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The Moraga Junior Women's Club organized the festivities held at the spacious Moraga Commons Park. Club members filled over 7,000 plastic, multi-colored eggs with stickers, small toys and bracelets. A handful of eggs had a ticket with the word "winner" written on it. These special eggs could be redeemed for a basket filled with a stuffed animal and flavored bags of popcorn.
This year, the participants were asked to help recycle the plastic eggs for next year's hunt by placing the emptied eggs in specially marked receptacles.
There was plenty to keep the revelers busy before the big egg hunt. The Moraga Police Department and Moraga-Orinda Fire District came in their respective vehicles for a close-up look. The Easter Bunny was on hand to take photos with the kids. A huge bounce house and rock climbing wall were available for the more adventurous in the crowd.
Game booths featured Plinko, a bean bag toss, a fishing game, ring toss and pick-a-lucky- lollipop. An arts and crafts section provided face painting, assembling bunny faces out of paper plates and coloring pictures of bunnies.
The snack bar added Starbuck's coffee to the menu and local businesses had giveaways for young and old alike. Elena Hood Real Estate Group offered magic picture painting options and bubble blowing wands; Axelrode Orthodontics gave away toothbrushes and multi-flavored lip balm along with "winner" ticket baskets filled with picture books and stuffed animals; Green Leaf Psychology offered fidget stars, pens and Magna Tiles; Nurtury PreSchool at MVPC provided all of the decorative balloons around the park as well as for the kids, along with colorful wrist bands; and Lamorinda Tooth Buds had a spin-the-wheel game offering lip balm, pencils and grand prize bags of goodies.
When 5-year-old Vanessa, who was celebrating her birthday, was asked how many eggs she expected to collect, she shyly held up 10 fingers. When family members questioned, "That's all?" Vanessa countered with, "A hundred."
At the appointed hour, an estimated total of 300-400 egg hunters with baskets in hand waited behind barriers ready for the signal to rush onto the field of scattered eggs. The hunting was done in shifts of three age groups. Counting down from 10 to 1, each group sprinted onto the field quicker than thoroughbreds at The Kentucky Derby.
Amid the flurry of arms, legs, baskets and picture-taking parents, all of the eggs were scooped up in no time at all leaving nothing but smiling faces.
Looking for more egg or candy hunting opportunities?
Take a free photo with the Easter Bunny from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 20 at Moraga's Rheem Valley Shopping Center in the suite between Dover Saddlery and Nations Giant Hamburgers.
The Lafayette Rotary Club "Annual Candy Scramble" will be held at 10 a.m. on April 20 at Lafayette Plaza (corner of Mt. Diablo Boulevard and Moraga Road). This event is open to all children ages 2-through second grade (see story on Page A3).
And don't miss the Spring Egg Hunt at Orinda Community Center Park from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 20, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Orinda. Toddlers, kindergartners, first and second-graders can participate in finding prize-filled eggs and treats. Light snacks will be served at this free event.
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA