FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANNUAL EARTH DAY FESTIVAL RESCHEDULED FOR MAY 4

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., April 24, 2002 - The Preserving Our Planet Society of Southeast Missouri State University has rescheduled the annual celebration of Earth Day for May 4. The event was postponed from April 20 due to inclement weather.

The Earth Day Festival is free and open to the public. It will take place from 1 to 9 p.m. on the University Terraces at the corner of Pacific and Normal streets in Cape Girardeau. If there is inclement weather, the event will be held in the University Center located at the corner of Henderson and Normal streets in Cape Girardeau.

"This is the fourth year we have held the Earth Day Festival, and we expect attendance to be over 1,000," said Amy Drewing, president of Preserving Our Planet.

Festival activities will include live entertainment throughout the day, prize giveaways and free food donated by Schnucks and other local businesses. During the daylight hours, a number of environmentally related booths will be sponsored by the Missouri Recycles Association, City of Cape Girardeau Public Works, the Sierra Club, Trail of Tears State Park, the Department of Natural Resources and the Southeast Missouri State University Environmental Science Program.

The Preserving Our Planet Society will have an informational booth, and Earth Day T-shirts will be available for $10.

For more information, contact Drewing at (573) 339-5689.