Though many local homeowners opt to forgo Halloween decorations this time of year, for Dr. Dani Cohen and her family, it is a spectacle months in the making.
What began with a 12-foot-tall skeleton in their front yard four years ago has slowly grown into an intricate display, featuring lights, sound effects and even motion-activated animatronics.
And this year, Cohen has partnered with St. Jude Children’s Hospital and their Skeleton’s for Hope program, a fundraiser which provides avid Halloween decorators an opportunity to turn their displays into something more.
“We have a QR code out in the front of the house for families who come by, they can enjoy and have a much larger global impact for those who are in need of it,” Cohen told the New Canaanite. “I think people are just starting to learn that the QR code goes directly over to St. Jude’s, so we’re trying to get the word out. This is our first year doing the fundraiser for them, so I’m hopeful that with more people getting information about it, that they will hopefully donate more to a really great cause.”
Cohen has raised about $400 through her display so far, and hopes that figure will continue to grow as more people stop by. She said that visitors are welcome to park on the road outside her home to get a closer look.
“What people end up doing is they end up pulling over right on our side of the road and they’ll get out of their cars or they’ll go right onto silver ridge and just park on the side and walk over,” Cohen said. “We close the gate at the end of the driveway but they’re more than welcome to walk across the stone wall, interact with the different animatronics and take selfies, whatever they need to do.”…