STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — A number of holiday traditions have been scaled back or canceled this year, including one spectacular light display that draws huge crowds and national attention.
Michelle Anthony remembers the first time she took her toddler, now sixteen, to see the Crown Point Parkway Festival of Lights.
"We're just like, ‘holy smokes. This is amazing’. I had never seen anything like that before," Anthony said. She and her daughter made it a tradition, going every year for the past twelve years.
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But they’re newbies.
Some people that 3News' Danielle Serino spoke with on Facebook have been going two decades or more. All of them are disappointed that the 30-year tradition was canceled this year, but are very grateful for the memories, including organizer Dan Hoag.
"I guess you'd have to be out here to see the looks on the faces of all the children and all the people to see all the joy that it brings them. And quite frankly, it's just an honor,” he told us.
Obviously, the pandemic played a role in this decision. But a lesser-known reason...Dan's recent battle with cancer.
“My immune system is pretty well shot,” he said. And I also had prostate surgery two weeks ago, so it's been quite a trying year physically to do it."
Ironically, Hoag and his neighbors also used the display to raise money for local families battling cancer and other illnesses.
Fundraising organizer Faith Paliwoda described how it started, “people would drive by while we're putting up the lights and want to hand us money out their car windows. And we said, ‘you know, we've got to figure out something to do with this money’,” she explained.
Last year, some of the money they raised went to the family of a three-year-old named Roman, diagnosed with Leukemia.
But, just because the lights are dimmed this year, doesn't mean the hopes of sick children are.
The neighborhood set up a GoFundMe page this year, to benefit a five-month-old in need of a liver transplant as well as a young mom who just had twins.
“And when she had her twins, she found out she had Thyroid Cancer. And so, they're fighting that. And half of the donations will go to her,” Faith told us.
After all of those years bringing hope and joy to others, the community is coming together to return the favor. A drive-by through the neighborhood has been scheduled next Friday night, where people are encouraged to decorate their cars, roll down their windows and blast 105.7 Cleveland’s Christmas Music Station. Showing nothing can stop the holiday spirit.