BIGGEST NON-EVENT OF SEASON PLANNED

It is the biggest non-event of the season, an event so posh and exclusive people pay not to attend.

That's right. People pay not to participate in St. Francis Medical Center Auxiliary's Phantom Ball held annually on April Fool's Day.

Since its inception, the Phantom Ball has generated more than $40,000 for the medical center without serving a meal or preforming a dance.

The non-event started in 1990 on Valentine's Day. Originator Pat Puls sent out non-invitations, and people responded to the light-hearted approach to fund raising. The following year, the event was moved to a more fitting holiday.

People are always trying different ways to get funding, explained Kathy Marchi, auxiliary president.

"To raise money, we are always trying to get people to attend something," she said. "People didn't want to get dressed up or attend something in the evening. That's why this is so fun."

The reply cards thank the auxiliary for the opportunity not to attend the ball.

A $10 donation allows people to miss the ball; $15 entitles them to skip the ball and the buffet preceding it. For a $20 to $25 contribution, they can skip the ball, the buffet and the after-the-ball reception.

For $50 people can skip the whole evening. Or, even better, for $100 or more they can get a special invitation to skip next year's ball.

Because the ball has no overhead, all the money raised goes to equipment for St. Francis patients.

"And you can all write your checks in your birthday suit," said Marchi.

Over the years, the ball has funded televisions and VCRs for the pediatric department, toys and games for a children's room in the Womancare department, speech and hearing equipment, a Stryker stretcher for the emergency room.

This year's event is raising money for a wall-mounted television in the same-day surgery waiting room.

"We are always looking for ways to make things nicer for the patients and their families at St. Francis," Marchi said.

Honorary co-chairmen are Tom and Carolyn Wright. Chairman of the event for the past six years is Dorothy Ressel.

Invitations are mailed two weeks prior to April Fool's Day, and more than 700 were sent this year.

To be uninvited, contact the auxiliary at (573) 331-5166 or mail your check to St. Francis Medical Center, 211 St. Francis Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63703.