Warren Area High School graduate and Pleasant Township resident Autumn Gourley poses for a photo in front of a Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department engine during an honor tour of the township's Class of 2020 grads. Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry

Six vehicles from Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department answered the call Thursday evening.

The situation involved several township residents graduating from high school in a year of very odd circumstances.

“We felt the need to help our seniors celebrate their graduation because of the challenges they have faced over the last few months,” PVFD President Kathy Johnson said. “We want the graduates to know that Pleasant VFD supports them and to hopefully inspire them to become an active volunteer with an organization they are passionate about.

“Most of all Pleasant VFD wants to wish the graduates well while they navigate through the next chapter of their lives,” Johnson said.

The fire department honored those students — 13 of them in all — by driving around the community and stopping at students’ homes. The route included a total of eight stops on Pleasant Drive, Mohawk, Valley View, Shelby Circle, Lynn Drive and Main Avenue.

For those five students who live on streets that are not conducive to turning large vehicles around or at some distance from the fire hall, the department hosted a gathering at the social hall after the parade.

The first stop for the fire department parade was at the home of Warren Area High School graduate Autumn Gourley. She expressed her thanks to the department, and to all of the other attempts to make her class’ senior year a little better in the wake of COVID-19.

“I really appreciate all they’re doing,” Gourley said.

There is only so much those groups can do for a group of seniors who missed out on many singular experiences.

“It’s still very sad,” Gourley said. “It’s not what any of us wanted.”