'Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams' returning to light up Corewell Health Children's Hospital
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - There’s nothing like a little holiday cheer to brighten the mood, and it’s that time of year again, 'Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams' is back for its 6th straight year.
Each year, crowds gather outside Corewell Health Children's Hospital in Royal Oak to spread cheer to kids spending the holidays in the hospital.
Attendees shine lights toward the patients' rooms, while the children shine them back nightly during Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams. The tradition has been happening for several years, filling the parking lot with light and hospitalized kids with joy.
"For some reason, this program really touches the hearts of a lot of people in our community, and they come out year after year, and they stand in the cold, and they bring their family and their friends, we have school groups and church groups and sports teams, and all kinds of people that come out and do this every year," said Kathleen Grobbell, Moonbeans Co-leader.
Bundle up Detroit, because from Dec. 9 through the 23rd, the lights will be shining bright at Corwell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak.
At 8 p.m. sharp for ten minutes each night, the community is invited to bring flashlights and shine them brightly into the windows of the pediatric unit, but it gets even better, the patients will return the glow using their own flashlights.
"I think it’s an easy way to give back. You can come out for just a short period of time. It’s a small effort," she said. "You stand outside, and you shine your light, and it seems like a little thing, but it has a really big impact for our patients and families."
"When you see the sea of twinkling lights from the children’s view, they can tell these people really are out here for us, we’re not alone during the holidays," Lisa Muma, Moonbeans Co-Leader:
It’s all about lifting hearts and creating a sense of connection even from far away.
"Our first responders, they come out night after night with the firetrucks, they light up their ladders. Sometimes Santa climbs up the ladder and shines a light right in the room for our children," she said.
In an effort to boost inclusivity, this year, organizers added a sensory-friendly night on Dec 8, one day before the traditional event kicks off.
"Some families may need something a bit quieter, more calming, a little less stimulating," said Grobbell. "I think that offering that opportunity to everybody in our community is very important."
Get there early. Organizers suggest carpooling to make parking easier. Groups of ten or more as well as buses must pre-register.
Learn more about the program here.
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Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams: Flashlights needed to light up Corewell Health Children's Hospital this December
Each year, crowds gather outside Corewell Health Children's Hospital in Royal Oak to spread cheer to kids spending the holidays in the hospital. This year, flashlights are needed to help make Moonbeams for Sweet Dreams a success.