A special birthday parade ‘drive by celebration’ is being planned for longtime Escalon resident Jetty Hartgrove, who turns 100 this month.

A regular attendee of the local Senior Lunch Program – when it was hosted at the city’s Community Center – Hartgrove has been granted permission to visit the Escalon Avenue location for the ‘parade’ on Tuesday, July 7. She is expected to be seated outside the Community Center to view the parade.

Tuesday is the day the senior meals are distributed for the week and Jetty will be there to pick up meals as well as accept birthday wishes. Coordinators are asking local residents to take the time to drive by the Community Center – entering the parking lot off Escalon-Bellota Road to drive by Jetty and honk and wave – and then exit on to Arthur Road.

Helping coordinate the drive by celebration is Karen Corey, who oversees the meals program.

“We just want a parade of well-wishers,” Corey said, noting that with the pandemic restrictions, they can’t host a birthday gathering for Jetty inside the Community Center like they normally would.

“We want to make it as special as we can,” she added.

All in the community are invited and encouraged to drive by, with the birthday parade planned at 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday, July 7.