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Video still from Amanda Dunne’s Facebook post about her son’s impromptu birthday party, where Peel Police surprised the 5-year-old. (Amanda Dunne/Facebook) Amanda Dunne/Facebook
Life

Drive-by parties are saving kids’ birthdays from this kill-joy pandemic

Image of the Week: Unforgettable times? No question. But these children will remember their big days fondly.
By Michael Fraiman
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April 9, 2020

For parents forced to juggle the entertainment and education of their children with either a) the stress of unemployment, or b) the stress of “essential” employment, adding a birthday to the mix isn’t going to help. But as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. Many parents have turned to communities, friends and social media to bridge the socially distant gap. One of those was Amanda Dunne, who posted a broad invite on Facebook to anyone who wanted to drive by and wish her son, Anthony, a happy birthday. She was shocked when a brigade of Peel Regional Police cruisers drove up, sirens blaring, and the officers waved and held well-wishing signs from a distance. (To be sure, the cops may have a little extra time on their hands, since numerous municipalities have reported sharp decreases in robberies, assaults, shootings and drunk driving.) But it doesn’t end with Dunne: plenty of similar drive-by parties have sprung up across the continent, with neighbours and fire trucks delighting small children who apparently go nuts for loud noises and flashing lights. These were always going to be birthday parties the kids would never forget. At least these memories will be positive ones. (Scroll down for more.)

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