People in the village of Newark are coming together to support those on the frontlines of the pandemic and finding ways to celebrate special events.

“You know we’re a small village, but I think we’re a great village,” said Colleen Bruni of Newark.

Every evening at 6, dozens of people in the village of Newark come together to host a parade for healthcare workers and people working essential jobs.

Village Mayor Jonathan Taylor said, “They’re going through a really tough time, we’re all going through a really tough time, and the healthcare workers are on the frontlines, and we have all of these people, the essential workers who are performing jobs so that many of us are able to stay at home and stay safe.”

Mayor Taylor tells Spectrum News the original plan was to simply honk car horns for five minutes in recognition of those workers, but people in the nightly parade added several stops at nursing homes and grocery stores in the village.

“They’re working some long hours with some very, very difficult cases, additionally there’s the anxiety that many of them must feel for their own safety and that of their families, so this is a way of saying we’re here for you, we support you, and thank you!” said Julia Ahmed of Newark.

The parade not only honor those on the frontlines, but people in the village also celebrating a birthday.

“I just thought this was a great way to celebrate my mom’s 85th birthday, since we can’t go in, no one can go out,” said Bruni.

While everyone is living under uncertain circumstances, the village of Newark has come together to support everyone during this pandemic.

Colleen Bruni added, “it was fantastic seeing them all go by and it really made my mom’s day, it really made her birthday real special for her.”

The mayor of Newark says people are welcome to join the nightly parade and he encourages other communities to start their own.