An effort to raise money for the Child Life Program at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital brought in $52,010. The 2011 “Spirit of Children” campaign took place from September through November at 13 Spirit of Halloween stores across central Pennsylvania. The money was raised through in-store donations and coupons issued by Spirit of Halloween that offered 10 percent discounts and the donation of another 10 percent to the Children’s Hospital.
“These funds will allow us to purchase a range of age-appropriate and child-friendly tools – from books to dolls to iPads – to help staff teach pediatric patients and their families about what happens in the hospital and to put them at ease using distractions such as games and relaxation tools,” said Ashley Kane, manager of the Child Life Program at the Children’s Hospital.
The 2011 campaign marked a nearly 140 percent jump from the previous year’s “Spirit of Children” campaign, which raised $21,885 for the program.