Langton's 24th annual Easter Egg Hunt
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It didn’t take long for an estimated 350 Langton Easter Egg Hunters to scoop up 12,000 foil-wrapped chocolate eggs Friday morning.
“This was one of the earliest years we’ve had it,” said Carrie Holbrook from the Langton Firefighters Ladies Auxiliary, organizers of the 24th annual Langton Good Friday Easter Egg Hunt.
“The sun came out and made it beautiful – it shone on our Easter parade. I’m so happy.”
There were 18 special plastic prize-winning eggs to be found with six for each age-group – 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12. Winners received a prize package that included stuffed animals, sidewalk chalk, egg dyeing kits, candy and assorted toys.
“We also have entry (draw) prizes, and we’re also selling tickets on prizes,” noted Holbrook.
Langton Firefighters Auxiliary had several Easter Egg Hunt sponsors including Jimmi Jons Langton, Langton Lions, Langton Firefighters, Langton Women’s Institute, Walsingham Women’s Institute, and Long Point Lioness.
“Next year’s going to be our 25th, and we’re planning a big one for next year.”
Organizers distributed the foil-wrapped chocolate eggs in three separate grassy areas behind the Langton Arena.
“It was supposed to be 10,000, but it was closer to 12,000 eggs.”
On average, that would be about 34 wrapped eggs each. Some picked up more, some less.
Some egg hunters looked primarily for the plastic eggs. Not Guerin Greenfield.
“I was just going for (chocolate) eggs,” said Greenfield, who found a prize-winner partially hidden in a snowpile.
“I was just walking through there, kicking stuff.”
A veteran egg hunter, 10-year-old Greenfield’s been out before.
“Probably two (years),” he nodded. “Yeah, I think.”
A reliable source close by, however, said Guerin got started when he was 4-5 years old, while in JK.
Courtney DeBruyn, 11, was only 1 when she began her Easter Egg hunting, although she doesn’t remember any before the age of 5.
“I remember over there,” she said, pointing to the 5-8 year-old soccer field area.
DeBruyn found the second-last plastic egg in the 9-12 division.
“It was in a little hole, and there were leaves covering it. It was showing a little.”
“Last year was my first year,” said 10-year-old Abby Lebouthillier, who also found a plastic egg, “except for when I was little.
“It was under a leaf. I was walking and I kicked it.”
Dharma VanWieren, 12, collected the sixth and final egg in the 9-12 division.
“I found it over by the tennis courts,” said VanWieren, who remembers coming to the Langton Easter Egg Hunt since she was in Grade 4.
“It was in the trees, under the leaves, right beside a tennis ball. I saw the tennis ball first, then I saw a purple egg… there were a couple leaves on it.”
Friday’s Easter Egg Hunt was VanWieren’s last chance to win a major prize, as she ‘ages out’ next year, like her older sister who also found a prize-winning egg in her final year.
“This is my first time winning it,” smiled VanWieren.