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 While winds were not clocking storm speeds, it was
tough. Luckily, the dozens of children lined up for the annual
Easter egg hunt at the park district didn’t seem to care. They also
didn’t seem to care that it was a very chilly April morning that
required hoodies and even for some of them winter coats.
Impervious to the wind and chill, the single focus
was on the hundreds of colorful plastic eggs strewn across the
driving range. Divided by age, each group looked on with longing as
Park District Activity Director Abby Neece called over the loud
speaker that they had to wait just a little bit longer.
When at last the dash was on, it began with the
smallest children, the zero to two year olds. With guidance from
their parents the tiny tots worked their way the length of their
section of the driving range filling bags or baskets with the
colorful eggs.
The event moved on to the next group, and the next, until the four
age brackets had completed their attack on the driving range.
Park District Executive Director John Andrews was
watching from the “end zone.” He noted that it was all going well,
and also that somewhere in the melee of one age group was his
grandson, eagerly snatching up his fair share of the eggs. Andrews
spotted his son and grandson at the end of the dash and made his way
out to examine his grandson’s harvest.
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Before and after the hunt, another focal point on the
driving range was the Easter Bunny. Covered in his pretty white fur,
the Easter Bunny may have been the warmest one at the park, and at
least one parent was heard encouraging a child to ‘get warmed up’ by
getting a hug from the bunny.
The line for hugs and candy from the Easter Bunny was long both
before and after the egg hunt.
Once all the eggs were gathered, the children and their parents sat
in groups emptying goodies from the plastic eggs. The emptied eggs
were returned to the park district for use again next year. The
candy inside was for the kids and their baskets once empty, then
full of eggs, then empty again, filled for the last time with sweet
treats.
All the kids and parents also paid close attention as
the eggs were cracked open, looking for those special eggs that
would inform the holder that a special prize was waiting for him or
her at the golf barn.
The prizes handed out this year were very nice and the kids who won
those special prizes were certainly happy about it.
This year the hunt saw a good turnout of children and parents. In
all the age brackets parents accompanied the kids out onto the
driving range. Some were there to help with the harvest while others
were devoted to grabbing as many good pictures and videos of their
child as possible.
All in all, it was a fun morning that set the stage for what was
hopefully a very happy Easter weekend for all.
This year the park district egg hunt was sponsored by a number of
local organizations including, Memorial Behavioral Health,
Generations of Lincoln, Lincoln D.A.R.E., Lincoln Daily News, and
Lincoln Rotary.
[Nila Smith] |
