The state of Tennessee has given Children's Hospital an extension to increase the number of specialty license plates. The hospital is required to maintain a minimum of 1,000 tags to keep the plate in effect but is still slightly below the required minimum.

Since then, a number of friends of the hospital have already purchased or renewed plates. With your help, there is still an opportunity to do more for the children the hospital serves. You can beautify your car with one of the attractive plates designed by Morris Creative Group. But most importantly, you can help make Children's Hospital an even better place for area children.

Each day, the hospital's chaplains, social workers and child life specialists meet the pressing needs of area families whose sick and injured children have been entrusted to our care. These children come from Knoxville and hundreds of other communities in the surrounding counties and states.

These families are concerned and nervous about their child being in the hospital. And some have additional financial stress because they are missing work. So Children's Hospital provides staff to comfort both the child and the family, to help find resources to deal with financial woes and the need for ongoing care, and to provide books and toys for patients and siblings. And these staff members have the resources to do this because you and your friends and family care enough to buy a Children's Hospital specialty license plate.

The specialty license plate has been a labor of love from the beginning. After Children's Hospital applied to the legislature in 2002 and received approval, Morris Creative Group donated the time of their artists to prepare the plate's attractive design. Volunteers stuffed mailings to help sell the initial 1,000 plates. And the results have been wonderful.

Since the plate first became available, Children's Hospital has received $54,509.25, benefiting children served by the hospital's chaplains, social workers and Child Life staff. The license plate is an easy way to support Children's Hospital, and we are grateful to each person who has purchased one. Please consider renewing your Children's Hospital plate each year and encouraging friends and family to join you.

The plate is available at any time through your local County Clerk's office, and the cost of the plate is $35 in addition to each county's renewal fee. Children's Hospital receives nearly $16 from each plate sold. Simply drive to your local county clerk's office, take in the plate from your car and your registration, and tell them you would like a Children's Hospital plate. Not only will you have a more attractive car, but you will also have that warm feeling that comes from helping children.

If you have questions about the Children's Hospital specialty license plate, contact your local County Clerk's office or the hospital's Development Department at (865) 541-8441.