The Bryan W. Whitfield Hospital Auxiliary’s semiannual Women’s and Children’s Clothing Event is coming to the hospital on Sept. 6-7. The event serves as a fundraiser for the Auxiliary and will take place on Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the hospital’s classroom.

Duncansville-based online boutique Britches and Bows will sell clothing for women and children at the event and give the Auxiliary 20 percent of the profits.

“Whatever their net sale is, we get it off the top,” Auxiliary President Carol Bell said.

The organization held a similar event with Britches and Bows in April, and several other vendors visit the hospital throughout the year as fundraisers for the Auxiliary.

“Our vendors are basically what keeps our boat afloat financially,” Bell said, explaining that membership dues alone are not enough to meet the needs of the hospital that the Auxiliary tries to fill.

Since the Auxiliary exists largely as a funding organization for the hospital, the profits will all go towards supporting BWWMH.

“Typically whatever they need, they ask us. And if we have the funds, we buy it for them,” Bell said.

This could take the form of purchasing additional wheelchairs for the hospital or providing funds for various projects needed around BWWMH.

However, funding is not all that the Auxiliary does. Bell said that the 37 members all spend a minimum of four hours a week volunteering at the hospital. Members man the gift shop, the main lobby and the outpatient entrance and assist visitors and patients of the hospital.

Bell said that the Auxiliary would not get to support the hospital if it were not for fundraisers such as this one.

“Without these sales, we would not have the funds to purchase things for the hospital, so they’re very beneficial. This is how we make our money.”

(This article originally appeared in the Saturday, September 1 issue of the Demopolis Times.)