CHATHAM, Ill. — On May 24, the Chatham community gathered to celebrate Oaklynn Piper with a special parade, organized with support from Make-A-Wish Illinois and the Piper family.

"May 24th, the community came together for a heartwarming event to celebrate sweet little Oaklynn," the Chatham Police Department shared in a Facebook post. “Thanks to Make-A-Wish Illinois and the Piper family, a special day was organized to celebrate Oaklynn Piper, a young girl whose wish is coming true.”

Oaklynn’s mother, Jocelyn Piper, explained: “Oaklynn is from Hong Kong. We adopted her in November of twenty twenty-one, after a long three-year process since of COVID-19. She loves her people. She loves school. She loves being around her family and friends, and she loves being the center of attention."

Her wish: to have a day surrounded by friends, family, and fun. The event included pampering, shopping, a hair and makeup session, and a custom float. “Doing a community parade would be the best thing for Oaklynn and having her be the center of attention,” said Piper.

The parade wrapped with Oaklynn riding on the final float as the DJ played her favorite song. “She is the last person on the float… she’s like the finale,” said wish coordinator Patsy Fox.

“We hope you had fun on your special day, Oaklynn!” the Chatham Police Department added.

Source: Chatham IL Police Department