It took weeks to prepare for but only minutes to conclude as hundreds of children and families ascended on Jones Park for the annual Flint Hills Optimist Club Easter egg hunt.
Between 13,000 to 15,000 pieces of candy were hidden throughout the park and it took a few hundred children just over five minutes to sweep the park clean. Optimist Club Member Ken Hanson says this is one of his favorite events every year.
This was the 26th annual hunt and Hanson says it is always heartwarming to see parents who participated in the event as children now enjoying the Easter tradition with their own kids.
Local parent Miles Shirk has fond memories of participating in egg hunts as a child and says it was wonderful to see so many families out enjoying the day.
This was the first traditional hunt held by the Optimists in three years after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 event and forced the club to convert last year’s event into a drive-thru event.
The Optimist hunt was only one of several Easter events taking place in the local community Saturday. The Olpe Lions Club also held its 42nd annual hunt at Olpe-Jones Park and Emporia’s Embrace Church hosted a community hunt at Fremont Park.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon and Alexa Houston/KVOE NewsÂ
