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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Naperville Jaycees Easter Egg Hunt sets off spring season for service club

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Above / After all 14,000 stuffed plastic eggs had been collected and opened during the Naperville Jaycees’ Easter Egg Hunt, kids lined up to meet and greet the Easter Bunny.

How does a kid get all his eggs in one basket?

With a little help from the Naperville Jaycees.

According to Jaycees President Chad Pedigo, earlier this week roughly 20 members gathered for three hours to stuff  more than 14,000 plastic eggs with special treats for the 33rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt hosted by the service club.

Next up members began arriving at Frontier Park for the call at 6:30AM today to spread the colorful eggs over the outfields of four baseball fields.

Under sunny skies and a temperature just above freezing, hundreds of youngsters stepped up to the start lines according to age, raring, ready and set to go at 9AM sharp.

Then Mayor Emeritus George Pradel announced over the public address system that he was about to begin the countdown, starting with ten. He mentioned the siren would sound for the Easter Egg Hunt to begin.

“Ten, nine, eight…” Pradel shouted.

Eager children were off before the count of seven.  No siren start was necessary this year.

Sounds of cheers, laughter and “I got one!” and “Here’s one!” resonated throughout the park.

And within minutes the outfields of colored eggs were history for another year.

[shareprints gallery_id=”56602″ gallery_type=”squares” gallery_position=”pos_center” gallery_width=”width_100″ image_size=”small” image_padding=”0″ theme=”dark” image_hover=”false” lightbox_type=”slide” titles=”true” captions=”true” descriptions=”true” comments=”true” sharing=”true”]For some of the littlest first-time attendees learning the ropes of hunting eggs, observant members of the Jaycees lent a hand when they dug deep into their pockets to produce a surprise so every tot could “eggs-perience” a little success.

Immediately following the hunt, families lined up so children could meet and be photographed with the Easter Bunny.

With the help from folks at the The River 95.9, the Jaycees thanked this year’s sponsors during the local radio station’s offsite event.

“The cost of the entire event is covered by sponsors,” said Pedigo, expressing his gratitude to all volunteers and sponsors, still slightly spellbound by how quickly the youngsters picked up all the Easter eggs.

Pedigo added that the beneficiary of nonperishable items donated by many families is Loaves & Fishes. “That’s another good thing,” he said.

Recycling bins filled with half-shells of plastic eggs, now empty, were collected to be refitted and filled again for next year on Sat., April 15. Save the date.

Distinguished Service Awards / April 28, 2016

Already the Naperville Jaycees have a busy calendar of events planned for spring.

Currently, they’re accepting last-minute nominations (Nominations were due March 25, 2016, but they often have a day or two of wiggle room.)) for their annual Distinguished Service Awards on Thurs., April 28, to be held in the Pavilion at Meson Sabika.

Lobster Day / May 7, 2016

The Jaycees annual Lobster Day, another popular fundraiser, is slated for Sat., May 7, just in time to serve a surf and turf dinner for mom on Mother’s Day on May 8.  Orders will be taken beginning March 28 through May 2.

Naperville Jaycees

The Naperville Jaycees is a nonprofit service organization with more than 120 young people dedicated to personal development through community service. The organization provides Naperville area residents with the opportunity to better themselves and to grow personally and professionally while giving through volunteer community service and philanthropy.

Best known for their annual four-day Last Fling held Labor Day weekend along Jackson Avenue and the Riverwalk and at Naper Settlement, their fundraising efforts help the Naperville Jaycees donate funds to nonprofit organizations in the community and throughout DuPage County.

For more info about membership, projects and all things accomplished throughout the year in the name of community service by the Naperville Jaycees, visit naperjaycees.org.

 

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