Easter egg hunt returns to St. Jacobs
Popular hunt makes return for 18th year this Saturday courtesy of the St. Jacobs Optimists
THE THRILL OF THE HUNT is on again in St. Jacobs this year – the Easter egg hunt, that is.
Optimist Club of St. Jacobs members are ready for their annual Easter egg event at 10 a.m. sharp in Riverside Meadows Park on Saturday (April 8).
“We ask people not to be late because it wraps up pretty quickly,” said Rob Perry, president of the club.
The Optimists will have the candy hidden in the park grounds. The space will be divided into areas for each age group of children. Perry says all kids are welcome.
“Really [age] zero up until they feel uncomfortable hunting for eggs. Generally, we see kids maybe 13 or 14, not really anybody older than that, generally. But they’re welcome to come too if they wish, as long as they’re under 18.”
This year Perry says some special plastic eggs with a certificate for a prize will be mixed in with the chocolate eggs. When one of these is found, the finder can bring it to the organizers who will help them claim their prize.
“We’ll also have helium balloons and the Easter Bunny will be on site,” said Perry. He said the village’s firefighters may also be present.
The club has been running this Easter egg hunt for 18 years.
“All of the fundraising that we do within the community goes to host events like this. So it’s purely funded by us, hosted by us and put on for the enjoyment of the community with no cost.
“I believe that we can make a better community by improving the lives of kids. And one of the Optimist mottos is ‘bringing out the best in kids.’ So we try to encourage events that build communities that will give kids an opportunity to provide or show leadership.”
Some of the club’s initiatives include sponsorship for leadership camps, anti-bullying programs and Cycling into the Future, which helps kids learn the rules of the road and the proper safety equipment to wear on their bikes.
“When I joined, I had kids that were just preschoolers,” he said. “And I really believed that if we wanted our kids to have things, we had to work hard to create those things. We couldn’t just let someone else do it. We believe that we are ‘somebody’ and if ‘somebody’s’ going to fix it, then why can’t it be us?”