TARGET EMPLOYEES PITCH IN, HELP NEEDY

When a Target store opens its doors in a community, a door to a new life is opened for a family within that community.

Wherever Target builds, the company also lends a hand in its "Building a Wonderful Life" program.

The contractor for the local Target store, Jack Taylor, superintendent of Phillips Construction Co., said "Building a Wonderful Life" is a long-term program sponsored by Target Stores.

Phillips Construction is a division of Walbridge Contracting Inc. of Tampa, Fla.

"Building a Wonderful Life" provides funding and people to build Habitat for Humanity homes in Target store communities throughout the nation, Taylor said.

Target employee volunteers work side-by-side with local Habitat for Humanity affiliates and partner families.

Partner families are selected by the local Habitat for Humanity organization based on need, income, ability to repay a loan and their willingness to invest hundreds of hours of labor to help build the house.

Although Target Stores isn't scheduled to open in Cape Girardeau until July, construction is already under way on a four-bedroom home at 1833 Dumais Drive, here.

A large group of Target volunteers from the St. Louis area were in Cape Girardeau during the weekend to saw boards and hammer nails.

"Thousands of volunteer hours go into these homes," Taylor said.

Construction of the house here started in mid-March and is expected to be finished in late June.

Target volunteers from surrounding Target stores, including the new Cape Girardeau store, will work on the house weekends until it is finished, Target spokeswoman Carolyn Brookter said.

The Habitat house here is one of many constructed by Target volunteers this year. Twelve houses have been completed, and 19 are under construction.

More than 3,600 Target employees nationwide have volunteered thousands of hours to provide families with new houses. Thirty-six new Habitat homes were built in 16 states in 1994, and more than 60 will be dedicated in 16 states this year.

The Target house is the second Habitat for Humanity home under construction here.

"We're nearing completion on a home at 1525 Water St.," said Bill Cheeseman, president of the Habitat for Humanity group for the Cape Girardeau area. "We've already contracted for some of the heating and plumbing work. Hopefully it will be ready for dedication May 21."

Habitat for Humanity came to Cape Girardeau in November 1986 after some local residents helped another chapter with a project in Hayti Heights.

Since the program started here, Habitat has renovated two houses -- one on Hanover Street and one on Ranney Street -- and has built a new house on Good Hope Street.

"We are always in the process of building homes for people who could not afford them otherwise," Cheeseman said.

Habitat for Humanity recruits volunteer labor to help construct houses.

"Doing it that way, homes are constructed for a fraction of the normal cost, Cheeseman said.

~~~The homes are sold to low-income families who would not qualify for conventional bank loans. Families make payments on the houses back to Habitat for Humanity.

Building Habitat homes is just one of a number of "good neighbor" commitments by the Minneapolis-based Target Stores.

Gail Dorn, director of communications and community relations for Target, said the company has more than 600 stores in 32 states coast-to-coast, and makes a strong commitment to being a good neighbor.

As much as 5 percent of the company's annual taxable profits are given to community organizations for programs focused on strengthening families.

The programs include "Good Neighbor Volunteers," which encourages employees to get involved in various activities, such as adopt-a-school, adopt-a-highway and other projects.