Sunday, March 29, 2015
By Jordan Cohen
YOUNGSTOWN
Apparently it’s never too cold to have an Easter egg hunt, especially when more than 150 children are eagerly waiting to gather every goodie they can get.
Saturday’s deep freeze did not chill the enthusiasm of Asher Hamilton of Austintown as he gleefully picked up one colorful plastic egg after another on the frozen grass of Wick Park. Seemingly oblivious to the 18-degree temperature, the toddler, who turns 2 next month, carefully put each one into a bucket at the encouragement of his mother.
“He got a chance to practice yesterday when we were taking some professional [Easter] photos,” Lisa Hamilton said. “He would pick up every egg that was on the floor.”
The Wick Park Neighborhood Association has sponsored the annual egg hunt and breakfast the past six years. Maggie Pentz of Youngstown who teaches at an alternative school, came up with the idea and has coordinated the event ever since.
“My son, who is now 6, was just beginning to walk at the time, and my mom and I felt that an egg hunt would be great for him and for the neighborhood,” Pentz said.
Each egg contained either candy or a ticket for a prize. The children, age 1 to 12, were divided into age groups in separate areas near the Wick Park Recreation Center, and adults were not allowed to pick up the eggs for the kids. Due to the chill, each group’s hunt lasted only a few minutes.
“We stuffed five huge garbage bags full of these eggs,” said Linda Law of Clearfield, Pa., who is Pentz’s mother.
“I think this is really good for the kids,” said Isaiah Marlowe of Youngstown as he held his 1-year old son Isaiah Jr. “It’s great to see people do something nice for Youngstown,”
Pentz said the event costs nearly $1,000, but the association was able to finance it through sizable contributions from two city council members — Nate Pinkard, D-3rd, and Annie Gillam, D-1st. The rest, she said, came from contributions. The association requested $5 donations from each adult along with $2 donations for each participating child.
“Most people contribute,” said Rachel Parent, who supervised the pancake, sausage and juice breakfast.
Inside the center, the very young colored Easter drawings to be given to residents of the Park Vista Retirement Community on Fifth Avenue. Other children cut out paper bunny ears assisted by volunteers from the Students of Stewardship service organization of Ursuline High School.
“My hands are getting tired, but I like doing this,” said Alli McClary, an Ursuline freshman.
Youngstown State University’s Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity provided 20 volunteers, one of whom, Kyle Shehadi, acted as a very tall Easter bunny in a white furry costume with large ears and a green bib containing drawings of carrots and eggs. The bunny posed for pictures and gave countless hugs to excited children.
His fraternity brothers said Shehadi was happy to be outside despite the freeze because “he’s been roasting when we’re indoors.”
Inside the center, tables were full of buckets and opened eggs as the hunters checked out their haul. Alexandra Taylor of Youngstown, who attends kindergarten at E. J. Blott Elementary in Liberty, offered a shy smile when asked if she had fun. Asked if she liked looking for eggs in the cold, the 6-year old replied with a silent but easily understandable response. She shook her head side-to-side — a definite “no.”