Truro-area residents hope for drive-thru graduation amid COVID-19

Some people in the Truro, N.S., area are hoping to put on an outdoor high school graduation ceremony uniquely suited to the circumstances around COVID-19.

Jim Lorraine, whose daughter Eryn is in Grade 12 at Cobequid Educational Centre, has offered to host the event at their farm in Upper Onslow, N.S. He posted a video on Facebook explaining how it would work.

"That morphed out of our family trying to do something for our daughter and the rest of the students to really try to focus on raising the spirits of all these kids, such horrendous things they've been through," Lorraine told CBC's Mainstreet in an interview on Thursday.

In his Facebook video, Lorraine mentioned Emily Tuck — a CEC student who was supposed to be graduating this year — who was among the 22 people killed in the mass shooting last month.

"That's one of the saddest parts of this," he said.

Jeannine Garrett started a Facebook page called CEC Grads 2020. Her daughter, Amelia, is also in Grade 12. Amelia's father and stepmother — Sean McLeod and Alanna Jenkins — were also killed in the mass shooting.

"It was kind of what [Amelia] said after everything happened, she was looking at things her dad wouldn't be around for, like graduation, wedding, grandkids and stuff like that," Garrett told Mainstreet.

"... And then it dawned on me, these kids aren't even going to get a chance to have a graduation and if anybody needs some type of positive outcome to happen right now, it's her and everybody else in her graduating class."

Garrett said so far, all of the feedback on the idea has been positive. She said local businesses are offering their services to help if they are allowed to proceed.

"It's been overwhelming. Our phones have been ringing off the hook all day. These people in the community and these companies want to help these kids get some type of closure to their academic life and they want them to go out on a positive note," she said.

Graduation vision

If the drive-thru graduation is able to proceed, Lorraine said he pictures it with students and their immediate families in their vehicle. The vehicles would be spaced three metres apart and facing the front of the parking lot.

He said an excavation company will install a large ramp. From there, with help from the teachers, people will park in alphabetical order. Students will go up to the stage and the principal will give them their diploma with "garbage type picker-upper sticks" to maintain physical distancing.

If they get approval from the province, Lorraine said he would be interested in having Eastlink broadcast it so family members who couldn't come would be able to watch the ceremony.

"We're trying to be as safe as we can be, it can be done. I understand they're allowing church gatherings now and this is kind of the same thing," he said.

Public health restrictions

On May 1, the province eased some public health restrictions, including drive-thru religious services. These will be allowed as long as people stay in their cars and are parked two metres apart and there is no interaction between people in cars or between people in cars and others.

Lorraine has offered to foot the bill if it came down to it, but he said it sounds like a lot of people in the community are eager to volunteer.

"It would bring tears to your eyes, honestly, if you knew how people are stepping up," he said.

Garrett said her Facebook group received a message from the co-president of the student council who said they are sharing the information on social media to get the word out.

"It took less than a day for the entire community to come together to support these kids," she said.