The Morning Blend
Welcome
Complete Media Kit
HERALD/REVIEW
SIERRA VISTA — Little wonders, a giant Easter bunny and scurrying feet accompanied the wildly popular annual Easter Eggscitement at the Veterans’ Memorial Park on Saturday, an event that’s been going on for more than 20 years.
Nearly 2,000 people showed up for the festivities, which turned the park’s Brown and Howard fields into an Easter wonderland.
“It’s nice for the city to bring all the kids together to have a good time,” said Jerlene Budnick of Sierra Vista, who brought her 18-month-old daughter to the event. “She’s still a little young, but it was fun.”
 Juliana Canet, 2, chooses from the lollipop tree during Saturday's Easter Eggscitement at Veterans' Memorial Park. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review) |
Budnick and others took advantage of the age divisions, which allow 1- to 4-year-olds to be accompanied by their parents.
Much like a high-stakes horse race, the crowd lined the perimeter of Brown Field in the morning, waiting anxiously for the egg hunt to begin. The Easter Bunny was busy Friday night — the grass was generously sprinkled with blue, pink, yellow and green eggs with prize tickets inside.
“There must be at least 6,000 eggs out there,” said Karen Lamy, who has been organizing the event with Parks and Leisure Services for the past nine years.
After the announcer’s countdown, hundreds of boys and girls with baskets in hand invaded the field to claim at least one of the precious eggs.
The event was free, thanks to the many sponsors who helped make it happen, Lamy said.
“We have about 75 volunteers and staff members, a lot of them doing this since before I got here. Most of them are from Parks and Leisure,” she added.
Walgreens and Wal-Mart donated toys and other prizes for the children.
There were three egg hunts and many activities all around the park.
“Kids can get their face painted with a bunny nose and whiskers,” Lamy said.
Children also could get their picture taken with the Easter bunny, and quickly head off to a giant inflatable jumping castle or the adjacent “duck toss” in a temporary pond. Other prizes were awarded for guessing the number of jelly beans in a box.
Luckily for organizers, the weather was obedient.
“People always ask me what I’ll do if it rains,” Lamy said, “I just say ‘It doesn’t, and it won’t!’ ”
For Lamy, the event has some personal rewards. Her grandchildren Mya and Devon have been coming since they met the age limit, and she’s not the only one.
“We call it ‘grandma’ time,” said Kym Lodzinski, who came down from Benson with her two children for the egg hunt. “Their grandma is in Sierra Vista. The kids really have fun, as long as they get even one egg.”
Even though the crowds temporarily turned Veterans’ Memorial Park into a scene resembling Times Square, it was still well worth the effort for some.
“The parking is a little insane, but the kids love it. We come every year,” said Sophia Mathews of Sierra Vista. “I hope they never get rid of it.”
REPORTER Fiona de Young can be reached at 515-4682.
Bill Stein wrote on Nov 22, 2008 7:45 PM: