Egg hunts featured sunshine and smiles

MT. PLEASANT — The sun shone brightly and a cool spring breeze gently blew as little hands and feet hurriedly gathered Easter eggs, Saturday, in Henry County.

Downtown Mt. Pleasant, families with eager egg-hunters lined four sections of central park as they waited for the 10 a.m. release to gather the tempting treats which laid before them.

According to Main Street Mt. Pleasant Director Lisa Oetken, the hunt consisted of 10,000 eggs for children through fifth grade to gather.

Just like she predicted at an Alive After Five event earlier in the week, the children quickly picked up every egg, “ … like little vacuums in the park.”

Children at the Mt. Pleasant Community Egg Hunt also enjoyed a visit from the Easter Bunny’s sister in her fancy pink tutu.

The city of Mt. Pleasant, Hy-Vee, Optimist Club of Henry County, Hearth n Home Technologies, and Walmart sponsored the hunt this year.

Crowds also gathered in Trenton, Saturday, for an egg hunt and family fun.

At the same time, 10 a.m. a rush of children gathered eggs in Trenton Park thanks to the continued efforts of the Trenton Angels.

Following the quick hunt, families enjoyed an affordable lunch offered by Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, a cake raffle, basket raffles, bounce houses, and face painting.

The Wayland community enjoyed the beautiful weather with an afternoon egg hunt sponsored by the local Lions Club.

Just as they have for many years, Lions Club members arrived at the West View Park shortly before the hunt began to place eggs in three sections.

The layout change some from the last Easter, as the park layout shifted with the addition of a splash pad.

“First, second, and third are on this side of the driveway,” one Lions Club member announced shortly before beginning the hunt. “The middle here is kindergarten and younger. Fourth, fifth, and sixth are over there on that side.”

Most families arrived by foot, bike, or golf cart for the traditional egg hunt, Saturday afternoon.

While the egg hunt holds many years of traditions, a number of new egg-hunters still needed to learn the ropes.

Charlie Hinh, a 15-month-old from Wayland, couldn’t quite figure out what to do as he wandered the middle section with his blue basket and passed many eggs and pieces of candy.

Emery Unruh, who is only two months older than Charlie, also found other ways to occupy her time at the egg hunt.

“She picked up one thing then just ran for the hill,” Emery’s mom Marissa said.

A large smile spread across Emery’s face as she run up and down the hills in West View Park.

Olivia Martinez, 2, understood the assignment when it came to gathering eggs.

She eagerly placed the brightly colored eggs and candy into her personalized Easter bunny shaped basket, but kept her eyes peeled for the actual Easter bunny.

“She is terrified of him,” her mom Ricka Martinez said. “She keeps walking around saying, ‘no bunny, no bunny.’”

Many other children, however, enjoyed snapping photos with the bunny, receiving high-fives, and giving hugs.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com