Community group Moose Jaw Birthday Parade is turning its attention from celebrating ages to honouring this year’s class of high school and post-secondary graduates.
The group — which has been active the last few months bringing smiles to faces with vehicle-led birthday parades — decided that with the coronavirus forcing the cancellation of graduation ceremonies, having a similar vehicle-themed parade to celebrate graduates would be a safe and appropriate thing to do, explained organizer Jody Chell. This event will give people the chance to celebrate the hard work that grads have put in to reach this point.
Therefore, on Sunday, June 14 at Hamilton Flats, high school and post-secondary grads are encouraged to wear their outfits and bring their families to honour this important milestone. Grade 12 students should arrive at the field between 12 p.m. and 12:15 p.m.
Vehicles will line both sides of the road as graduates walk down the middle to their families — or own vehicles — at the end.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Chell said. “You always have to worry about keeping everybody safe, just like our parades … . We (hope to) have enough volunteers that hopefully we can make sure everyone stays within their schools and gatherings and families. We just want it to be a fun time for the grads.”
Parade volunteers will decorate their cars how they like to celebrate the graduates, while families can also decorate their vehicles to honour their students.
The celebration of post-secondary graduates will occur later that afternoon at 2 p.m. These grads are encouraged to arrive around 1:30 p.m.
There are more than 300 students who are graduating in Moose Jaw this year, although only 40 grads have registered so far. Chell would appreciate if grads registered ahead of time, so the group has a better idea of how many people to expect. However, since grads are chatting to each other on social media about this, she thinks many youths will show up on that day. Even her daughter has not yet registered.
“The group is prepared for that (last-minute appearance). Worst-case scenario, we have 30 people show up. Best-case scenario, we have all the grads show up … and we’re prepared for that best- and worst-case scenario,” she continued. “If all the grads know about it, and only one-third show up, that’s fine.”
Chell has created two Facebook event pages for the graduations. One is called “Grand March/Parade for all Grade 12 grads of Moose Jaw,” while the other is called “Post Secondary Graduates Grand March and Parade.” Grads can add themselves to these event pages.
“I just hope everyone has a good time and I hope that these kids realize we are trying our hardest to celebrate them and their hard work,” she added. “My daughter is a grad, so it will be fun to watch her walk down, and it’s the best we can do with the situation we have, so I hope everyone has a good time.”
