Drive-thru Easter bunny event draws crowd, song
Every year, children and adults who are part of the Breaking Barriers Program at the Chaldean Community Foundation in Sterling Heights look forward to a visit from the Easter bunny.
This year because of the pandemic instead of hopping around indoors — guests were invited to cruise through Easter stations — where they were encouraged to cheer for the rabbit.
Honk for a chocolate bunny.
Wave for a basket of personal protection gear, clap for the Easter bunny and receive a basket filled with goodies and then to sing in order to get their Easter eggs and coloring kit.
“We had a very successful event,” said Sue Kattula, behavioral health manager for the Chaldean Community Foundation and its Breaking Barriers Program, which serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “We had about 120 cars with over 80 special needs clients participating in the event along with their family members.”
Saturday’s event went by fast but it is likely to be something the children will talk about for days.
Kattula said many of her special needs clients have been isolated pretty much the entire pandemic and that the drive-thru events that they’ve been hosting are not only fun but gives them something to look forward to.
“They get to dressed and go outside and enjoy an outing with family,” Kattula said. “The pandemic is very different for a special needs person, while their families still go out maybe shopping or run errands, they stay home.”
Also while many people have been able to use technology to stay in touch with friends and family that has not been the case for Kattula’s special needs population.
“Many of them have shared that they have not seen or spoken to their friends in a year,” Kattula said.
At the end of the line all of the attendees and their family members or guests and volunteers were invited to get their photo taken with the big blue rabbit including Kattula’s 10-month-old grandson, Levi.