Children are known for making huge messes in record time, not for cleaning them up in mere minutes. But, they’re also known to make an exception to the rule when it comes to Easter Egg hunts; no matter the weather. And this year’s Easter Egg Hunt at Greenwood Park was no exception to that rule.
With a brisk wind blowing, adults keeping a watchful eye over their well bundled-up children rubbed their hands together and shifted from foot to foot as they shivered and tried to keep warm. Meanwhile the kids waited as anxiously to start the festivities as their parents were to get out of the cold. Then, with a sharp clap of her hands and a cry of “let ’em loose” organizer Sara Middleton, director of the Eagle Grove Chamber of Commerce, set the hunt in motion. Her clap echoed by volunteer helpers Tiara Paul of Red Head Tribe Logos and Josh Schild, Principal of Robert Blue Middle School.
In under two minutes flat the more than 3,000 egg shaped capsules in pastel hues of plastic (and a few shiny golden eggs as well) were wiped clean by the mob of frantic young egg hunters who frenetically mowed the field of all the goodie filled ovals as efficiently as if they’d all been named John Deere.
Surprisingly, one of the younger children scooping the eggs up was also responsible for stuffing most of them. Eagle Grove’s youngest local business owner, Talyn Paul (who co-owns holistic toy dough startup Tins & Tal Dough with his big sister, five year old Tinsley) is credited with stuffing more than half of the 3,000+ eggs that were used. You might have expected a boy his age to be distracted to play with the eggs, and eat the candies, but according to Middleton, young Talyn was actually very focused and determined, and a huge help. “The kid was a machine,” Middleton said with a laugh.
Four golden eggs were also among the thousands of pastel eggs scattered about the park, these more well hidden than the rest. One in each of the areas designated for each of the four age groups, zero to two years old, three to four years old, five to seven years old, and eight to ten years old. Inside each, a note indicating they’d won one of the Golden Egg Prizes for their age group. A few “sneaky scallywags”, as Middleton affectionately branded the pesky, would-be prize pirates with a chuckle, attempted to fake it rather convincingly. But they were found out despite their ill intentioned ingenuity. “It happens every year,” Middleton laughed, revealing off the record her trick for catching the attempted plunderers of the golden egg treasures. In the end, all the prizes went to the legitimate winners.
In all its complexity, serendipity, endearing sneakiness, selfless sacrifice, and downright cuteness, this year’s Easter Egg Hunt is one for the record books. And a perfect example of what’s so great about life in Eagle Grove.
