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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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7,000 eggs gone in minutes

After the countdown to zero, 6 and 7 year-olds charge into Riverfront Park's Gondola Meadow in Spokane, Wash., to gather Easter eggs, April 23, 2011. Some 7000 treat filled plastic eggs were scooped up in seconds by the children participating in the annual event. (Dan Pelle)
By Chelsea Bannach chelseab@spokesman.com(509) 459-5424
Ezra Buck lowered himself to the ground, crouched in a sprinter’s position, his gaze fixed ahead, ready to run when the countdown reached zero. His eagerness was almost palpable. Then, the 7-year-old took off, making a mad dash to scoop up as many plastic, prize-filled Easter eggs as possible at the Easter Egg Hunt in Riverfront Park today. At the annual event, which has taken place for 31 years, hundreds of children 11 and younger snatched up more than 7,000 Easter eggs in seconds. Parents cheered as their children raced to fill their Easter baskets, their speed fueled by the promise of sugary rewards. Most eggs contained candy, but some included prizes such as season passes to the park and tickets to IMAX. Buck’s method for gathering the most eggs: “find the big piles and run as fast as I can.” “He’s just going to go wacko, basically” said his “best bud,” James Trent, 7, of Spokane. “Wild,” Buck added as he bounced around excitedly. “I can’t wait to start.” The two said they might work together and split the bounty, because, Trent said, “sharing is good.” After the hunt, the two sat on the grass and compared their take, eagerly opening each egg to see what treasure it held inside. “That was so quick,” Buck said, somewhat disappointed in the number of eggs in his basket. Trent, however, was happy with his own performance. “I did awesome,” he said. The large-scale Easter egg hunt was put on with the help of a team of volunteers and sponsors, including the radio station KIX 96, which has organized it for 18 years. Paul Neumann of KIX 96 said the station always looks for ways to give back to the community, and the egg hunt is another way to do that. “We build our station around community service,” Newman said. “This has been a great community. It’s our community. It’s our village. It’s our responsibility.” Boy Scouts from Troop 22 also pitched in, helping to set up the event by clearing any debris or trash on the ground and putting up ropes to prevent the children from getting a head-start on the hunt. After, the scouts helped clean up. Troop 22 helps out every year, said Brad Christenson, assistant scout master. “That’s part of being a Boy Scout,” he said. “Helping other people out.” And, he added, “It’s fun watching, as long as you don’t get run over by kids or their parents.”