OKOTOKS — What started out as disappointment for an Okotoks girl in isolation due to COVID-19 on her sixth birthday turned into delight as friends and family rallied from afar.
When the parents of Clara Rees had to cancel her birthday party and isolate due to recent travel, she was initially heartbroken.
"She's turning six, she doesn't understand why school is cancelled, why her party is cancelled," said Stephanie Rees, Clara's mother, who turned to social media and asked friends and family to send video messages.
"I wanted her to feel overwhelmed with love."
The child received over 30 videos, and her mom says she lost count of how many video calls they've had, including messages from Okotoks Mayor Bill Robertson, MP John Barlow, and MLA RJ Sigurdson.
"Just to see her face light up when everybody was on the iPad screen at once was pretty exciting," said Stephanie.
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The neighbours adjacent put a sign up in their window wishing her a happy birthday, a friend tied a balloon to the fence, and another stood at the end of the driveway with a sign.
"It's just those little things that made her feel special."
Clara wanted a scavenger hunt for her birthday, so her parents set one up around the house, and made an M&M birthday cake.
The now-six-year-old opted to blow out the candles with the balloon inflater, "COVID-19 style" as she called it.
