Rome Shriners worked into the night Sunday to raise $40,000 in its annual telethon.

As of 10:30 p.m. they had $30,000, said Charles Carney, one of the emcees of the annual event that took place at The Forum and broadcast on Channel 4.

“We are going to keep going until about 11:30 or 11:45,” Carney said.

The money raised is slightly less than last year, he said.

The money goes to the Shrine Hospitals and to the efforts of the Rome Shrine Club to take youngsters in the Rome area to the specialty orthopedic and burn institutions. The children receive treatment at the Shrine facilities at no cost.

The telethon featured gospel singing, a Sunday church service and an auction of donated items that raised $2,100.

Area churches took up special collections and brought them to the telethon.

“One of our smallest churches, Coosa Valley Praise and Worship, raised $3,020,” Carney said.

Earlier this year, the Shrine Club helped a 5-year-old Summerville child who was badly burned.

The child was treated in May at the Shriners burn hospital, the Shriners Hospital for Children, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The treatment was done at no cost to the child’s family.

If you would like to support the Rome Shrine Club and were not able to send money during the telethon, you can mail donations to P.O. Box 1544, Rome, GA, 30162.

Checks should be made payable the Rome Shrine Club with the word “telethon” in the memo line.