Businesses in southwest Mississippi should be on the look outfor a now-defunct chain letter circling the area.

Several businesses in Brookhaven, Bude, Meadville and McCombhave already received the chain letter. The letter asks forbusiness cards for a child with a brain tumor trying to get intothe Guinness Book of World Records for having the most businesscards with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

“A local business man brought it to me, questioning itsauthenticity,” said Holly Slay, Make-A-Wish volunteer.

The letter caught Slay’s attention because she knew thatMake-A-Wish does not participate in chain letters in order to makedreams come true for children with life-threatening illnesses.

“I contacted the Make-A-Wish office in Jackson and they werevery apologetic about it. It’s something that goes around a lot,”said Slay.

She found out that the letter actually began circulating 10years ago by another wish-granting agency that helped CraigShergold retire the category in the world book of records after hereceived more than 16 million cards.

Shergold is now a healthy college student and has requested anend to the mail, according to a Make-A-Wish press release.

However, the letter continues to circulate under a variety ofnames, such as Craig Shergold, Craig Sheppard and Craig Shelford.Business cards that have been sent are being thrown away when theyreach the address cited in the chain letter.

People who receive any form of the letter should disregard it.For more information about false chain letters, visitwww.wish.org/home/frame_chainletters.htm

In current Make-A-Wish news, an elaborate playhouse will begiven away during a fund-raising pep rally at Brookhaven ElementarySchool at 8:30 a.m., Friday after two months of ticket sales.

The money from the fund-raiser will be used to grant more wishesto area children with life-threatening illnesses. The public isinvited to attend the pep rally.