Snowy weather, questionable parental motives and floppy-eared rabbits are all part of the annual spring ritual known as the Easter egg hunt.
Holiday craziness still brings out the best, and worst, in people heading to Easter egg hunts across the area.
During the 2008 Lake Shore Park Easter egg hunt, word got out that certain eggs would have a specific item enclosed, entitling the holder to a prize, said Lori Zebrasky, administrative assistant at the park. She said people brought the items to the park and placed them in the eggs.
“It’s disappointing that people would do something like that,” Zebrasky said.
Zebrasky and many other organizers put hours and hours into making each hunt special but face challenges along the way. Massive numbers of children and parents seeking the ultimate experience for their kids can lead to problems.
The Kingsville Public Library egg hunt, held last week in Kingsville Township Park, sent some parents home upset that their children couldn’t participate. Laurie Stewart, hunt organizer, said the library sent out fliers to students at Pierpont, Kingsville and North Kingsville elementary schools. She said the hunt was intended for people in those communities, and a detailed organizational plan was put in place. The fliers, and information on a Web site, indicated potential participants were to have preregistered the Wednesday before the Saturday event. Stewart said they allowed more people into the hunt on Friday but refused to allow people who walked up the day of the event, to participate.
“I hate to turn people away, but there has to be some kind of parameters,” Stewart said. She said organizers try to have enough eggs so every child can get at least 20 eggs.
Stewart said the plan is to keep the event manageable. She said 365 children participated, and about 35 kids weren’t allowed to participate because their parents hadn’t signed them up in time. Stewart said 6,805 eggs were picked up in less than a half-hour. She said the event was not publicized in the newspaper, but at least one person, Crystal Stillwagon, said she did see it in the paper and her child was disappointed that she didn’t get to participate.
Many positive and funny stories circulate on the Easter egg hunt scene, as well.
Burt Drennen has worked the Conneaut Rotary Club egg hunt for many years. The Right Track program is partnering with the Rotary Club for this year’s event, which will be held at noon Good Friday at the Conneaut Human Resources Center.
“The hardest thing is keeping the kids back from 11. a.m. to noon, and then it’s over in two minutes,” he said of the mayhem that breaks out during egg hunts.
“Last year, there were some eggs that were inadvertently not cooked. It was kind of messy,” said Fred Frisbie, who helps administer the Kiwanis of Geneva Easter egg hunt.
Easter egg hunt organizers also deal with nasty weather.
“We’ve had all kinds of weather,” Frisbie said.
He said two years ago there was so much snow they couldn’t even get into the parking lot at Kiwanis Park.
“Kiwanians stood out (on the street) and handed out the candy,” Frisbie said. “It was kind of a drive-in,” he said.
Drennen said the Conneaut hunt has been moved to the Conneaut Human Resources Center so the event can be moved inside if the weather is bad. A load of straw is placed on the parking lot, or inside the building, and three age-group divisions compete for the eggs, he said.
Egg hunts in tough economic times are difficult for organizers, as well, Zebrasky said. She said it becomes stressful trying to find the right blend of gifts and candy, given limited public resources. The Lake Shore Park hunt usually has 300 to 400 participants, and seeing the smiles on the children’s faces keeps Zebrasky going.
“To see … their faces light up (makes it) all worthwhile,” she said.
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