April 20-Sat. April 21st, the 31st annual Hurley Benefit Ball takes over the Riverfront Banquet Center in downtown Flint. Organizers hope to raise more than $200,000 for Hurley Children's Hospital, a hospital within a hospital, which opened in November.

"This is a huge deal for Hurley Medical Center," said event chairman Mike Burnett. "We are the safety net hospital for the community, so we don't get paid for a lot of our services. This fundraiser helps offset those costs and helps provide services to families who otherwise couldn't afford or get those services," Burnett said.

Proceeds will allow Hurley to keep pace with new developments in the health care industry.

"We just launched EPIC, an electronic medical record sysytem, which was a huge advancement for patient safety and medical care. There are always things down the line that we're considering investing in," Burnett said.

"Carnival" theme

The theme for this year's event is "Carnival" with the entire banquet center receiving an extensive makeover, complete with a big top over the dance floor. Said Hurley Medical Center's communications director, Ilene Cantor, "There's going to be cotton candy and bobbing for presents, and amazing bidding on incredible items. The community has been so generous. Electronics, trips, jewelry...you name it, we've got it!"

The hospital is also calling on some of its patients to help beat the drum for community support. "This year we have several young ambassadors–children and their families who have been recipients of services from Hurley, and it helps put a face on the services we provide," Burnett said.

Cantor added, "Regardless of your ability to pay, our doors are always open. This event is transformative in so  many ways to help Hurley continue to care for the region's smallest and yourngest patients," Cantor said.

Tickets still available to the Hurley Benefit Ball, Sat. April 21!

There are still tickets available to the 31st Annual Hurley Benefit Ball, Saturday, April 21, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. at the Riverfront Banquet Center in Flint. For ticket information, email acunaez1@hurleymc.com or call 810-262-9399.

To read the ABC12.com news story and watch the news video, click here.