Published: March 22, 2008 12:19 am            

Weather won’t dampen this egg hunt

For children, Easter is often filled with the excitement and anticipation of the hunt for brightly colored Easter eggs left behind by the Easter Bunny, eggs filled with chocolates, candy, small prizes and money.

Area children are in for a treat Sunday afternoon as they search for more than 2,000 eggs hidden around the Veterans of Foreign Wars Theodore Hoffman Post 1769 grounds.

The 63rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place at 2 p.m. Sunday at 2304 Veterans Drive, Effingham. The Easter Bunny will, of course, be at the egg hunt to help with festivities.

The VFW Women’s Auxiliary will hold a special Easter egg hunt and games for children ages 0 to 3 inside the VFW post. The outside grounds will be divided into three areas by age category. The ages for each area are 4 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12.

Some of the eggs will have letters or numbers on them. These are the eggs that can be redeemed for cash prizes. Jim Whitehurst, Easter Egg Hunt chairman and VFW junior vice commander, said they usually have 75 to 100 children come for the hunt.

Phyllis Hook, a member of the Auxiliary group, said the event was first held in 1946 after World War II ended. The Easter egg hunt was held at Community Park for a few years before being moved to the VFW post.

In addition to the candy and monetary prizes, there will be a drawing held for one boy’s bicycle and one girl’s bicycle to be given away at the end of the hunt.

VFW members plan to hold the Easter egg hunt regardless of weather.

“We’ve done it in rain or snow. I don’t know if it will be nice. We don’t have to question or guess. We just do it,” Whitehurst said.

Angie Faller can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or angie.faller@

effinghamdailynews.com.