FAMILY IS STRUGGLING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT

They might resemble Mother, Father, Dick and Jane if you saw them from afar, but there are a couple of major differences between make believe and real life.

Mother worked hard cooking and cleaning and wiping away occasional tears. And Father was the breadwinner, the one who came in and hugged his children after a long day at the office.

And Christmas was a time of gift-giving and receiving.

But in this real family, Father has been unemployed for 10 months due to an injury, and Mother works hard to support her family.

Mother says there is no way she can afford Christmas presents this year.

The son would like toys from the Star Wars and Power Rangers series, and the daughter would like a black Baby All Gone and a black Barbie Gymnast.

Toybox is in its 22nd year and is co-sponsored by the Cape Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian. The program works to provide Christmas presents to over 1,200 children each year.

All donations will be used to buy gifts for children through the age of 12 who otherwise might not receive Christmas gifts.

Parents wishing to apply should take proof of residency and a Social Security card for each person who lives at the address to the Salvation Army, 701 Good Hope, by Dec. 6.

New, unwrapped toys and gifts may be delivered to the Southeast Missourian office or area locations. Drop off points are located at West Park Mall, Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems, Boatmen's Bank, Gulliver's Travel Agency, Mercantile Bank, Union Planters Bank, The First National Bank, Commerce Bank and Sanders True Value Hardware.

Gifts will be delivered by a team of Jaycee Santas on Dec. 19.

Cash contributions may be mailed to Toybox Trust, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0004.