"Random Acts of Costuming” spread cheer at Kelowna's Hospital

Photo: Ed Burke

The "Random Acts of Costuming" crew at KGH on Sunday. Ed Burke, dressed as Batman in the back with son, Scott Burke in the front dressed as Captain America

Superheroes invaded the Kelowna General Hospital on Saturday, and along with Santa, they spread Christmas cheer taking pictures with patients and giving out gifts. 

Scott Burke, who is dressed-up as Captain America, started “Random Acts of Costuming” at the hospital typically once a month. His father Ed Burke joins him on the adventures - he was dressed as Batman this time around. 

“We walked into emergency and you see all these people. They’re looking at the floor and they’re really depressed and then they see us and they get a big smile on their face and they’re laughing and taking pictures of us,” chuckles Burke.

The team usually starts the day at 11 a.m. in the emergency rooms, then makes their way over to the kids section and finishes in the first floor rehab section, which tends to have more seniors. 

“(The seniors) remember all of (the characters), we had Snow White there and even all the super heroes they know it because of their grandkids,” says Burke.

Originally Scott and his team would buy little toys and trinkets from the dollar store but this time around a family member decided to help out. Scott’s cousin from Woodstock, Ontario John Bruce Hendy donated all the gifts after seeing what his family was doing.

“He came out to visit us and he saw what we were doing and he got so excited and wanted to be apart of it, so he sent us a whole bunch of little dolls of Captain America and necklaces and all kinds of trinkets to give out to the kids.”

One of the recipients of those dolls was a small child who was quarantined. 

“One of the boys upstairs got a doll of Captain America, he was so excited. He was in the contamination room so we couldn’t go in but we handed it to his dad and the boy was just jumping up and down.”

Ed’s wife was in the costume business years ago, before she passed away in 2005. Scott’s kept the tradition of dressing up alive, something Ed says he’s proud of.  

“He’s a father of eight kids and his kids love him - he is absolutely the most fantastic father, I wish I had a father like him.”

This Saturday the crew was made up of seven people, which is a bump from the typical three or four people. They stayed for just under two hours taking pictures and giving out toys.