By Melanie Lekocevic
Capital Region Independent Media
RAVENA — Get ready for hundreds of kids and thousands of candy-filled Easter eggs to turn out for the annual Easter egg hunt hosted by VFW Post 9594.
This year’s event — one of the biggest in the community — will be on Saturday, April 19, beginning at 11 a.m. sharp.
But before the hunt begins, there’s plenty of prep work to be done. After all, someone has to fill the 5,500 plastic Easter eggs purchased by the organizing committee.
“This will be our 74th year for the Easter egg hunt,” said co-chair Christine Snyder, a member of the VFW Auxiliary who has been organizing the event for years. “This year I purchased candy for around 5,500 eggs.”
Each year, the egg hunt draws several hundred families to the VFW Post and Mosher Park. The day begins with the Easter egg hunt, then kids can visit with the Easter bunny and the grand finale is the raffle giveaway that hands out dozens of prizes, from bicycles to scooters to gift baskets and plenty more.
All of the prizes are donated by local businesses and individual sponsors.
The event is co-hosted by the VFW and AMVETS, and is supported by the post’s Auxiliary.
To prepare for the hunt, dozens of volunteers turned out to the VFW Post last week to stuff eggs with thousands of pieces of chocolate, candy and other goodies.
The egg hunt will be divided by age group, and as the committee has done for the past several years, there will also be a special sensory section in a quieter part of the park for children ages 0-18 with sensory sensitivities.
“The sensory area will be on the Mosher Park side, away from the big crowds,” Snyder said. “There are things in the eggs besides just candy, like fidget spinners and other sensory toys. Not only is it away from the large crowds, but it also provides varying sizes of eggs, so it offers variety.”
Each year, the egg hunt draws approximately 300 children, and around 250 visit with the Easter bunny, Snyder said.
And then it will be time for the raffle, a huge giveaway that is free for all comers. There is no cost to attend the event and no charge for raffle tickets.
“The entire event is free,” Snyder said. “Children, when they leave, if they stayed for the full event, they receive a small American flag, they have the opportunity to win a raffle prize, and they can visit the Easter bunny and receive a chocolate bunny.”
Chris Parker, quartermaster at the VFW, co-chairs the event with Snyder and said it is a major event for the community ever year.
“I think that people really look forward to it — I think it’s one of the largest community events we have in Ravena and Coeymans other than the Friendship Festival,” Parker said. “Counting parents and kids, we have around 600 people here every year.”
The raffle is a particular draw, he added.
“We give away substantial prizes — bicycles, wagons, scooters, skateboards with helmets. One year a business donated a drone,” Parker said. “These aren’t junky little toys — we give away things people need, toys that will keep kids busy and having fun.”
With the Easter egg hunt now in its 74th year, that means some people who attended years ago as children are now bringing their kids and grandkids.
“This is a family event,” Snyder said. “People have been coming to this generation after generation.”
Village Ambassador Rebecca Shook comes to help stuff the eggs every year, and said it’s a great event to bring the community together for people of all ages and abilities.
“This event is a great activity for kids young and old, especially for people like me with disabilities,” Shook said. “Not only so we can be encouraged to go outside and grab some fresh air in springtime, but also to have some fun with each other.”
