Join us as we give the Class of 2020 the celebration it deserves.

The Class of 2020 has lost a lot.

The memories that generations of senior classes have been able to look back on will likely not be part of their stories when they reflect on their last few months of high school.

Athletes lost their final seasons.

Students missed events like prom, military ball, Senior Skip Day, graduation and the chance to share a milestone with friends.

And classes and teachers have been replaced by computer screens.

Sure, it is proportional. The COVID-19 pandemic has cost a lot of people dearly.

Some have lost their jobs or their livelihoods. Some are trying desperately to take care of their employees and their families in an uncertain future.

Others are sick or are mourning the loss of family members or friends.

There is no question that we should have other priorities, other concerns.

But sometimes, in the midst of a challenge, it is important to set aside the unknown, the fear and the worry and to do something to bring a little light back — something that shows that the community we love is strong enough to look forward.

Our sister publication, Eastbound & Downtown, has decided to take the lead in making that happen.

The magazine will publish a special edition for the Class of 2020, a yearbook of sorts.

It will include tributes to the students who will accept their diplomas this year, and will highlight special members of the Class of 2020 from every school in the county, public and private.

It will be like nothing that you have ever seen before. It will have the quality you have come to expect from us — and the heart and soul that will make it a treasured keepsake for the more than 1,400 families who will graduate seniors this year.

This is a once-in-lifetime opportunity to leave a mark on history, to be part of something that has never been done before and, God willing, will never have to be done again.

This publication will sit on coffee tables and be passed from hand to hand all over this county. And our hope is that it will remain in households for generations to come.

It will be a sign that this community is going to come back — bigger and better — and it is a chance to let your customers know that you will be there when this crisis is over.

But most importantly, it will show the Class of 2020 that even during the tough times, when the future is uncertain, that this community is unbreakable.

There are several ways you can be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime edition.

Advertisements of all shapes and sizes can be purchased by local business — and even parents — from a member of our sales team.

Business owners can sponsor the complete list of graduates from the local high school of their choice.

We will ensure that arrangements are made for those who wish to be a part of this special edition, but might be facing financial hardship.

And don’t think we’ve forgotten about the parents, grandparents, foster parents and others who have been waiting for this spring for 18 years. We’ll have a special way families can get involved, too. We’ll tell you more about that in the coming days.

Several local businesses have already signed on to be a part of this undertaking.

Wayne County Public Schools officials will be working closely with our editors to ensure no member of the Class of 2020 is left out.

Their excitement is contagious — and will fuel what we believe will be a product unlike any that has been published in Wayne County history.

So, drop us a line at newoldnorth@gmail.com and tell us how you’d like to be involved and we’ll give you all the details.

And remember that together, we can produce something no pandemic can take away from the young men and women who have waited for so long to be celebrated for their many achievements — or those proud family members who have been looking forward to this moment since the day their little boys and girls took their first steps.

This is our chance to soften the blow for the Class of 2020. Moments like this are why we do what we do. We hope you’ll join us.