Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Residents of Canal View - Houghton hold signs for loved ones as they drive past, usually with signs of their own, during the first of four parades Tuesday. Local fire departments are also taking part in the parade.

HANCOCK — After two months of having their activities restricted due to the COVID-19 epidemic, residents at Canal View – Houghton County are getting their moment in the sun. 

Tuesday through Friday, the nursing facility is throwing a parade for residents, with a parade being thrown for each floor. 

The parades are happening in conjunction with Nursing Home Week, said activities director Alisha Davis. It’s also a way for residents to see their families, who have been unable to visit since March. 

“It’s very emotional,” she said. “It makes you want to cry. This community is so good to us.”

The first-floor residents came out Tuesday afternoon, when they were greeted by loved ones driving by with signs as well as fire trucks from local departments. 

Resident Geraldine Hocking held an “I Love You” sign. 

“It was kind of cool, when they had a couple of fire engines and they were putting their whistles on,” she said. “I was going ‘Woo-woo-woo.'”

Lori Laroux of Lake Linden and her sister, Jeri Hosang of Marquette came with signs for their father, John Hosang. They had not been able to see him since March 8, when they held a memorial service for his sister. 

“My son Andrew’s graduating from Marquette High School, so now’s a good time to be able to see his grandfather,” Hosang said. 

He’s not big on video calls, so they’ve kept in touch with phone calls and email, LaRoux said. 

“He’s in remarkably good spirits throughout all of this,” she said. “I think the staff is doing a hell of a job to be able to keep the residents in a good place.” 

Along with visits with family, residents have missed out on other favorite activities, like going out to shop or eat, or even visiting friends on other floors. Staff are on the lookout for residents who appear depressed, Davis said. When they do, they reach out to family to set up FaceTime calls or window visits. 

There’s been crying, Hocking said. But Tuesday’s parade went some way towards cheering her up. 

“It makes me feel better about myself,” Hocking said. “It means that we make a difference in the world.”