Carrollton Easter Egg Hunt has new sponsor

By Editor | March 23, 2022 |

By Carmen Ensinger
After a two year hiatus, the Easter Bunny has found his way back to Carrollton and will be dropping off around 2,000 eggs for the area children to hunt this year at Fry Park on April 9 beginning at 10 a.m.
However, he has a new sponsor and a new location this year. For more than 30 years, the Easter Bunny has been sponsored by the Xi Kappa Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi and the Easter Egg hunt has been held on the Courthouse lawn.
This year, the Easter Bunny is being sponsored by the Carrollton Chamber of Commerce and the Easter Egg hunt has been moved to Carrollton’s Fry Park, located by the Carrollton Pool.
Sandy Evans, Treasurer of Xi Kappa Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, said she didn’t know exactly when the sorority began sponsoring the Easter Egg hunt, but that she has been a member since 1992 so for at least the last 30 years.
“We didn’t have one in 2020 because of COVID and then last year we didn’t hold it either because the numbers began rising again,” Evans said. “But the real reason we decided to hand it over to the Chamber is because of the insurance.”
According to Evans, prior to 2021, Beta Sigma Phi offered them insurance at a reasonable price of like $50 for the event.
“However, they stopped offering us that and we found out it was going to cost us over $300 just for the insurance for this event,” she said. “It just didn’t make sense for us to use the money we got from donations for the cost of insurance so when the Chamber approached us about taking it over we began considering it.”
Bernie Faul, President of the Carrollton Chamber of Commerce said she first approached them about the egg hunt and asked them if they were going to continue to hold it.
“I was told that they didn’t think so because they hadn’t been meeting because of COVID but that they were hesitating on it because of the insurance that went up so high,” Faul said. “So, I just let it go. Then, they approached me and said they thought the sorority was going to dissolve and wanted to know if the Chamber would be interested and I said I would bring it up at our next meeting and they were all for it.”
Because they have such a large and open space to work with in the park, the hunt will be held differently this year.
“Instead of making the kids wait, like they did on the courthouse lawn, we are going to hold all of the hunts at the same time beginning at 10 a.m.,” Faul said. “We will have different areas of the park designated for the different age groups.”
For those in the 1, 2 and 3 year old age group, they will hunt in the area in front of the ball diamond. The 4, 5 and 6 year old age group will hunt in the area around the playground equipment and the 7, 8 and 9 year old’s will hunt in the area around the pool.
“Except for the little ones, these eggs are going to be hidden around the park, not just all of them thrown out in plain sight,” Faul said. “We know the 4 to-6-year-olds will enjoy hunting for them which is why we planned it around the playground equipment because there is a lot of hiding areas around there.”
Faul said that members of the Carrollton National Honor Society will be helping with the hunt.
“They will be coming out at 8 a.m. that morning and helping us to hide the eggs,” she said. “Then, they will be around to help with whatever is needed.”
In addition to candy, some of the eggs will contain special pieces of paper denoting a special prize which can be retrieved under the pavilion near the merry-go-round after the hunt is over.
“We will have treat bags, kites, coloring books and other prizes that kids can win depending on what they get in their eggs,” Faul said. “Kids will need to bring their own Easter baskets to collect the eggs in.”
The Easter bunny will be walking around the grounds and parents are welcome to take their child’s picture free of charge.