The public is invited to the hospital Auxiliary annual meeting on Thursday Sept. 12 at the Mint Café in Townsend at 6pm.  The featured speaker will be a person from the Billings Clinic, the group which is working to become partners with the Townsend hospital, according to Auxiliary chair Donna Harper.

The annual meeting culminates the work the 26 member group does throughout the year to raise funds for the special needs of the residents in BHC’s long term residents unit. The Auxiliary also purchases needed equipment for the hospital.  This year the group purchased a specialized wheel chair for one of residents and contributed   $10,000 toward the $200,000 match fundraiser which was held during the spring and summer of this year.

The Auxiliary’s main fund raiser is the Leprechaun Festival, held in March.  The festival is a party held during the doldrums of late winter complete with good food, Irish music and sometimes entertainment.  The silent auction is always a draw.  Rodeo weekend, the first weekend in August is the Auxiliary’s community spirit event.  The barbequed beef dinner is enjoyed by upwards of 400 people who are out to attend the annual parade, the fair and the rodeo.

Harper encourages the public to attend the meeting and to join the Auxiliary.  “The dues are $15.  Just come and be a part of a great group of volunteers.  We have lots of fun,” Harper said.

For reservations for the dinner, please contact secetary Jeanne Randolph at 266-3237 or email jeanneran@yahoo.com by Sept. 5.