JAN. 3, 2007 | When the doors opened at the 12^th annual holiday Aromatique sale at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), the shoppers were waiting.

The sale of candles, home fragrances, decorative items and bath products was held Nov. 17 and is made possible through the donation of merchandise by Patti and Dick Upton, owners of the Heber Springs-based company. The merchandise is then sold to UAMS employees, students and volunteers at a discount. A second sale of remaining merchandise was held Dec. 8.

This year’s sales raised about $90,000 for patient support projects of the UAMS Medical Center Auxiliary. The events have raised about $900,000 during the past 12 years. Peggy Harris, director of publicity at Aromatique, has served as a key coordinator of the sale since its beginning.

“The Aromatique sale is an amazing fund-raiser for the Medical Center,” said Gloria Wright, director of volunteer services. “The sale has made it possible for us to provide so many important programs and services for our patients. We can’t thank the Uptons enough for their continued dedication to making this sale possible.”

Among the projects funded by the 2005 sale were Web cameras for the neonatal intensive care unit, speech-generating devices for University Rehab Services and personal care items for hospital and emergency room patients.