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Politics & Government

Takoma Park Easter Egg Hunt Draws Youngsters Searching for Fun

Kids scrambled for eggs.

Despite having been rescheduled twice due to rain, Takoma Park’s annual Easter Egg hunt went off smoothly Monday, attracting hundreds of children to Lee Jordan Field, next to Takoma Middle School, where they acted “like little vacuum cleaners” clearing the field of eggs in minutes, said Carey Antoszewski, the Recreation Department staffer who oversees special events.

The egg hunt—which is described as “more of an egg scramble than an egg hunt”—was originally scheduled for April 16 and then rescheduled to April 23 because of rain. But it was held April 25 and the weather cooperated. “It’s warm; It’s sunny; It’s just beautiful,” Antoszewski said. It was “probably the best weather we’ve ever had for an egg hunt,” she added.

The eggs were distributed in the grass at Lee Jordan Field in four sections designated for each age group. Those age groups were two and under; three and four; five and six; and seven and older. The egg hunt was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. for the two and under, and once the signal is given the children get as much time as they need until all the eggs are gone, Antoszewski said. “Then we move onto the next group, and we keep going until all the eggs are gone,” she said. “It usually doesn’t take very long. This event starts at 11 and we’re usually done by about 11:20.”

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However, before the hunt began Antoszewski, armed with a bullhorn, got the youngsters “warmed up” with a series of exercises that are to “get them excited about the eggs,” including the “hop” and the “bend and pick.”

Many of the children were already excited and could barely contain themselves as Antoszewski counted down to a blast from the bullhorn that signaled the start of the scramble for eggs. One toddler could not wait and he dashed across the line before the start grabbing two eggs.

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Pauline Diez, a Takoma Park resident, brought her two cousins; Aidan who is four, and Sophia, who is two. “It’s great that the kids can have fun picking eggs. The egg hunt, for them is real exciting. They can spend a good time with the family,” she said.

Silver Spring resident Simone Harris brought her two children, Owen, six, and Cecilia,11. “They wanted to be part of an Easter egg hunt. It’s a beautiful day. We support the Takoma Park activities, and participate in the family fun activities as well as the athletic activities,” she said.

Maryjane Breinholt brought her son Charlie, 7, “We thought it would be a fun thing to do,” she said, adding, “We were out of town over the weekend, so we were happy it was postponed.”  

Takoma Park resident Olivier Barnouin, brough his daughter Mira and son Miko, “The children have been doing the egg hunt and scramble for a couple of years,” he said. “They dash through there and clean up the grass real quick,” he added.

“This is the best event ever, because everything gets cleaned up, I don’t have to do anything” when it is over, she added. However, there are things the department, and Antoszewski, do, including “evaluate how many kids we had this year, look at the ratio of how many eggs each kid got and decide from there how many eggs to buy for next year,” Antoszewski said. All to “get ready for next year.”

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