BOUNTIFUL, Utah (ABC4) — You may have noticed 12-foot skeletons standing tall in front of Utahn’s homes this fall.

Well, it turns out they are more than just decorations, they’re part of a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“We have the 12-foot skeleton,” said Bountiful resident Christina Owens. “We may as well raise some money while we’re at it.”

The skeletons are part of a nationwide effort during the weeks leading up to Halloween. It all started three years ago by accident in Holly Springs, North Carolina.

“I was just goofing off, putting skeletons all over our house just to do something fun for the neighborhood,” Jeff Robertson said.

Local media saw the giant skeletons outside Robertson’s home, and they ran a story. He and his family then decided to use the attention to do some good.

“We decided that maybe we could fundraise for St. Jude, which is something that we had fundraised in the past for, and so that night, we put a sign in our front yard and it said, if you like what you see, feel free to donate to St. Jude to help kids that are sick,” Robertson said.

Since 2020, St. Jude has raised more than $400,000 for families with children battling cancer with over 630 homes across the country participating in Skeletons for St. Jude.

“I’ve been wrong at every assumption I’ve made on this effort,” Robertson said. “I didn’t think when we first started that we would hardly make any money for St. Jude.”

Utah has now joined the national trend. Residents say they saw other houses putting up the giant skeletons on social media.

“I’ve had two, a niece and nephew, that were premature… So when I saw this on Facebook, I thought it was an excellent idea,” Grantsville resident Amie Lee said.

It’s simple to donate, all you need to do is go up and scan the QR code on the sign outside the home.

“I appreciate that people come and visit our decorations and enjoy them as much as I do,” said Saratoga Springs resident Sam Dawson. “If there was any way to say thank you… it would be donating to the cause, these kids need it. And it’s a great donation.”

Residents plan on leaving their QR code signs out for as long as their Halloween decorations are up. After all, it’s a team effort to do more than just provide a good scare.