Spirit Halloween store donated costumes for kids at McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Some kids spending this October in a local hospital still got a chance to pick out the perfect Halloween costume thanks to the extreme generosity of a nationwide costume store.

Spirit Halloween brought dozens of costumes to McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple where nearly a hundred kids got the chance to find the perfect outfit.

Spirit Halloween offers Halloween costumes and decor. Nearly 20 years ago, they began this project by teaming up with 11 hospitals and today it’s grown to over 160.

Tina Ulanowski is the manager of child life at McLane’s and said the annual event always brightens the spirits of the kids.

“It’s normalizing and something they don’t expect to happen in the hospital,” she said. “It’s something they can all do together. It’s uplifting and we all know that when you’re feeling good it helps heal you faster.”

The patients could come to pick their costumes in a room or have one delivered.

The get-up ranged from The Sanderson Sisters To Minnie Mouse and super heroes.

“They get to pick from the assortment that we have here, that Spirit Halloween provides. It’s just a magnificent event. We love it,” Ulanowski said.

Ulanowski adds that it gives families a break during an otherwise stressful time.

“Families that are busy running to medical appointments and worried about their children and their health, they don’t have to worry about their Halloween costumes,” she said.

The leftover costumes will be put in a room where all patients can use them.

Spirit Halloween also donates a portion of their proceeds to hospitals.

Since 2009, Spirit Halloween has gifted more than $600,000 to McLane Children’s Hospital in Temple.

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