Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that on July 7th New York City will host a ticker tape parade to honor the city’s COVID-19 heroes, the front-line workers who played a large role in the fight against Covid-19. The parade will tale place along the Canyon of Heroes down Broadway in Lower Manhattan.
“We’re going to have essential workers celebrated, groups of essential workers, floats for health care workers, first responders, educators, municipal workers, transportation workers, grocery and bodega workers, delivery people, you name it – all the essential workers who made it happen, everyone who kept it together in New York City for all of us and brought us back. It’s a day to celebrate and appreciate the heroes who often go unsung. We’re going to sing about them this day. We’re always going to remember the pain and the tragedy of COVID. No one is going to ever forget those we lost and what families are still going through. But we need a day to celebrate the heroism of every-day New Yorkers. Wednesday, July 7th, the Canyon of Heroes will be that moment – a parade you will remember for the rest of your life to celebrate COVID-19 heroes who we need to keep in our hearts, true New York City heroes who did something for the ages. I look forward – really look forward to being a part of that moment and thanking all of our heroes who saw us through.”
It is great that the mayor mentioned “transportation workers” and “delivery people” because during the early weeks of the outbreak, America’s 3.6 million truck drivers continued to ensure stores were stocked, hospitals were supplied, and first responders were equipped. While some Americans have taken steps to show their appreciation for truck drivers during the pandemic, most people do not realize how essential the industry is to their daily lives until a crisis hits. We need to do more to help America understand a truck driver’s mission and to show our appreciation and this parade is a wonderful opportunity to do just that.
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