A long line of vehicles containing well-wishers drove by Toni Wagner’s house this week. Photos courtesy of Ashley Miller and Kevin Matthews
OCEAN CITY — With a little creativity and a lot of behind-the-scenes moving parts, a local resident this week had a 90th birthday celebration in style amid the new normal.
With Ocean City resident Toni Wagner’s 90th birthday approaching, her son Mark Wagner was searching for a way to celebrate his mom’s milestone while observing social distancing directives and stay-at-home orders. Wagner reached out to Mayor Rick Meehan’s office for suggestions and city staffers responded with the idea to host a drive-by parade in honor of Toni Wagner’s 90th birthday.
As a result, on Tuesday, which was Wagner’s actual birthday, a parade of vehicles including the mayor and a few city council members, police, fire and public works department vehicles along with family and friends lined up along side streets in north Ocean City. At the appointed time, the parade cruised slowly past Toni Wagner’s residence led by a police patrol vehicle playing “Happy Birthday” over its loud speaker as the surprised honoree waved from her porch.
“We planned a bigger-than-normal birthday party for her, but as you well know, normal as we knew it no longer exists,” said Mark Wagner. “We now have a new normal which, unfortunately, doesn’t allow such a party.”
Wagner said that was when he had the idea to reach out to the mayor’s office for advice. The results were more than he hoped for. Lauren Davis, administrative office associate from the mayor’s office reached out to the various departments and arranged the socially-distanced birthday celebration.
Wagner said Davis and city staffers and elected officials all worked together on the plan to celebrate his mother’s 90th birthday.
“When she did call back with a smile in her voice, she said that the mayor, councilmembers, the police department, fire department and the public works department were all on board and excited to participate in this special celebration,” he said. “She even thanked me for allowing them all to help out. It is so awesome. I am over the top happy with these public servants and town administrators’ willingness to help celebrate my mother’s special milestone birthday.”
