EGGstravaganza! Kids scramble for 2500 eggs in Community Ed. egg hunt

At the end of a 10-second countdown, dozens of kids who had been buzzing with excitement behind the starting lines of the new gym on Saturday morning were off like Olympic sprinters.

Their target? Ten of the 2500 plastic Easter eggs that had been strewn across the gym floor.

It took the kids less than 30 seconds to complete the harvest.

Inspired by his mother, who organizes the annual Easter egg hunt in Hanska, activities and Community Education director Walker Froehling upped the egg hunt this year, making it “eggstreme” competition, with the eggs tucked among obstacles: pylons, balls, hoops, floor mats and bean bags, as well as piles of confetti.

“I raided the phys. ed closet,” Froehling said.

This year, all the eggs held prizes instead of a few of them containing tickets for a grand prize basket, but Cleveland students colored drawings in the days leading up to the egg hunt. First place winners took home a gift basket while second and third-place winners earned a gift card.

For kindergarteners and under, Holdyn Brandt won the contest while Caydance Lloyd was second and Gavin Pearson was third. For first through third graders, Clare McCabe’s effort was good for first while Kinsley Sargent was second, and Hazel Hunt was third. For fourth through six graders, Paisley Schmidt won the contest while Jade Patterson was second, and Llya Wargelin was third.

There were also raffle winners separated into two categories: toddler through second grade and third through sixth grades. The first name drawn took home a basket while the second and third each won a gift card.

Like last year, the Church of Christ held a carnival in the commons before the egg hunt. All for prizes, kids could play roulette, plinko, bowling, ring toss, cups and balls (like a shell game), and balance an egg on a spoon while walking.

As usual, the Easter bunny was on hand to greet kids and pose for photos.

The event was sponsored by Community Education and the Cleveland Church of Christ. Donations for prizes came from Cleveland HomeTown Bank, the Booster Club and the Church of Christ.

Easter egg hunts are a rite of spring around southern Minnesota and the country as well. It’s thought that the egg was a symbol of the rebirth of the earth in pre-Christian celebrations of spring. However, the Easter egg itself was defined by early Christians as an Easter symbol of the resurrection of Jesus: the egg was likened to Christ’s tomb, and the egg hunt symbolizes the hunt for the tomb and the joy the women had when they found Jesus was no longer there. Easter egg hunts have been traced back to the protestant reformer Martin Luther.

Above: A group of kids sprint to eggs at the end of a 10-second countdown.

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