SK Community Park hosts Easter egg-stravaganza

For more than a decade, South Kitsap Community Park, in conjunction with the Soroptimists of Port Orchard and Kitsap Live Steamers, has been hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt. This year’s hunt includes the usual — train rides, food, the Easter Bunny and eggs galore.

“It’s a wonderful evolution,” said Parks Board Chair Larry Walker. “It brings a lot of people into the parks and it’s just a wonderful thing for the community.”

The hunt is also sponsored by Fathoms o’Fun, Kiwanis of South Kitsap, Bucks A&W and individual donors and volunteers. More than 3,000 eggs are hidden throughout the park, stuffed with candy, coupons for free root beers from Bucks and vouchers for the “prize table,” full of stuffed animals.

According to Fathoms o’Fun volunteer Jud Turner, the hunt is funded through donations so it can be free to the public.

“It’s not a terribly expensive operation,” said Turner, who has been volunteering for the hunt for all of its 12 years.

Turner and other volunteers spent the last few nights stuffing the eggs. He said the hunt is open to children ages 10 and under accompanied by a responsible adult. Four different age groups will be assigned four different areas of the park to avoid smaller children being run over in the hunt for the eggs.

Turner advises not to be late — the excitement is over in about five minutes. Signups begin at 1 p.m., when participants will be asked their names and ZIP codes. Turner said they are hoping for nice weather.

“We’ve had storms a couple of times and we’ve also been very fortunate,” Turner said.

The hunt begins at 2 p.m. and train rides will be provided from noon to 3 p.m. Participants are asked to park at the Jackson entrance to the park. For more information call (253) 857-2108.

“The kids can play and there’s always hundreds of people who come,” said Parks Commissioner Margie Rees. “It’s a very popular thing.”

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