The staff of The Claiborne at Hattiesburg – a senior living community off of Veterans Memorial Drive in Hattiesburg – have noticed tremendous spirit from the organization’s residents in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To thank them for that measure, The Claiborne will host a social-distanced parade – called the CARnival CAREavan – for its residents on May 8, with the public encouraged to get balloons, make signs, or play music while remaining safely in their vehicles.
“They have just been so resilient in abiding by the safety precautions that we’ve put in place to protect them,” said Cathy Eaker, director of community relations at The Claiborne. “So we just want to do something to show our appreciation for them and give the community a chance to come out and do that as well.”
The lineup will begin at 11:45 a.m. May 8 at The Claiborne, 200 Whispering Pines Boulevard, and the parade will begin at noon. Signage will be placed to indicate the start and end points of the parade.
Individuals who wish to participate are asked to RSVP to Victoria Cagle at (601) 255-7506 or (601) 590-3572.
“What we’re hoping for is a big show of a bunch of individual cars that allows us to keep social distancing in place,” Eaker said. “We’d like to see anything from people playing their favorite song, signs, balloons, waving out the window, so that all of our residents can see the support from the community for them right now.”
Eaker said the residents are already looking forward to the spectacle of the parade.
“We’ve gotten really good feedback on participation as well, so I think it’s going to be a really fun time for everybody,” she said.
The Claiborne is a family-owned senior living company that offers residents a boutique, resort-style living experience. The organization offers independent living, assisted living and memory care options.
