The grounds of First United Methodist Church were covered with multi-colored Easter Eggs this past Saturday morning. Organizers of the Community Easter Egg Hunt estimated there were 11,000 of them. But when “3-2-1-Go!” was called out at 11 a.m. sharp, little hands swiftly transferred the candy- and toy-filled treats into their Easter baskets. Before long, the lawn was grass again once more, with just a few hints of plastic or escaped candy about.
The event that included a hot dogs and chips luncheon following the hunt was made possible through the participation of local churches, clubs and organizations, providing a lot of fun not just for the children but for their parents and grandparents who brought them. Different egg-hunt areas were provided for the various age groups of the youngsters so that toddlers were not competing with the pre-teens.
An emergency siren was heard off and on throughout the morning event, not because of security problems but because the Winnfield Fire Department provided a fire truck complete with firemen to take excited children for a ride around the block. The siren added to their adventure.
In the middle of Main Street between the church and the Farmers Market where food was being served, blocked off from traffic for the duration was a large circle of chalk numbers where, as music played, a continuous ring of children followed each other in a cake walk. When the music stopped, so did they, they, hoping they’d be standing on the number that would win them one of 25 homemade cakes that had been baked for this game.
For the younger participants, a special guest arrived just before the hunt began. The Easter Bunny, all white and ready to pose for pictures in an equally white booth with a sign boasting carrots for a nickel. And for the older children, bounce houses provided some additional entertainment.
As an old-time newspaper article might conclude, “A good time was had by all.”
