DETROIT – The Children’s Hospital of Michigan hosted the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay men’s basketball team Saturday morning for an event promoting healing and transformation for young patients.
Alongside children, volunteers and players took part in decorating hand-crafted wooden butterflies, which will be displayed at the new Children’s Hospital of Michigan opening in Midtown late spring. The new addition to the hospital is designed to advance pediatric health care on a newly developed 2.5-acre site.
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Grace Serra, art director at the hospital, described the event as inspirational for both sides.
“The kids respond very well to the artwork and enjoy helping decorate it,” Serra said. She added that the butterflies are a symbol of healing and transformation, because when kids are sick, their whole family is, too.
“They’re still kids and they need activity,” Serra said.
"Kids don’t like being in the hospital, but they always enjoy looking at the many different forms of artwork displayed," Serra said, referencing the many pieces of artwork hanging on the walls of the hospital.
Along with a helping hand, Green Bay also brought a familiar name back to Metro Detroit. Freshman forward Kameron Hankerson said he loves the feeling of volunteering and that this occasion was extra special because he’s a native of Novi.
“Giving back in general always feels great, but doing it in familiar surroundings makes the feeling much greater," Hankerson said. “I don’t get to come home often so being back feels good,” he said.
Green Bay is coming off a win against Oakland University on Friday, and will be competing in the 2017 Little Caesars Horizon League Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament. Sponsoring the event is Olympia Entertainment, which will also be donating more than 150 tickets to the tournament. The tournament takes place March 3 through 7 at Joe Louis Arena.