Kids of all ages enjoy 50th annual egg hunt

Hundreds of children snagged $1,100 in finds.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
SEBRING -- Jesse Hubbs' face lighted up when she eyed one of the Easter eggs she found hidden near a rocky area and realized a folded $2 bill was attached.
"It's once in a lifetime" to come across such a find, said 10-year-old Jesse, of Beloit, who collected 25 eggs scattered about, and added she intends to save her prize.
Five-year-old Briona McElroy also made out quite well at Saturday's 50th annual Easter egg hunt at Sebring McKinley High School on Indiana Avenue. Briona, of Alliance, successfully found dozens of colored eggs, many of which had tags affixed that she was able to exchange for prizes. Briona's showing for a half-hour of work: five stuffed bunnies and a bucket filled with colorful eggs.
Another prize
Winning a different type of prize for his efforts was Justin Hubbs, 7, who took home $5 McDonald's gift certificates after finding seven eggs. Justin, who also lives in Beloit, said he's attended the event each year since he was 1.
The youngsters were among hundreds of children and adults who took advantage of cloudless, azure-blue skies and temperatures near 70 degrees to converge on the football field to gather the more than 6,400 eggs hidden in various spots as part of the event, sponsored by the American Legion Post No. 76. The egg hunt was broken into six age groups and offered about $1,100 worth of candy, donated prizes and eggs.
Floyd Woolf of Wooster, a 54-year American Legion member who helped organize the first egg hunt here, said the idea has always been to help area children. Woolf, 78, recalled that early on, it used to take all day to boil enough eggs to get them ready for the event. Now, organizers boil around 20 dozen eggs at a time in large pots in less time, Woolf said.
Others who helped put together Saturday's hunt, as well as the first event 50 years ago, were Larry Cannon and Ray Early, chairman and co-chairman for Post 76.
Tradition
Harold Hunt of Beloit recalled attending the annual egg hunt when he was 9. Following his tradition, Hunt took his daughter, Shelley, and son, Matthew, each year when they were younger, and the family enjoyed making pickled eggs afterward, he said.
Hunt added that the annual egg hunt is "bigger and more organized now" than 20 years ago when he took his children.
"We now know what we're doing," added Early, laughing.
The Easter egg hunt has been canceled only twice -- once each because of snow and heavy rain, organizers recalled.