Jim Hasson
On March 7, 2020, Jim Hasson's 94th birthday, Vermont was preparing for an unprecedented shutdown.
On Sunday, the Cavendish man's 95th birthday, things were looking up. He'd recently gotten his second shot of COVID-19 vaccine, and, under a chilly bright blue sky, he settled into a chair along Main Street. A surprise procession of more than 50 fire trucks, police cars and passenger vehicles cruised by, and those inside waved, honked and yelled birthday greetings. Some, wearing masks, stopped to greet Hasson and deliver cake and cards.
Even behind his own mask, Hasson's grin was unmistakable.
"If I had known 95 was gonna be so much fun, I would have done it years ago," he said, adding: "I'm not used to being in the spotlight, but this was quite a day."