PARRISH – Birthday party plans out the window due to the coronavirus pandemic? But, that’s not stopping some Suncoast families from celebrating.
The alarming sound of sirens in a Parrish neighborhood isn’t signaling a problem or an arrest, but rather a celebration.
Sean Foy is a big fan of the Manatee County Sheriff’s office. And since he couldn’t celebrate his 8th birthday with his friends, his parents reached out to Manatee County deputies to surprise him.
“We wanted to make sure he felt special and we wanted to do whatever we could do for him,” Sean’s mother, Jessica Foy, said.
So, his uncle, Deputy Chris Foy presented his nephew with a gift. He led a parade of lights and sirens in Sean’s neighborhood last Wednesday.
While some celebrations had loud noise, others had big signs.
“We come out in the middle of the night or early in the morning and we place greeting cards in people’s yards,” Outplay Celebration’s owner, Mitsy Sutherland, said.
Outplay celebrations is a yard card business. Mitsy Sutherland re-booted this business with her daughter just last Thursday.
“On the books right now, I have 13 orders,” Sutherland said.
There is no age limit. Peaple are ordering signs for 18-year-old’s to 81-years old’s.
“They don’t really realize how much it fills up the yard until they wake up,” Sutherland said.
Much to her dismay, Eighteen-year-old, Jordan Stuart, woke up Tuesday morning, to what she says was an embarrassing surprise.
Her mom, Michelle Stuart, coordinated it.
“She was a little embarrassed by the yard signs,” Michelle said.
“People keep honking,” Jordan said.
“People keep honking at us,” Michelle said.
Michelle says she wanted to make Jordan’s 18th birthday special.
“Had we been able to, we probably would have done a theme park or a really nice restaurant for her eighteenth,” Michelle said.
Nonetheless, this birthday surprise put a smile on Jordan’s face.
“It makes you feel good. I look forward to those testimonies in the morning,” Sutherland said.
