It wasn’t the way Pierce Ketchum wanted to mark his 11th birthday.
Rather than having his friends over to celebrate, Pierce’s party had to be postponed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
But for about an hour and a half on the morning of March 24, Pierce realized that his friends had not forgotten him on his special day.
Fifteen or 16 of his classmates from First Presbyterian Day School (FPDS) were driven by his Manship Street home to wish him a happy birthday.
The birthday caravan was one of several that have been held recently on the Northside, and one of several that has helped take the sting out of birthday events being canceled as a result of COVID-19.
That same day, parents and kids got together to treat Caroline McPhillips to a birthday caravan of her own. Another birthday caravan was held earlier that week.
In both cases, friends had painted signs and hung them on the outside of their
parents’ cars. In some cases, parents honked horns and kids threw presents and balloons out their windows.
“He was talking to his grandmother earlier and he lit up as he talked about it,” said Christy Ketchum, Pierce’s mother.
Ketchum said her son, like most students on the Northside, hadn’t seen his friends for more than three weeks, and was happy to see them if even for a fleeting moment as they drove past their home.
Margaret McPhillips organized the caravan for her daughter, a fourth grader, the same day parents were supposed to pick up assignment packets from FPDS.
Caroline and a friend were supposed to have a roller skating party last week.
Not wanting her daughter to miss out, McPhillips jumped into action. She got the idea from a friend who did the same thing earlier that week.
“I sent out a message last night to our moms’ message group for the girls in the class, and they were coming by all morning,” McPhillips said. “Maybe a dozen kids came by.”
“It was a good way for her to see her friends. She loved it.”
