A caravan of more than three dozen police and fire vehicles drove past the front entrance of AMITA Health St. Joseph Hospital and around its Elgin campus Thursday to salute the work being done by medical staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
Police officers, firefighters and paramedics from Elgin, South Elgin, West Dundee, Streamwood, Burlington and other towns came together for the event, Elgin police Cmdr. Jim Bisceglie said.
“It was police and fire from all over the area to show our appreciation to all the health care workers battling COVID-19 with us,” he said.
Kyle Tomsha, a registered nurse at St. Joseph, said the parade had been kept a secret from hospital staff.
“It was surprisingly emotional,” Tomsha said. “As health care workers, we have to compartmentalize our feelings when working with patients. To get this, it was nice to see the solidarity coming from the fire departments and the police departments.”
This parade was held just a few hours before the city of Elgin’s latest Light Up the Day parade — this one going through the Poplar Creek and Parkwood neighborhoods.
The city has been holding the parades in different areas weekly in an effort to keep up residents’ spirits during the state’s stay-at-home order, which has been extended through the end of May.
For those who haven’t had a chance to check out one of the city parades, St. Edward Central Catholic High School is hosting one at 7 p.m. Friday in support of the high school community and the community in general during the pandemic.
The “Friday night lights” parade is described by the school as a “symbol of hope, perseverance and Green Wave pride.”
Green Wave is the name St. Edward’s sport teams, which boast the colors of emerald green and gold.
The first 150 vehicles to participate in Friday night’s event will be given a “Green Wave Strong” car magnet, a school news release said.
Administration, faculty and staff will “appropriately social distance themselves” along the parade route, which starts at Elm and Standish streets, does a loop through the school’s student parking lot, heads north to the intersection of Elm and Locust streets and then west on Locust Street.
More Top Picks Chromagen Lenses For Dyslexia Do They Help