Easter will have a special glow for perhaps several hundred youngsters today coming to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in downtown Columbus.
About 8,000 glow-in-the-dark plastic eggs, making it maybe the largest such area gathering, will be hidden in the lobby of the church at 719 Fifth St. for the ministry’s first Glow In the Dark Easter Egg Hunt, even though it won’t eggs-actly be dark (well, except for blacklights). The free event for children from toddlers to fourth graders will unfold from 9 a.m. to noon with crafts, inflatables, a balloon artist and more.
Groups of youngsters will be allowed in every 20 minutes to allow for enough eggs and candy for every attendee.
“Really, we’re just looking to love our community,” said Adam Rodriguez, associate pastor at St. Peter’s since October. “We’re not necessarily looking to, as the church phrase goes, get people into the pews. Easter is a fun time for us celebrating the resurrection of Christ, and we’re trying to make it fun for others, too.”
A planning committee of eight people have helped map out the event, according to Rodriguez. Plus, more than 100 volunteers today will make it enjoyable.
“Absolutely everything,” Rodriguez said, “will be glowing.”
That probably includes attendees’ faces, too.
It’s just one of a number of such events planned within the next week to help children hop to a joyous Easter season, according to organizers.
One of the oldest will unfold at 10 a.m. April 8 at Donner Park for the 64th Annual WCSI and WKKG Community Easter Egg Hunt. The event attracted about 750 children last year, according to Bob Morrison, general manager for White River Broadcasting. The gathering will feature some 5,000 eggs, including those with candy donated by the Meridian Kiwanis Club. The rain date is April 15.
The hunt begins and ends in something of a flash.
“It’s over in about 14 seconds,” Morrison said.
He theorized that it remains popular for simple reasons.
“I think it has just become a family tradition,” said Morrison, who has been to nearly half of them. “We’re now dealing with the third or fourth generation of families experiencing it. I think it somehow gets imprinted with families.”
The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department helps with the event with roping off different areas for different age groups. Plus, police and fire agencies bring trucks and other vehicles for youngsters to touch and climb on. And the Easter Bunny will make an appearance and take pictures with attendees.
Here are some of the other scheduled hunts:
- Sandy Hook United Methodist Church, 1610 Taylor Road in Columbus. 10:30 a.m. today. Egg hunts for kids, teens and adults. Register onsite at 9:30 a.m. Free pictures with the Easter bunny and all-you-can-eat pancake bar (suggested donation is $5 as a fundraiser for the youth group).
- Grace Lutheran Church, 3201 Central Ave. in Columbus. 9:30 a.m. April 9.
- St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, 6045 E. State St. south of Columbus. Noon Sunday.
- Such a Time As This Church’s Youth On the Rise event. Noon April 8 with 4,000 eggs at Rockcreek Elementary School, 13000 E. County Road 200S near Columbus. Joining with the local Emma Grace Foundation. Easter egg hunt with prizes. Free bicycles will be given away to several children. Pictures with the Easter Bunny by K. Otis Photography.
