14,000 eggs gone in 90 seconds

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joe McFadden
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Hundreds of families gathered at the Hurlburt Field Community Park April 7 for a chance to scavenge for candy-filled eggs and meet the Easter Bunny during the base's twelfth annual egg hunt.

The 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron coordinated the event for family entertainment to coincide with the holiday weekend as well as the Month of the Military Child.

"This was a family-oriented event and an opportunity for military members to be with their families," said Margaret Ann Curry, program director at the base youth center. "It was nice to see how much fun and enjoyment the kids had, but the best part was seeing parents who may not get enough time to spend with them."

Nearly 50 volunteers spent hours hiding the more than 14,000 eggs across five fields reserved for different age brackets and children with special needs.

"You can't do an event like this without the volunteers," Curry said. "They all did a great job, and I was pleased with the support we received from all the squadrons."

After a horn was sounded, signaling the start of the hunt, it only took the more than 1,000 children less than two minutes to snatch up all the brightly-colored plastic eggs.

"I thought it'd be fun to hide the eggs and then watch the nine- to 12-year-old children destroy each other to get them," said Airman 1st Class Jessica Schultz, an aviation resource management apprentice of 34th Special Operations Squadron. "But this day was great, and I enjoyed how the community came together and became more involved with what's happening on base."

Families spent the rest of the morning sorting through their children's baskets, posing for a picture with the Easter Bunny or just having an adventure on the park's playground.

"I got four eggs and candy," said Riley, three-year-old son of Senior Airman Eric Kasberg, a services journeyman of 1st SOFSS. "And now I want to play on the jungle gym!"