Hy-Vee and Character Counts are canceling the April 8 event Exercising Your Character following the reported spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The event, scheduled at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, typically brings more than 10,000 students, teachers and volunteers to one location and was scheduled to occur two to three weeks after school districts’ spring breaks, when many families schedule travel. The event was canceled following guidance by the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control but will return in April 2021. Hy-Vee has sponsored the event since 2007 in cooperation with the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University, which promotes civility through character development and ethical leadership.