Ravenna – “Fluffy Bunny ears!” said 4-year-old McKenna McQuiston, with joy, as she got to meet the Easter Bunny and get a bag full of eggs and treats on Saturday morning at Ravenna City Park. Around 300 children were pre-registered for the event and it seemed they were all excited to celebrate the Spring holiday on such a beautiful day.
McKenna was halfway out of her car seat smacking the side of her Dad’s green pickup truck with unbridled delight in anticipation of her Easter Bag. With little arms out reached she dove head-first into the bag as volunteer Cheryl Wood handed it over. Small fingers with pastel painted nails hunted through her eggs to find a winning ticket that could be exchanged at the next station for a prize.
Not to be out done by their baby sister, 9-year-old twins Maddy and Molly McQuiston bounced around in the back seat waiting for their turn to interact with the Easter Bunny. In all his white and pink fluffiness, he danced, grinned, waved and blew kisses to give all the children that drove through a day to remember.
Scarlett Brady, 8, also found a winning prize ticket in one of her eggs. “I won a ticket and I think it’s cool!” She said her favorite Easter activity is finding eggs and getting a bunch of candy. “Snickers! Wow!”
Judy Watkins, Director of Ravenna Parks and Recreation explained during a normal year there would have been an egg hunt with approximately 400 children in attendance, not to mention the Touch-A-Truck and carnival activities that would also be going on at the same time which was not possible this year. “It had to be a drive through because of the pandemic.”
“Something we were blessed with this year was full size candy bars donated by the Ravenna Family Dollar,” said Watkins. They had taken it upon themselves to ask customers to donate a dollar toward the event.
The Easter Egg-stravaganza was sponsored by Amanda’s Garden Childcare Center. Becky Campbell, Assistant Director, said they tend to sponsor many of the local children’s events because their clients are mostly from the Ravenna area.
Watkins said by sponsoring the event Amanda’s Garden helped offset the expenses of advertising, candy and administrative costs for things such as liability and the park crew. Bags were donated by Portage Community Bank and were then packed by the Ladies of the Moose Club, who also stuffed the eggs some with prize tickets some with candy. Items such as crayons, coloring books, full size candy bars and Easter eggs were the treats just waiting for little hands to make off with.
One of the tiniest girls of the day was Lilly Butterworth, 3, her purple head band with bunnies bobbled back and forth as she reached from her booster seat to trade her ticket for her prize. A wand filled with bubbles was handed to her and Lilly’s big brown eyes lit up with elation as she held it up in the sunshine for her Mom to see. Various other prize options were Russel Stover chocolate bunnies, jump ropes, glitter putty and paddle ball toys. The event was a great success for all involved.
