There was a plan to host a grad parade for the 2020 graduating classes in Strathmore on Saturday, May 30, unfortunately, Alberta Health Services (AHS) advised the planning committee on May 22 that they could no longer hold this event.

The parade may be canceled but the on-air tribute to the 2020 graduates is not, 104.5 More Country will be hosting this show live on Saturday, May 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.   Families, friends, teachers, and residents can submit their messages to be read on-air or can send a request to have someone contact them to record their personal message to the  Graduation Salutes - StrathmoreNow page. 

"There was always a plan for 104.5 More Country to play a live grad show on air on Saturday, May 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with songs chosen by the grads and family messages airing to honour this year's grads and coincide with the parade.  With the parade being canceled the radio station is still going ahead with this show to celebrate the graduates of 2020," said Whitnee Montgrand Station Manager with 104.5 More Country.

Although there is no ceremony this year Kim Proust one of the parade organizers says there is a way for people to help the graduates celebrate, "They also have started a page on Facebook called "Adopt a Grad" that is a little bit like the wine fairies thing going on in Strathmore right now, where you put your grad up and then people can adopt them and just send them a little congratulations gift, so that's something fun."

Proust and the organizers had gone through all of the proper channels to secure approval from AHS for an event over the recommended limit, and this request was approved by AHS at the start of May so they began to plan.  Proust notes that once the new guidelines for grad celebrations came into place through AHS that was when they were shut down, they were advised on May 22 that they could no longer hold this event.

"We could guarantee keeping our participants safe we had all of the safeguards in place, but we can't guarantee that the people along the parade route are going to do what they are supposed to do and maintain social distance," said Proust noting that was one of the issues AHS had.

Proust says the Town of Strathmore did work closely with the organizers of the parade and put in an appeal to AHS once they had plans in place for people that may be along the parade route but that appeal was denied on Thursday morning.

The organizers, families and students are all feeling very disappointed in the outcome of the parade cancelation as they were looking forward to a way to connect with each other and to still celebrate their accomplishments.