Creston Village resident receives a centennial celebration

On Monday, June 1, a group of dozens of vehicles decorated with balloons, signs, and loaded with cheer-givers drove around Creston Village in Paso Robles to celebrate Marion McKie’s 100th birthday.

While Marion sifted through birthday cards, vehicles began lining up for the small parade to begin at 4:30 p.m.
The event was coordinated by Kelli Howard of Creston Village who was glad to get their population outdoors for some distanced interaction.
“It was wonderful,” Howard said, “because of everything else that happened in the world.”

McKie was a 29-year volunteer for the Paso Robles Police Department, and dedicated more than 11,000 hours of service.
During her parade the Paso Robles Fire Department drove an engine through playing a happy birthday song over the speakers.
Another driver presented a quilt that was hanging over the door, reminding McKie that she had made the quilt for them for their wedding, 31 years before.

When one driver suggested McKie should be dancing, she quipped, “give me a few drinks.”
“She absolutely loved it,” Howard said. “She is a very funny woman.”

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Howard said she was impressed about the response she received from the invitations for the parade. Due to COVID-19, it had been months since the senior living facility was able to have an open gathering like McKie’s party, and many of their residents, Howard said, were not the party type.

“I was really excited planning Marion’s party because I knew she would enjoy it,” Howard said.
McKie’s son had planned on attending, but due to COVID-19 travel restrictions he was not able to make the flight from his home in Germany.

Organizers from Creston Village brought out residents to join Marion in the driveway of the senior living apartment complex, with physical distancing observed for health protections.

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