By J.R. Tidwell / Editor

Walmart in Clanton will host a carnival on Sept. 29 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. All proceeds from the event will go to the Children’s Miracle Network.

The carnival will be set up in the grassy area near the garden center.

According to Joanne Baggott, who is part of the fundraising committee at the store, the carnival will include games and a cake walk. There will also be food for sale, including hot dogs and hamburgers. Meals will be available for $5, which will include a drink and a bag of chips.

Baggott said the committee at Walmart decided to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network because several members either have children or grandchildren that have been patients at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham, which is part of Children’s Miracle Network.

“Children are our heart,” she said. “I went to the campaign kickoff, and they have a lot of programs that benefit children.”

Baggott said some of the programs include having chaplains available for worship service as well as teachers for the patients, so they do not miss schoolwork while receiving treatment.

“They do a lot of good things,” she said.

The fundraising committee at Walmart raised over $11,000 last year. The goal this year is to raise $20,000.

“We have already surpassed last year’s goal,” Baggott said. “We have already raised over $11,000.”

She said the carnival is something new this year to help the group reach that goal.

“We cooked out every weekend in September and had a popcorn machine selling popcorn,” she said. “We have had several different fundraisers.”

According to the CMN website, “More than 10 million kids enter a children’s hospital across North America every year. To provide the best care for kids, children’s hospitals rely on donations and community support, as Medicaid and insurance programs do not fully cover the cost of care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has helped fill those funding gaps by raising more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through Miracle Balloon icon campaigns. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.”

Walmart is located at 1415 Seventh St. S.