The Naperville Jaycees annual Easter Egg Hunt was greeted with sunny skies and hundreds and hundreds of eager youngsters at Frontier Park Saturday morning.
As always, organizers from the Jaycees were on hand to keep control of the enthusiastic crowd, many clad with baskets, ready to roll with a hop, skip and a jump.
Youngsters were directed to the age-appropriate baseball field for the big hunt. Then when the sirens went off at 10AM sharp, youngsters raced onto the baseball fields dotted with some 14,000 colorful plastic eggs, stuffed with treats and other small prizes.
Within two minutes—and likely even faster—all the eggs spread out over the fields had found their way into baskets.
Other youngsters, running a little late, stepped into the long line for photos with the Easter Bunny.
Many families brought non-perishable items that were loaded in the back of a van for a food drive to benefit Loaves & Fishes Community Pantry.
Trash receptacles provided the perfect place to drop opened plastic eggs to save for recycling and refilling next year.
Still other youngsters were pleased to be taking home a basket full of eggs for another hunt another time.
According to organizer Beth DeGeeter, pictured below at right with the daughter of one of her fellow Jaycees, the popular event attracted more than 1,000 youngsters plus many parents.
Note to all who might want to come in 2014, the Saturday before Easter Sunday! The event always begins promptly at 10AM sharp and the hunt is over within a few minutes. There’s never a delay. Arrive early.
Coming soon!
Next up, the Naperville Jaycees will host their 35th Annual Distinguished Service Awards on Fri., April 5, according to Jaycees President Kevin Piket as he stood with his daughter near the gazebo and all the prizes. “We’re looking forward to honoring Mayor Pradel with our Lifetime Achievement Award,” said Piket. “Are you coming?”
Throughout the year, the service organization also plans many service projects as well as its annual Last Fling and Labor Day Parade, a four-day fun-filled family festival held over Labor Day weekend along Jackson Ave. and the Riverwalk and over to Rotary Hill and Naper Settlement.
For information about membership and the club that meets on the second Tuesday of the month, visit www.naperjaycees.org.
FYI: This photo below is a shot of one of the baseball fields at the Frontier Sports Complex as youngsters race from the start line to the outfield to pick up eggs. The photo also shows some families with colorful buckets arriving late for the very important date.
