WHEN the coronavirus pandemic threatened to ruin Harry's eighth birthday his family leaped into action.
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At least 25 families will swing past the birthday boy's Strathdale house on Saturday for a "drive-by" party.
Friends will be able to wave out the window of their cars over three hours, mother Lauren said.
"That way people can keep their distance but we can still celebrate," she said.
"We had been organising a soccer-themed party at Bendigo Major League Multisports but when the virus came the owners had to close.
"When I explained that to Harry he was sad, but understanding. I've been wracking my brain ever since for a way to make it up to him."
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Harry will be out the front from 11am until 1pm ready to celebrate.
"I might even do some gardening while we are out there," Lauren said.
"It's not like it's a busy street, so we can have the party without any safety issues or getting in the way of the neighbours, which is great."
Lauren apologised to friends and classmates she had not been able to get in touch with yet, saying it had been difficult to track them down quickly because of school holidays and coronavirus restrictions.
"We certainly would love to see them on Saturday," she said.
Lauren encouraged people to book parties at Bendigo Major League Multisports when restrictions are lifted, saying its owners had been devastated they had been forced to cancel bookings during the pandemic.
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Now that the venue has changed, Harry will no longer have a soccer and dodge-ball themed party.
Balloons that would have been black and white - matching the soccer theme - will now be rainbow.
The change will be a reference to the rainbow street art movement that has emerged around many neighbourhoods as social distancing laws have isolated children.
Many households have spent the autumn holidays drawing rainbows on driveways and footpaths using chalk for families to follow when they leave houses for exercise.
The movement has encouraged Bendigo parents to get creative.
Earlier this week, for example, a mother and daughter in Marong spent four-and-a-half hours colouring every brick out the front of their house using a riot of rainbow chalk colours.
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