STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — A local must-see light display in Strongsville that also has national attention has raised money for sick children for more than 25 years. The beneficiary of the funds raised on Crown Point Parkway display hits closer to home than normal this year.
Dan Hoag started it for fun, but along with the smiles that come with more than 100,000 lights on one street, is a financial benefit from the donations.
“We’re able to help out a couple of children that are battling cancer,” says Hoag.
This year, the donations are helping the neighboring Paliwoda family with a young cousin.
“Went to the doctor one day because he was complaining to his mom that his leg was hurting and within 21 hours they had a diagnosis of leukemia,” says Faith Paliwoda.
Three-year-old Roman has a long fight ahead of him including daily injections to help him fight blot clots.
“The donations will go toward his mom be able to stay with him around the clock like she wants to,” says Paliwoda.
Something all parents, like Sarah Brinessar, can understand.
“I think people would do that in a heartbeat. Everyone here as kids and it’s a very relatable cause,” says Brinessar.
Hoag is already planning to make next year’s Crown Point neighborhood light display bigger and better, to hopefully bring more smiles, and even more donations.
“Next year unfortunately well find someone else who is in need, there’s always somebody. We prefer to help children,” says Hoag.
If you want to see the lights and/or donate the display will be up for two more nights. Just enter “Crown Point Parkway” in your GPS, we promise, you won’t be able to miss it when its all lit up.