A Halloween tradition with a heart for kids
What began as one family’s Halloween display in Holly Springs, North Carolina, has become a way for households across the country to support children receiving care at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
In 2020, Jeff Robertson’s elaborate yard decorations drew visitors from hours away. As the attention grew, his family wondered whether they could turn their newfound spotlight toward something good. Together, they decided to raise money for St. Jude, and Skeletons for St. Jude was born.
The idea caught on. In its seventh year, the initiative has raised more than $1.1 million and is working toward a $2 million goal. This season, 625 homes are set to take part, with 202 households adding their addresses to an online “Fright Map” a week before Halloween so visitors can find them.
Each participant brings their own enthusiasm to the tradition. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jeffery Broking spent October assembling more than 40 animatronics at his grandmother’s house. His reason for joining is personal: “I’ve been dealing with seizures the past few years, and I’ve met lots of sick kids and their families,” he said. “I just want to give back.”
In Willits, California, Krystle Coffman planned to welcome visitors with candy and perhaps a few surprises. Across the country in Delmar, Maryland, Elizabeth Stripling prepared a display that would span her lawn and her neighbor’s, with a donation jar for anyone who wanted to contribute.
For Stripling, the project brings together the joy of decorating and the chance to let children in the hospital know they are on people’s minds. “We think a lot about kids at Halloween. And that’s what Saint Jude is all about. It’s all about kids,” she said.
From one family’s idea to hundreds of participating homes, Skeletons for St. Jude has given Halloween neighbors another reason to come together: to share a little fun and do some good.
