The weather cooperated and more than 150 egg hunters arrived
from places near and far, mostly near, as over 5,000 colored eggs full of candy
and prizes awaited children up to the age of 12. Supplies were gathered and eggs were stuffed
in the weeks preceding the event. At
8:30 on Saturday morning, over a dozen volunteers under the direction of
Missions Team Leader Heather Spence assembled at the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church and distributed the eggs into four age specific sections.
This was a community event sponsored by the church but it
was not about honoring the Easter Bunny.
Prizes included children’s Bibles, wristbands, erasers, and other prizes
with messages reminding the recipients that God really does love them. Volunteers circulated among the adults and
children with that same message: God
loves you!
The methodology was to lure the children to the event with
eggs of all colors, candy, and prizes; then to ambush them with God’s love. Several years ago, the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church adopted the Easter Egg Hunt as a mission. It has been embraced by the community. This year, monetary donations exceeded
$1,100. There were also many
gifts-in-kind.
Local Businesses that donated were Crown Geochemistry,
Washita State Bank, Great Plains National Bank, Gret’s, Burns Flat Hardware,
Pendleton’s Truck Stop, and Long John Silver’s of Clinton. MODA once again donated prize baskets. Individual donations included the Leon
Williams family, the Donna Townsend Family, the Robert Wascom Family. Donations in the form of Memorials were made
in the names of Tonia Duncan and others in the names of Barbara and John
Wascom.
(Above: Drew Walker finds many treasures).
(Right: Libby Spence helped sort and stage prizes for Saturday morning.)
(Left: The youngest children seemed to have the most fun.)
