Hands Across Sikeston: Unity chain and walk will be held on Sept. 18 in Sikeston

VFW Post 3174 Ladies Auxiliary members Sue Rogers and Shirley Tetley hang one of the Hands Across Sikeston T-shirts on the bulletin board at 1First Realty in Sikeston. Entry forms are available there, as well as other locations around Sikeston, for the Sept. 18 event to honor veterans. Registration is due by Sunday.
(Michelle Felter, Staff)

The unity chain and walk that will go from the American flag at the Sikeston Sports Complex to the Veteran's Memorial Park is planned for Sept. 18. Line-up will begin at 2:30 p.m., and there will be a picnic for all of the participants around 4 p.m.

"So far, we've had a lot of interest," said Tammy Barborek, a member of the VFW Post 3174 Ladies Auxiliary. "At last count, we had about 85 signed up."

Auxiliary President Sue Rogers said she and other group members are "pleasantly surprised" with the response so far.

Registration is due by Sunday. Barborek noted that sign-ups will still be taken up to the day of the event, but the group cannot guarantee T-shirts to participants who sign up after this week.

"But we hope to have shirts available to everyone who wants to walk," she said.

Registration is $20 or $25, depending on the T-shirt size, and also includes admission to the hot dog meal in the park. All proceeds are dedicated to be split amongst four charities: The VFW Military Assistance Program which helps families of service men and women stationed overseas; the Fischer House in St. Louis, which offers free lodging facilities near medical centers where military and veterans' families can stay while the individual receives care; the Cape Girardeau Veterans Home for the purchase of personal care items and gifts; and local veteran affairs and emergency assistance in the Sikeston area.

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