Easter comes early for children

[TSteven]

Easter comes early for children
Greeks hold event for kids
By Janet Robb
Published: Thursday, March 17, 2005
The Murray State News

Brightly colored eggs and prizes welcomed children to the Alpha Delta Pi and Sigma Phi Epsilon Easter egg hunt Saturday.

The Greek organizations held two hunts. One for children 6 and younger, the other for children 7 and older.

"(We) started doing an Easter egg hunt to reach out to the community, to help get the community involved and give back to them since they give so much to us," Joanie Balbach, ADPi President and junior from Louisville, said.

Balbach said there were about 65 children who searched for eggs last year. This year only about 32 children participated.

"We've had a good turnout every year," she said. "Easter came up early, so I don't think too many people were expecting it."

Other than Easter eggs filled with candy, children had the chance to win raffle prizes that included water guns, dolls and a soccer set.

"Each kid that (came got) to put their name in the bucket, and, after each hunt, two kids will win a prize," Balbach said.

April Tinsman, resident of Paducah, brought her two children, Kendall, 4, and Brielle, 18 months, and other family members to the event.

"We've recently moved back here," Tinsman said. "This is the first year that all the kids in our family have been able to hunt eggs together."

The event was a great idea she said.

ADPi started the Easter egg hunt a few years ago, but this year Sigma Phi Epsilon also got involved.

"Some Sig Eps approached us last semester wanting to help with our Easter egg hunt," Joanie Balbach said. "We thought it was a good idea so it just became a group effort."

Aaron Dail, senior from Kinston, N.C. and president of Sigma Phi Epsilon, said the fraternity members helped stuff eggs and support the hunt.

"We filled the eggs with all types of candy," he said. "We have enough eggs to probably suffice Murray."

Dail said it is a great event to host for the community.

"I think we can all sit back and remember an Easter egg hunt we went to and how much fun it was (to) pick up the eggs," said Dail. "I think the smiles on the kid's faces is what we really wanted to see out here."

[TxAPhi]

Fraternity to sponsor egg hunt Sunday
By Journal Staff (Idaho State Journal)

POCATELLO - The Idaho State University Xi Omega Chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity will host an egg hunt for three age groups on Easter Sunday.

The project will be divided into three age groups: 4 and under, 5 to 8 years, 8 to 12 years.

Families of the 1-148th National Guard unit are encouraged to attend as well as all other families in east Idaho.

[TxAPhi]

Fraternity hosts egg hunt for local kids



Elementary school students were at the fraternity Wednesday afternoon to participate in an Easter egg hunt. Some of the brothers hid eggs while the rest, along with sisters from Delta Gamma sorority, entertained the kids. Rotating from station to station, the 40 students from Washington and Oakland elementary schools had an eventful afternoon.

To begin with, the kids took pictures with the Easter bunny. Crayons were piled next to sloppy stacks of seasonal coloring pictures, piles of Popsicle sticks laid waiting to be made into photo frames and the candy was in the dinning room waiting to be consumed. The brothers even had a mock petting zoo with scared little bunnies running around in cedar mulch.

Despite all the excitement and the hordes of kids running through their house, the brothers were all smiles, especially Luis Fernandez, a junior in the School of Industrial Engineering. Fernandez, who is a part of the fraternity’s leadership, spent most of the day running around making sure that everything would go smoothly. "Oh my God, it was just amazing to see that the kids were smiling out there," he said.

[TxAPhi]

Fraternity brothers host Easter egg hunt


Members of the Omega Delta Phi fraternity will host a free Easter egg hunt for underprivileged children tomorrow at the Holmes Tuttle Boys and Girls Club.

The fraternity has been planning Easter egg hunts for the Boys and Girls Club for the past 10 years because they like to provide an environment that is fun for both kids and parents, said Adrien Chapman, the fraternity philanthropy chair.

John McDowell, senior club director of the Holmes Tuttle Boys and Girls, 2585 E. 36th St., has been working with the ODPhi brothers for as long as they have been volunteering with the organization.

"They are very well received in the community," McDowell said. "The guys provide the eggs and organize the event. It's a really fun event for the kids and the parents as well."

ODPhi spends $800 to $900 on the event, and all of the fundraising money goes back into the community, said David Jimenez, president of ODPhi.

"We have a huge slide for the kids, as well as free drinks and hot dogs," said Jimenez, a senior majoring in Spanish. "There is a dunk tank, relay races and lots of prizes."

"Usually the parents just drop the kids off for the Boys and Girls Club program and then pick them up later," McDowell said. "The Easter egg hunt is a good chance for parents and kids to be together and play together."

The hunt will take place in Pueblo Garden Park from noon to 4 p.m. tomorrow, and the ODPhi brothers hope to welcome even more kids than before.

"We have a DJ this year too, it is going to be fun for everyone," Chapman said.