Families gather for annual Easter Egg Hunt in Shakespeare

Pictured in the back row, from left to right, Opti-Mrs. member Dianne Zoeller and Andrea Berger join children as the eagerly wait for the Easter Egg Hunt to begin. In the front row, from left, are Maggie Berger, five, Sloane Lindner, seven, Duncan Lindner, seven, Randy Berger, eight, Lennix Grahmm, seven, Nora Maloney, six, Lexie McDermid Blakley, seven, and Aiden Metske, eight, standing behind  Cory Toole, six. Diane Danen photo

By Diane Danen

Despite the chilly, wet weather, spirits remained high as families from Shakespeare and the surrounding area gathered at the Shakespeare Pavilion for the annual Easter Egg Hunt, hosted by the Shakespeare Opti-Mrs. Club.

The long-running event once again brought the community together for a morning of fun, welcoming more than 100 excited children along with their families.

Each year, members of the Shakespeare Opti-Mrs. organize and host the event. Members of the Shakespeare Optimists were also on hand, offering free coffee and hot chocolate.

To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, children were divided into age groups before heading out to search for eggs. Two Grade 8 students from Sprucedale Public School dressed as the Easter Bunny assisted with the event, tossing foil covered chocolate eggs out for the children to gather.

Every child received a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of many prizes generously donated by the Opti-Mrs. Club and the Shakespeare Men’s Club. Children lucky enough to find a coveted Golden Secret Egg could exchange it for a gift certificate to Moo’s Ice Cream Shop in Shakespeare, also generously donated.

Thanks to the efforts of the Opti-Mrs. and the support of local organizations, the event gave families a great start to the Easter weekend.