OCEAN CITY, Md.— On Saturday, the Float Of Hope returned to give children fighting pediatric cancer an opportunity to show their artistic talents.
The Ocean City St. Patrick's Day parade was canceled due to heavy rain but families and officers of the Ocean City Police Department joined in to sign posters which will go to five hospitals including:
Johns Hopkins Hospital, Children's National Hospital, Sinai Hospital, University of Maryland Hospital, and West Virginia United hospital.
The idea started nine years ago when David Shafer founded the Float Of Hope but the celebration was canceled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and this year due to the rain, which has impacted the cause.
"We've been struggling through but the kids at the hospital having been doing a great job and still do the banners we come down and we pay for everything out of our own pocket," Shafer said.
Families gathered at Best Western on Saturday morning to continue signing posters.
"That's what we do for the kids, any donations we get, we take directly back to the hospitals, so if anybody wanted to donate to take back to the hospitals, that would be great," Michael Winfield who built this year's float, said.
Shafer says the Float Of Hope's motto is to fight like a kid, and says donations are welcome to continue the tradition for years to come.
To donate to the Float of Hope, contact floatofhope@gmail.com
or $MikeCGC is my cash app
To drop off physical goods, visit
The Float of Hope
7555 Jenn Drive
Woodbine MD 21797