V.V. Kids Keep Easter Egg Hunt Traditions

By BOBBIE GREEN

The Progress

The parks in Virgin Valley were strewn with brightly colored eggs last week as local children and their families gathered to celebrate the holiday with the traditional egg hunt events.

Bunkerville commenced its first Clark County-sponsored Easter Egg Hunt on Friday, April 7 in the soccer field behind the Community Center. This event was thanks to County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick who coordinated funding for the hunt.

Then on Saturday morning the hunt was on again at Marilyn Redd Park in Mesquite. The newly formed Virgin Valley Lions Club was officially hosting it first public event: the annual Easter Egg Hunt.

In Bunkerville, Clark County Parks and Rec coordinator Elmer Lopez and his staff were anxiously setting up the field with 3,000 colorful plastic eggs filled with candy or small toys. More rare were eggs containing prize numbers hidden inside where they could claim more substantial winnings at a prize table set up at the park.

The lawn was cordoned off to arrange the kids by age groups, so the little ones would not be overrun by older kids. The age limit for the event was ten years old or younger.

The staff was anxious because they did not know how many kids would show up. In the end, approximately 75-100 kids plus parents lined the field ready for the start. The starting line was full of excited, happy kids, all with empty buckets and bags waiting to be filled. They were all lined up in their age groups. When Lopez finally said “GO!” the kids swarmed like locusts through the field. Within five minutes entire lawn was egg-free and the buckets were full.

Now the kids sat with their parents pulling apart the eggs as fast as they could looking for the prize numbers inside.

Ashley Bunker brought her very excited two-year-old-daughter Josie to the hunt. “I am so glad we can now have this egg-hunt in Bunkerville,” Bunker said. “They love it!”

Donovan Gonzales and his friend Dayton Holt both won a prize. They were very happy and said they would be back next year.

On Saturday morning the turnout at Marylin Redd Park was even larger than in Bunkerville. The Aloha Lions Club and the Summerlin Club has been keeping this event alive for local kids for more than a decade. So it was better known by local families.

This year was the first year that the Mesquite Chapter took the event over again from the Las Vegas valley clubs.

Club members had placed 6000 eggs scattered across the lawn at the park. The kids, once again divided into age groups, lined up expectantly along the sidewalk of the park.

At the word “Go!” the mad egg gathering began. It was fast and furious! It took the crowd of kids exactly 2.5 minutes to nab all 6,000 eggs from the grass. Where was this crowd during the Rotary road cleanup event?!

There were five golden eggs. The lucky kids that found one one of th ese was awarded a prize basket filled with goodies.

Mesquite Police Officer Thatcher was on hand at the park to watch over the hunt.
“There were tons of happy kids out there!” Thatcher said. “I happened to see a child arrive just as the hunt was over. But then I saw another child come and shared her eggs with the late comer. That was heartwarming to see.”

Jan Onkes had her seven grand kids there for the hunt. “This is a wonderful fun event!” Onkes said.
Mesquite Lion’s Club President Bob Barquist expressed appreciation to the Summerlin Club, the Aloha Club, the Pahrump Club and the Mesquite Police Deparment for their help and support in carrying out this year’s event.