Community members celebrate boy’s birthday with drive-thru parade
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CHUBBUCK — Canceling her son’s seventh birthday party because of COVID-19 prompted one Chubbuck mom to find a creative way to still celebrate his special day.
Charles and Chasity Snowden have seven kids and celebrating birthdays in their family is a big deal. Because people have been asked to isolate and social distance themselves from others, their son, Titian, had a birthday party unlike any other.
The community celebrated Wednesday by throwing a drive-thru parade. At least 50 cars drove past honking and cheering for nearly 10 minutes. The North Bannock Fire Department even showed up, blared their sirens and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ over their speakers as Titian watched from his front lawn.
“It was like a miracle,” he told EastIdahoNews.com.
Chasity is a nurse at Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello and is strict about following social distancing rules. Titian didn’t understand why he couldn’t have his originally scheduled birthday party.
Chasity got in touch with his school teacher about the drive-thru party, who then sent an email to his classmates’ parents with details about when and where the parade would happen.
“I got a huge reply,” she said. “Then I created a Facebook event, invited several of my friends and also several Portneuf employees.”
Once other people in the community found out about the event, they asked the fire department and several diesel trucks to make appearances.
“It blew my expectations. I thought just a couple people were going to show up. I had no idea,” Chasity said.
Titian’s favorite part of the parade was getting to see the fireman, the trucks and familiar faces that he’s missed.
“All my class was there,” Titian said. “I miss them very much.”
Chasity said despite living in an uncertain time, she wants people to know there’s still positivity in the world and communities are supporting one another during the challenges.
“I’ve got messages from everybody saying that was the highlight of their week given the circumstances,” Chasity said. “Several people were crying. I was crying. Titian was so happy. He was grinning from ear to ear.”
Titian said this birthday goes down as the coolest one yet.
“Thank you everyone for coming out,” he said.
After the drive-thru parade, Titian finished the night with mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and a rib dinner in his backyard playhouse.
