Obama to scale back birthday celebrations
Barack Obama has “significantly scaled back” his 60th birthday party because of COVID-19 concerns.
The former US President and his wife Michelle were planning to celebrate his big day next weekend with a huge guest list, including friends, family and former staff, set for the bash at the family’s estate in Martha’s Vineyard, but this has now been reduced.
The family’s spokeswoman Hannah Hankins told PEOPLE magazine: “This outdoor event was planned months ago in accordance with all public health guidelines and with COVID safeguards in place. Due to the new spread of the Delta variant over the past week, the [ former] President and Mrs Obama have decided to significantly scale back the event to include only family and close friends. He’s appreciative of others sending their birthday wishes from afar and looks forward to seeing people soon.”
DONATIONS PREFERRED
Even before the event was cut back, Barack had not asked for any gifts, as he would prefer donations to the Obama Foundation’s philanthropic projects.
The outdoor gathering will be held next weekend, and guests were told that they must undergo coronavirus testing and that the event will be overseen by a medical professional, to ensure pandemic protocols are followed.
An insider recently said: “In lieu of gifts, guests are being asked to consider giving to programmes that work to support boys and young men of colour and their families here at home in the United States, empower adolescent girls around the world, and equip the next generation of emerging community leaders, including the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, the Girls Opportunity Alliance, or the Obama Foundation’s Global Leadership programmes.”