Grad ‘adoption,’ parade organized

A Graduating Senior Congratulations Parade is being organized by The Canyon Lake Family Matters Club and will take place June 6 at 6:00 p.m. The club is making sure all of Canyon Lake’s graduates, despite the COVID-19-caused cancelation of traditional ceremonies, get the fanfair they deserve.

Likewise, the club is asking families to adopt a graduate in order to give gifts and congratulations to these students.

“Families can ‘Adopt’ a senior and shower them with goodies and gifts to give them some extra special Canyon Lake cheer,” the club’s Shawna Bowen said. “We want to let them all know we are so proud of them. This has been one crazy year to graduate in.”

The club is sponsoring a parade that will have four simultaneous routes for graduating high school and college students who live in Canyon Lake to choose from.

The club is looking for graduates in Canyon Lake to participate, as well as inviting the community to cheer them on at the parade.

“The parade will wind through the main streets of Canyon Lake,” Shawna said. “The parade will allow people to come out and cheer and wave them on.”

Graduates can participate by signing up at the Family Matters website, FamilyMattersClub.org. Grads can be in a decorated convertible, golf cart, truck bed, etc. An option is for the graduates to be in a classic car provided by the Canyon Lake Car Club. This is an option that can be chosen at the time of registration on the website. If that option is chosen, the club will then pair the graduate with someone from the car club to transport him or her.

Spectators can line the streets in front of their homes, practicing safe distancing, and can wave, cheer, have signs or other decor to salute the students as they drive by.

To break up the parade into manageable distances, the club has set up four different routes. Grads can choose the one that starts or ends closest to their house or choose whatever route they prefer. The four routes are: #1 (From Indian Beach to East Port), #2 (From East Port to Holiday Harbor, #3 (From the Lodge to the Campground) and #4 (From the Campground to the Lodge).

Once a graduate signs up on the club website, he or she will be provided with a confirmation number for the chosen route and additional details about sign up time and car coordination.

This parade is for the high school and college graduates whose families reside in Canyon Lake. Shawna said the club will not be calling anyone into the gates.

The club’s Adopt a Graduating Senior Project is Canyon Lake’s version of the National Adopt a 2020 Senior Project, Shawna said.

“We want to do something that will allow the community to connect and congratulate our seniors,” she said. “We know Canyon Lake is an awesome community to live in and that it is the perfect place for this ‘Adoption’ program.“

The program would allow individuals to “adopt” Canyon Lake seniors in high school or college and “pretty much shower them with extra love by sending the graduates a letter, card, gift, gift card, snack or anything to let them know we’re all rooting for them,” Shawna said. “It’s a stressful time with cancelled proms and graduations postponed. Let’s share the love!”

First, the families of seniors who would like to participate need to be identified. Families can sign up their high school or college senior by going to the Family Matters Facebook page and under events click on Adopt a Senior. Or, Shawna said, the applicant can also type in Canyon Lake Adopt a Senior Project.

Then, the following information needs to be entered to add the Canyon Lake senior:

1 – Type *Not Adopted* at the beginning of the post, 2 – Upload a picture or video of the senior, 3 – Type the senior’s first name, 4 – Enter the school the student attends, 5 – Type something about the senior, and 6 – Type the senior’s likes and interests.

All graduating seniors must live in Canyon Lake.

Once the students are entered into the Facebook Page, community members can “Adopt” a senior, by commenting on the photo of the one to adopt by typing: “ADOPTED.” After choosing the graduating senior to adopt, the community member and the family will need to connect and obtain the student’s contact information for sending gifts, care packages, a letter, etc.

Once a senior is adopted, both the member and admin will need to update to “ADOPTED.” A senior can be adopted multiple times by different community members and a community member can adopt several different seniors. The goal is to make sure all seniors get adopted.

It is entirely up the community member who is adopting the senior as to what gift or how many gifts to give. There is no rule on what or how much. What is given is totally up to the community member’s discretion. The program will take place starting immediately and will wrap up on June 5, which would have been the final day of school.

“Please be mindful and careful when giving out personal information to others,” Shawna said. “Use your personal judgment. Do not post personal information like addresses and phone numbers anywhere on the Facebook page.”

For more information or details please contact the club at info@familymattersclub.org or by calling 714-394-4885.