Listeners who tune into WHBB 1490 AM today can expect to hear something slightly different. The station will be holding its annual St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital radio-thon, which will raise money for the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.

The event, which has been held at the station for the past 11 years, is sponsored by the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Sorority, an international women’s organization with a chapter based in Selma.

“Every year we do this, it always ends up being an emotional event,” said Susie Burnside, the president of the Selma chapter.

“We are asking individuals, businesses and any others who wish to contribute money to the hospital to make a contribution,” she said. “We are also encouraging volunteers to come out and help with the phones.”

Burnside said last year, the event raised over $28,000. The event, which will start at 6 a.m. and end at 5: 30 p.m., is expected to bring local celebrities out to the radio station for the occasion.

“Last year, we had the mayor, the probate judge and others show up,” she said. Burnside said she was not sure who would appear this year.

According to information provided by the hospital’s web site, The St. Jude’s Research Hospital, which opened in 1962, is the single largest center in the United Sates for the treatment and research of pediatric cancer and other childhood catastrophic diseases.