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Clue hunt format serves a purpose

Bringing families together with an activity makes Easter special
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The Warmland tent was a busy place during the Eggstravaganza Crofton Easter event. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Sometimes a change is better than a rest or the status quo, for that matter.

The incredible success of the Eggstravaganza Crofton Easter event, a necessary change coming out of the pandemic, makes you wonder if organizers from the Warmland Church will revert back to the previous format at the Crofton ball fields. In fact, that very thought has already occurred to them.

Everyone in Crofton is familiar with what used to happen at Easter. There would be various age groups assembled at a starting line and then the race would be on to gather as many treats from the field until they were all gone.

There was also a bunny chase, with kids running around after a rascally rabbit for a chance to win a stuffy toy prize.

Fast forward to last year when the Warmland volunteers devised a kind of drive-through at various stations around town to receive goodies.

That was further refined again last weekend with an Easter clue hunt that led to eight different spots around town where kids could walk to collect eggs and have a card punched for a chance to win some fabulous Easter baskets. The day also included Easter crafts, a free hot dog lunch for participants and entertainment by renowned magician Donald Dunphy.

As much as the previous ball park Easter egg romp was traditional, the new clue hunt concept is actually much better. Families get to walk around together, figure out the clues and receive the reward at the end of the rainbow, as it were.

There just seemed to be a greater all-ages festival atmosphere to the proceedings and it wasn’t rushed, compared to the mayhem of collecting eggs from the dirt and grass of the fields. It was always a lot worse when it had been raining close to the date of the hunt and a bit mucky for kids plucking the eggs.

So the Warmland Church folks who have done such a great job of making Easter come alive have something to think about. There’s merits in both ways of doing things, but the latest clue hunt just seems to bring kids, parents, grandparents and other members of the family together in a far better way. Isn’t that what it’s all about?



Don Bodger

About the Author: Don Bodger

I've been a part of the newspaper industry since 1980 when I began on a part-time basis covering sports for the Ladysmith-Chemainus Chronicle.
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