Cook Children’s Medical Center is celebrating its 100th birthday this year with a big party March 21 and special events throughout the year.
The party is private, by invitation only, but the celebration is public, and Cook Children’s is hoping people throughout the area will join in all week by changing their outside lights to blue bulbs to show support for all the children Cook serves.
Blue lights have become closely associated with Cook Medical Center because of the thousands of blue lights that outline the peaked roofs of the hospital year round.
Ace Hardware stores are giving away blue light bulbs while supplies last to encourage public participation in the celebration.
Many of Fort Worth’s most iconic buildings will display blue lights at various times throughout the year, and blue lights will be front and center in Fort Worth’s holiday Parade of Lights next fall.
The March 21 party will feature a fly-over, fireworks, food on the lawn and a live music concert.
Just before the fireworks, tiny flashlights will be passed out to all the party guests outside and patients and staff inside the hospital, non-essential lights will be turned off, and everyone will be encouraged to wish each other good night by flickering their flashlights.
Also, throughout the year people can take pictures of friends and family with various banners, sculptures and murals around town and post them on social media at #Cook100Years.
The centennial murals will be in the Dillard Family Garden, west of the turnaround in front of the hospital at 801 Seventh Ave., and colorful candle sculptures that spell out 100 will be displayed in public areas around town during the year.
“We are hoping people will take pictures of themselves and their families ‘blowing out’ our birthday candles and tag them with #Cook100Years,” said Amanda Lewis, who helped plan the birthday celebration.
More information on when and where sculptures and murals can be found and on additional birthday activities will be posted all year on the Cook birthday website, cookchildrens.org/centennial.