Community Comes Together To Make Little Girl’s Birthday Special

Amid the doom and gloom of COVID-19 headlines and monumental changes to typical American life, a local community came together Sunday to wish a little girl a happy birthday.

Before social distancing became the norm just weeks ago, the DiDonato family of Langhorne Borough had planned little Camille’s fourth birthday party. It was planned for Sunday and family was set to arrive.

However, life had other plans and COVID-19 social distancing required the party to be cancelled.

“At first, I thought maybe things would wind down a little,” Destinee DiDonato, Camille’s mom, said.

Destinee had talked with others and planned to get a cake or even make one. The problem: the grocery stores didn’t have cake and were out of some of the key ingredients.

With decorations purchased and a Curious George themed primed, little Camille was stoked for her birthday.

Destinee said she knew something had to happen.

The DiDonatos got to work and asked their family to drive by and honk and wave for the girl’s birthday on Sunday. She even reached out to the borough’s small police department thinking a patrol car might drive by during the 11 a.m. celebration.

Camille’s grandmother is a retired Philadelphia police officer and her uncle works as an officer for the U.S. Capitol Police, Destinee said, adding they have even more family members who work in law enforcement.

As Camille, her siblings, her dad, and mom were outside of their home on Bellevue Avenue in Langhorne Borough late Sunday morning, they spotted a parade of emergency vehicles.

“I thought maybe a cop car would come by. I had no clue there was a parade,” Destinee said.

Wearing a princess dress, Camille excitedly looked as vehicles from the Langhorne Borough, Langhorne Manor, Hulmeville, and Penndel police departments rolled by along with the Bucks County Rangers and Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company.

In addition, neighbors had dropped off cards, waved, and one even gifted Camille silver dollars.

Camille held a sign that read “Honk – I’m 4” as cars drove by.

Langhorne Borough Chief of Police John Godzieba commended all the agencies that took part in the drive-by birthday parade.

Camille, according to her mom, was shocked and surprised by the outpouring of support. The entire family shared that shock.

“It was better than any party I could’ve thrown,” Destinee said. “It’s going to be hard to live up to a parade every year.”

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