PEORIA, Ill. – Superheroes scaled the walls of OSF Children’s Hospital on Thursday to put smiles on the faces of patients.
Two window washers from Clearly Windows in Bloomington did their job at the hospital, but dressed up as Batman and the Green Lantern. It’s a bi-annual tradition to have the costumed workers come to the hospital to visit the kids as they clean.
Division Manager Bill Garcia says the volunteer gesture means a lot to the kids, who are going through a lot.
“You have jobs in this world, and then you have something that fulfills you,” Garcia said. “You gotta have fun, and you gotta have purpose, and they have a purpose here. And we’re gonna keep doing it.”
Garcia says they’ve had workers dress as superheroes to clean windows for the past 12 years. He says the superheroes will return to the hospital around Halloween time to clean the windows again.
Brian Baxter of Bloomington dressed as the Green Lantern this year, in his 8th year of being a superhero window washer.
“I know a lot of these kids are having a pretty hard time, and it feels good to be able to bring at least a little joy to them, even if it’s just for a couple minutes,” Baxter said.
Baxter says he chose to be the Green Lantern because it’s one of his favorite superheroes, and so he can wear a mask that can see easier. He says one of his favorite moments was about four years ago, when a kid ran up to the window and placed her hand on the window, with Baxter placing his hand on hers through the window.
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