chamber's Small Business Committee. Last year, Bootheel Area Rapid Transportation (BART) won the award.

A big business award is presented in the fall.

The late Rush Limbaugh, a practicing attorney for more than 75 years, received the first Limbaugh Award. Dennis Marchi, Schnucks manager, was the 1999 winner.