Chamber Easter Egg Hunt searches Saturday
Children age 12 and younger are encouraged to seek out treasures on the grounds of the Town of Fort Myers Beach-owned recreational facility this weekend.
The Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its 16th annual Easter Egg Hunt this Saturday, April 23, at Bay Oaks Recreational Campus at 2731 Oak St. and Beach Elementary School next door.
Registration for the fun community event begins at 8 a.m. The rain-or-shine hunt begins at 9 a.m.
There will be five age groups in the hunt: age 3 and under; 4-5 years old; 6-7 years old; 8-10 years old; and 11-12 years old.
In the past, roughly 500 residents and visitors have signed up on an annual basis in search of 5,000 candy-filled eggs.
“We’re hoping to have 200 kids at the event this year,” said event organizer Amy Jane Mellott. “We have 4,300 eggs in hand already. We’re really looking forward to seeing everybody out there.”
The main sponsors of the 2011 Easter Egg Hunt include Beach Paints, Costco, Sam’s Club, Gavin’s Ace Hardware; Perkin’s Restaurant; Red Coconut RV Park; Fort Myers Beach Fire Department and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Donations have come from FMB Chamber members; Frank Razzano at Francesco’s Italian Deli; Jane Ross; Norma Jean Pevey; Norm Wells; Pamela Ruttaky; and the FMB Red Hat Society Chapter 21664.
There will also be a coloring contest associated with the hunt. Applications are available until 5 p.m. today (April 20) at the Beach Elementary School as well as the Chamber office at 17200 San Carlos Blvd.
Also on Wednesday, volunteers will be stuffing the eggs at the Red Coconut Rec Hall at 5:30 p.m. They will be seeking donations of small candies, individually wrapped, that will fit inside the plastic eggs (no chocolate, please). Volunteers are always needed as well.
“I’m hoping we will have a good turnout for people to stuff eggs,” said Mellott. “We are still short on candy and still need stuffed toys for the kids. Anyone who wants to drop off those types of donations can do so at the Red Coconut RV Park.”
Kids of all ages are invited to both events.
“We are more than happy to have people come out and watch the kids in the hunt. We are going to have fire vehicles and a police helicopter out there.”
For more information, call the Chamber at 454-7500 or email ajmhouser@inbox.com.