• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Subscribe
Program Guide
Watch Live

CCX Media

Skip NavigationMenu
  • News
    • Close
        • CCX News
          • CCX News Home
          • News Stories
            • CCX Daily Newscast
          • CCX News Special Reports
          • CCX Media Schools
        • Feature Segments

          • Business Matters
          • School Spotlight
          • Standout Student
          • Weekend Showcase
          • Newsmakers
        • News Tip

          Send us a story idea or news tip!
          Facebook Instagram Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
        • Apple News
    • Close
  • Sports
    • Close
        • CCX Sports
          • CCX Sports Home
          • Sports Tips
          • Hall of Fame
          • Upcoming Event Coverage
          • Play of the Week
        • Sports Coverage

          Adapted SportsAdditional SportsBaseballBasketballFootball
          GymnasticsHockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftball
          Swimming & DivingTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballWrestling
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
          Shop/Order
    • Close
  • Cities
    • Close
        • CCX Cities
          • CCX Cities Home
          • The Connection
          • In The Community
          • Our Town’s Story
          • Community Resources
          • CCX Media Schools
          • City Meetings
        • Your City

          Brooklyn Center Local News and Events
          Brooklyn Park MN Local News and Events
          Crystal
          Golden Valley
          Maple Grove
          New Hope
          Osseo
          Plymouth
          Robbinsdale
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Create
    • Close
        • CCX Create
          • CCX Create Home
          • Channels
          • Resources
          • Meet The Create Team
          • CCX Create Virtual Tour
        • Get Creative

          • Make Your Own Show
          • Free Classes
          • Contact Us
          • Polka Spotlight
          • Diversity Minute
        • RueShare

          • Member Login
          • Member Guide
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Subscribe
  • Program guide
  • Watch Live

Brooklyn Park Child Surprised with Birthday Parade Before Stay at Home Order Begins

2:42 PM | Monday, March 30, 2020

Lauren Boyd had big plans to celebrate the 7th birthday of her son, Isaac. On April 2, Isaac and his friends were supposed to go to Twin City Twisters, an artistic gymnastics venue in Champlin.

But when the COVID-19 virus forced the governor to shut down entertainment venues, Lauren had to make other plans. 

“He was quite bummed about that, so I was trying to figure out how we could make the day special without really being able to do anything,” Lauren said.

Isaac Boyd is a 1st grader at Edinbrook Elementary School.

 

The governor’s executive order for all Minnesotans to stay at home until April 10 made the task even more difficult. So Lauren made an executive decision of her own to celebrate Isaac’s birthday six days early on Friday, March 27th before the stay at home order went into effect.

A Birthday Parade for Isaac

In this era of social distancing, Lauren thought the most appropriate way to make the day special for Isaac would be to have family members, and Isaac’s classmates from Edinbrook Elementary, do a drive-by birthday parade at their Brooklyn Park home.  

Lauren then contacted Isaac’s first grade teacher, Shawna Voigt, and asked her to email the parents of Isaac’s classmates.

“I had no problem sharing out the information with the parents in hopes that some of the students would show up,” Voigt said. “Because I know that the students really miss each other, and if it takes driving by and waving at a birthday boy to see each other’s faces, even from afar, I know that’s really important.”

With everyone contacted, the plans were set in motion to surprise Isaac at 6 p.m. on Friday.

“I told [Isaac] he had to stay in the house and there was gonna be a surprise outside,” Lauren said. “He’s kind of obsessed with Lamborghinis right now, so he thought there was gonna be a Lambo outside waiting for him.”

Shawna Voigt takes part in the parade for Isaac Boyd.

 

When Isaac looked outside, there was no Lamborghini. Instead, he saw a dozen cars filled with family members, classmates, and Ms. Voigt. They honked their horns. They waved. And they held up signs, wishing him a happy birthday.

One of Lauren’s friends led the way dressed in a T-Rex costume, because that’s what you do to make a child happy when a pandemic changes every other aspect of normal life. 

A T-Rex made an appearance at the Isaac Boyd birthday parade.

 

“I thought it was great for [Lauren] to come up with something to celebrate him in this crisis or challenge that we’re facing, so that he still felt celebrated and appreciated,” Voigt said. “So I thought that was really great.”

At first, Isaac wasn’t sure how to process the scene unfolding in front of him.

“Isaac’s normal reaction when he’s overwhelmed and super excited is to get actually very quiet and shy,” Lauren said. “So he kind of stood there very stunned for a while. And then he kind of realized that friends were passing by and waving and honking their horns and stuff. Toward the end he was more amped up and a little bit excited.”

Lauren estimates that 35 people participated in the parade, which lasted about 15 minutes. 

“Of course, he asked afterwards, where was his birthday cake? And I told him that we would celebrate on his actual birthday with a cake,” she said.

It’s anybody’s guess as to when “normal life” will resume, but for one evening on March 27th, none of that mattered to Isaac Boyd.

“When we got settled down back home, he said that this was the best day ever,” Lauren said. 

Delane Cleveland, reporting

Brooklyn Park

Related Stories

Northwest Suburbs To See Millions in New State Infrastructure Spending:  Minnesota Governor Tim Walz… Read More
Second Harvest Heartland Receives Large Milk Donation As Food Shelf Demand Surges:  Second Harvest… Read More
Brooklyn Park Salon Showcases Latest Beauty Trend: Microblading:  The beauty industry is a… Read More
Huntington Place Apartments To Receive $10M in State Funds:  The Minnesota Legislature recently… Read More
Historic Minnesota Marijuana Bill Signed Into Law:  Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a bill Tuesday… Read More
Brooklyn Park Veteran To March in National Memorial Day Parade:  A Brooklyn Park veteran will carry… Read More

Footer

NAVIGATE

  • CCX Media
  • NEWS
  • SPORTS
  • CITIES
  • CREATE
  • Job Opportunities
  • Meet the CCX Media Team
  • ABOUT CCX MEDIA
  • Annual Programming Reports
  • CABLE COMMISSION

SUBSCRIBE

Get email updates for daily story previews. “Week in Review” video links, and programming previews.

Subscribe Today

CONNECT

HAVE A NEWS TIP? CALL OUR TIPLINE AT:  763-533-1710
Send us story ideas and comments!
Get in touch with us
               
 NEWS   SPORTS
 SHOP/ORDER

LOCATION

CCX Media
6900 Winnetka Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Main Phone:  763-533-8196

CCX Media serves the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.
Copyright © 2023 CCXMedia | All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement
Web Design and Development by CEL Marketing PR Design and BizzyWeb | Log in