Sandy and Gene Borger, of Kresgeville, will celebrate their 60th anniversary on Oct. 29.

Their daughter, Donna Deihl, organized a parade on Sept. 13 to celebrate their milestone a month early. She was nervous that they would find out about the surprise if she did it in October.

“We knew absolutely nothing about this. We thought we were here to meet with the supervisors about reopening the thrift shop or something,” said Sandy Borger.

Deihl runs the shop, which has been closed since township supervisors blocked off the building in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The parade began at the Kunkletown firehouse at 2 p.m., went through town and turned into the parking lot of the Eldred Township Community Center.

The parade included Kunkletown and Polk Township firetrucks, a group of motorcyclists from the American Legion Riders Post 927 in Gilbert, West End Food Pantry’s truck, a Mrs. Bush’s Personal Care Home van, a few other local businesses’ vehicles, a go-cart, classic cars, Ron Witt dressed in patriotic garb and driving a lawn mower with his wife, Lynn, in the attached wagon, and family and friends in cars and trucks that were decorated with balloons and banners.

They lined up and waited their turn to speak with the couple, who were waiting by the front doors to go inside for that meeting. They quickly realized they were the guests of honor.

Nearby, their friend Shirley Krum organized a pile of banners with well-wishes, cards, baked goods and flowers that were given to the couple.

Gene shared a funny anecdote about being married for so long, while Sandy kept saying how surprised she was by the parade and how grateful she was for everyone turning out to help them celebrate.

An enlarged black-and-white photo of their bridal party was on an easel behind them, and on a few occasions, Sandy would point to it and say the names of her attendants.

They were married by the Rev. Adan A. Bohner at St. Matthew’s UCC on Oct. 29, 1960, and held their reception at the Kunkletown firehouse.

They raised two children, Deihl, and her brother, Douglas.