As about a dozen cars paraded by Madilyn MacDonald’s house in Hanover Township on Wednesday afternoon, drivers and passengers handed out presents and cards, or held signs, in honor of Kaitlin Naylor and Madilyn, who both turned 7 on Wednesday. The people in this car gave the girls colorful birthday cards.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Two W-B Academy first-graders turn 7
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An excited Madilyn MacDonald clutches the pink llama plush toy and other birthday gifts presented to her by the folks in one of the cars that paraded past her home in Hanover Township on Wednesday afternoon. They had a turquoise llama for her friend, Kaitlin Naylor, who also turned 7 on Wednesday.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Kaitlin Naylor of Bear Creek Township watches with delight as a parade of cars filled with teachers, fellow students and parents from the Wilkes-Barre Academy community honored her and her friend Madilyn MacDonald, on the occasion of their seventh birthday on Wednesday. The people in the first car gave Kaitlin a turquoise llama plush toy and other birthday gifts.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Kaitlin Naylor, at left, holds a llama plush toy while Madilyn MacDonald reads a birthday card. Both girls were honored with a parade of cars, filled with teachers, parents and their classmates from Wilkes-Barre Academy, who drove by Madilyn’s house to help both girls celebrate their mutual 7th birthday on Wednesday.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
Madilyn MacDonald shades her eyes and Kaitlin Naylor waves as a parde of cars passes by Madilyn’s house to honor both girls, first grade students at Wilkes-Barre Academy who celebrated their mutual birthday on Wednesday.
Mark Guydish | Times Leader
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,” Madilyn MacDonald from Hanover Township and Kaitlin Naylor from Bear Creek sang to each other, using not only the words but the sign language they’ve learned at Wilkes-Barre Academy.
Both girls turned 7 on Wednesday, and they spent a bit of time Wednesday afternoon on the front lawn of Madilyn’s home, where the sun was shining and the pleasant weather seemed to invite their parents to take their photos.
There was another reason to be outside, too, but Madilyn had no idea what she and her parents, sister and grandmother Nancy Culnane were waiting for. Kaitlin did have an inkling as to why she and her mom had come to Madilyn’s house but she didn’t ruin the surprise for her friend.
Suddenly Madilyn’s dad, Matt MacDonald, and 9-year-sister Kaelyn, who were serving as lookouts, gave the signal. The parade was coming!
“Air hugs! Air hugs!” first grade teacher Janelle Zapoticky called from a car.
“Happy birthday, Madilyn!” “Happy birthday, Kaitlin!” people called from other cars, with some of them displaying banners or balloons or streamers or shaking pom pons.
Teachers, schoolmates and other parents from the Wilkes-Barre Academy community wanted to help the two first graders celebrate, so they met in the parking lot of the Hanover Area Junior/Senior High School and drove a short distance up a hill and around a corner near Madilyn’s house.
Wilkes-Barre Academy teacher Niki Winters and teachers aide Denise Brozena drove by too, as did Madilyn’s basketball coach, Mary Tranguch.
A passenger in the lead car handed out gift bags with all sorts of treats to the two birthday girls, including a pink plush toy llama for Madilyn and a matching turquoise llama for Kaitlin.
Their class has lessons via Zoom meetings every day, and moms Kristen MacDonald and Kim Naylor said that’s great for keeping the kids interested and on a schedule.
But it was even better to see their friends in person.
When someone in the car parade invited the girls to “show us your dance moves,” the excited little girls didn’t have to be asked twice.