During stay-at-home orders issued in St. Louis County and St. Louis City, Maryville University joined St. Louis business, sports and civic leaders to rally the community in a region-wide expression of thanks for heroes who were serving on the front lines against the coronavirus pandemic.

The Rise Up for Heroes campaign asked everyone in the St. Louis community to salute those heroes every day at 7 p.m. in neighborhoods and residential areas. Claps and cheers were heard each night from people standing outside their homes, on their front porches or looking through windows. Many community members also displayed blue lights or added bears or signs to their front windows as a way to say thank-you to health care workers.

Rise Up for Heroes also featured a popup “care-avan” that visited neighborhoods and area hospitals to honor health care workers. Louie and Fredbird, respectively representing the St. Louis Blues and St. Louis Cardinals, led the parades, which also featured a DJ truck and guest appearances from St. Louis leaders like St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith.