GINI DAVIS – THE CRESWELL CHRONICLE
Congenial weather and generous sponsors helped make Easter fun for hundreds of youngsters during the 13th Annual Creswell Community Easter Egg Hunt, hosted by Hillside Church and held in the west field at Creslane Elementary School on Saturday, March 31.
During a series of age- and grade-level Easter egg hunts, children wearing everything from superhero pajamas to frilly dresses hunted for their share of 12,000 colorful plastic candy- and prize-filled eggs.
Most eggs filling children’s baskets and buckets contained tantalizing pieces of chocolate or other candy – but among the eggs in each hunt were some containing coupons that could be redeemed for Walmart or Creswell Bakery gift cards.
Helping to keep kids occupied while awaiting their hunt were a giant inflatable slide, the Creslane playground and an Easter bunny cutout that saw a lot of activity as parents snapped photos of their kids peering through the bunny ears-topped hole.
Registrants were also eligible for a drawing for prize baskets donated by Hunt sponsors. Raffle baskets included Wildlife Safari (four tickets and gas card), Enchanted Forest (four tickets and gas card), Oregon Zoo (four tickets and gas card), a Willamalane prize basket and five Pizza and Movie Night baskets (Movies To Go gift card and Figaro’s pizza gift cards).
The City of Creswell’s Park & Tree Advisory Board also donated a shrub as a raffle prize. ”The shrub was something new and different this year,” said Hillside Church Pastor Brent Murphy.
Event sponsors included Enchanted Forest, Figaro’s, Willamalane, Eyeland Family Optical, Freshwater Furniture Restoration, Oregon Zoo, Wildlife Safari, Emerald Valley Spirits, Farmlands Market, My Boys Pizza, Creswell Tire Factory, Creswell 76, Pro Mobile Service & Repair, Banner Bank, Ryan Sharkey Construction, LLC, Whistle Stop Barber Shop, Finest Detail Automotive Care and Point S Creswell Tire & Automotive.
”We were grateful for the weather and this opportunity to serve our community,” Murphy said, adding that preparations are in the works to rev up the popular event for 2019: ”Next year we have some plans to make the 14th Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt new, fresh and more exciting,” he said.
