The hunt must go on

A local businesswoman rallies the community for an Easter egg hunt that almost wasn't

By Denise Aday

(Updated: Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 5:15 PM)

More than 100 kids tugged at their parents' hands Sunday and eagerly looked at the thousands of eggs scattered over the Oakhurst Community Park.

"Five minutes to go," hunt master Donna Davis said at 12:55 p.m. Those minutes could not have gone by fast enough for the kids, and most never knew how close they came to having no hunt at all.

The save

The event was almost lost this year because the Yosemite High School Interact Club, which began the hunt 17 years ago and has shepherded the project ever since, was unable to do it.

But just five days before Easter, Donna Davis, owner of Have A Ball, heard about the dilemma and took on the challenge of gathering eggs, candy, prizes and started stuffing candy into eggs like mad.

Easter

Before the hunt, more than 2,200 eggs were scattered into two areas, separated for different age groups.

The sky was blue and the breeze was cool on Sunday, and precisely at noon Davis rang her school bell loudly, shouted "Go" and then ran to get out of the way of the oncoming horde of eggstatic children.

What took five hectic days to arrange, took less than three minutes to scoop up.

Rocco Henson of Oakhurst brought his son Jayden, 18 months, out for the eggstravaganza.

"I was so disappointed when I heard there wasn't going to be a hunt," Henson said. "Then we found out Have A Ball had taken it over, and we were so thankful there would be a hunt after all."

April Leanos of Oakhurst and her daughter Lyric, 4, ended up with a full basket.

"This is the second year we have come, and there seemed to be a lot more eggs this year," Leanos said.

Some of those eggs had tickets to exchange for large and small prizes.

Bethanny Sanchez, 4, won a stuffed bunny and her sister Hope, 6, won a rainbow-colored jump rope. Their mother, Jessica of Oakhurst, was aware of the last minute scramble to put on the hunt.

"It was really nice of Donna to pick this up at the last minute," Jessica said.

Over easy

Davis said the hunt was a bigger job to organize than she had predicted, but she was still very glad she had done it. Not only did her family join in to help, the community poured out their support as well.

"I could not have done it without all the help that poured in," she said. "The article in the Star brought the community to me. People volunteered and donated eggs.

"Chrisy over at Fullmer's Appliance and her crew donated and stuffed 500 eggs. Rhonda Salisbury donated eggs. Chamber members donated 20 pounds of candy. Susan Macaulay donated fluffy bunnies for prizes, and Judy Johnson even brought by 36 little crocheted chickens that fit over the plastic eggs. I was in tears Saturday thinking about how everyone has come together to help."

Even with all the donations, Davis cleaned out her entire inventory of soccer balls and T-shirts, wrapped them and used them for large prizes for the kids. She also spent $500 of her own money to fill in what wasn't donated.

"With everything that has happened, I feel like I'm in the real heart of the community," she said.

As for next year, Davis said she hopes Interact can resume the event, but she is open to anything to do with the kids and the park.

"We have a great community park, and I hope everyone attends the Elegant Auction, the sole fundraiser for the Oakhurst Community Park, on April 26," she said.

For more information about the Elegant Auction, call Susan Macaulay, (559) 683-4494 or Rhonda Salisbury, (559) 683-7162.

For more information on Have A Ball, go to www.haveaballoakhurst.com or call (559) 641-5858.