LE ROY -- Generations of children and their families have grown accustomed to the yearly Easter Egg Hunt at Hartwood Park. This month, plans have changed but Le Roy's community spirit has not, in spite of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing.
At high noon on Saturday, April 11th, a drive-thru distribution of prepackaged bags of candy-stuffed eggs will take place at Trigon Park in the village, a site selected for its ability to handle the large volume of expected traffic.
The folks putting this thing together aren't fooling around.
An estimated 8,000 eggs with 24,000 pieces of candy have been sequestered since April 1st.
They will be given out to an estimated 800 children who've all had their childhoods disrupted. As luck would have it, three Easter baskets will be given to the occupants of the 50th, 100th and 150th car in line.
Also, several bags will contain a highly coveted "Golden Egg" -- with special instructions for a Special Prize.
The outsized Easter Bunny will be there, as always, flopsy-eared front and center, assisted by at least 10 members of the Rotary Club of Le Roy and their families, wearing latex gloves and masks 2020 style. The pros at the Le Roy Police Department will handle vehicle traffic and safety.
Many hours of work and strategic planning by volunteers, village officials and civic-minded citizens makes this possible.
Earlier this year, the Le Roy Business Council put the Rotary Club of Le Roy in charge of the project, and they formed a committee, led by Shannon Karcher.
The committee explored avenues to safely distribute the treats. But when schools and a backup location closed due to "New York On PAUSE" mandates, the event was in jeopardy and its cancellation considered.
Working with the Village of Le Roy Board and using the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York State, the Rotary Club of Le Roy hatched its plot to put safety first while using a village street and park for a massive distribution of seasonal goodies.
Taking the trouble to do this matters because American traditions matter here.
Nearly 30 years ago, through the efforts of the Le Roy Business Council, they started holding an Easter Egg Hunt on the Saturday before Easter at Le Roy Central School’s Hartwood Park.
The date of Easter itself varies. It is observed on the Sunday following the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon that occurs on or after the March 21 spring equinox. So Easter will always occur on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25.
This year Easter Sunday is April 12. And the day before, a midday queue of automobiles in Le Roy might in itself be a testament to something unseen, like COVID-19, but way bigger.
Distribution will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Rain, shine or high water.
Information used in this post was provided by the Le Roy Rotary Club.
Service Above Self Mission Statement: The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.
