The annual Shrine Paper Sale to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children will begin here Monday, May 12, and continue through Sunday, May 18.

Special newspapers featuring touching and inspiring stories of East Tennessee children who are patients of Shriners hospitals will be available for a donation during the sale. All proceeds from the annual paper sale go directly to the Shriners hospital network.

Shriners hospitals provide care to children, ages birth to 18 years of age, who have orthopaedic problems, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate, and certain other health conditions.

All care provided by Shriners hospitals is done at absolutely no cost to the child's family. A family's income or insurance status is not a criterion for acceptance as a patient.

The Shrine newspapers will be distributed next week at the Greeneville Wal-Mart Supercenter from Monday through Saturday, and at Ingles Market on the Asheville Highway, at Kmart, and at both Greeneville Food City stores from Thursday through Saturday.

The paper sale will culminate on Sunday morning with a countywide roadblock at various intersections throughout Greeneville and Greene County.

This year's Greene County paper sale chairman, Tom McKamey, said the goal is to raise at least $50,000 locally.

Last year, the local Shrine Paper Sale netted $48,500 for the hospitals.

For more information about receiving treatment for a child at Shriners hospitals, please call toll-free 1-800-237-5055 or e-mail patientreferrals@shrinenet.org.

To donate money for the local paper sale fundraising drive, call Tom McKamey at 639-2834.