T. C. Thompson Children’s Hospital at Erlanger thanked the Goody’s Athens location on Congress Parkway as the company’s top fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network. According to Children’s Hospital Special Events Coordinator Melodye Zimmerman, the Athens store raised over $10,000 for CMN.

All money raised by the Athens store directly benefits T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital in Chattanooga.

Company-wide Goody’s Family Clothing raised a total of more than $642,000 in ten weeks for the Children’s Miracle Network, an alliance of premier children’s hospitals in North America.

“We are so proud of all our dedicated store associates, especially the enthusiastic team in Athens who went the extra mile putting together fundraising activities to benefit children in Southeast Tennessee,” said Bob Goodfriend, Goody’s chairman and CEO.

Ms. Zimmerman said the Athens Goody’s store demonstrated creativity and innovation in their efforts on behalf of T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital. In addition to selling the familiar paper icons in the shape of “miracle balloons” at the registers, Goody’s store associates held a cookout, a car wash, a golf tournament, a motorcycle poker run, and even put manager Sharon Johnson on the roof of the store to garner support for CMN.

“We’re grateful to all our customers and the local businesses who support our efforts,” said Ms. Johnson. “They’re always willing to pitch in for the cause – especially during these ten weeks each summer – and we appreciate that.”

As a whole, Goody’s store fundraising, plus corporate gifts, and employee giving (which is matched by the company), added up to a $1.5 million contribution to CMN in 2004.

Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping kids by raising funds and awareness for 170 children’s hospitals. Each year these non-profit hospitals treat millions of children with diseases, injuries, and birth defects of every kind.

Goody’s, headquartered in Knoxville is a retailer of moderately priced family apparel operating 368 stores in the 20 states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.