Henry talks HLRC Easter Egg Hunt

The Easter Bunny dropped off over a thousand eggs at the Hi-Line Retirement Center (HLRC) lawn this past Friday morning and hundreds of kids obliged the legend by scooping up eggs by the basket full.

"It was a beautiful day, we had an awesome turnout and fun was had by all," HLRC Activity Supervisor Judy Henry told the PCN.

The annual event has been going on for decades, but this year's event was a little different for a couple of reasons. The event was held on the west lawn, the event featured two special hand-painted eggs, and the event featured a spectator area for the residents of HLRC.

"John Ramos, our maintenance man colored two special eggs," Henry said. "After we dyed them he said he stole two eggs; I am going to take them home and paint them, if that's okay. They are gorgeous."

Ramos shared his inspiration for his painted eggs.

"I just thought that with spring coming, a little old barn in the middle of nowhere with some water running through it would be neat for somebody to get," Ramos said. "I said to Judy, I will paint two to put out there and whoever gets them, gets them."

Ramos was approached after the event by one of the kids who found one of his beautifully painted eggs and thanked him for the egg. He asked if he could eat it.

"I said, yeah you can eat it," Ramos said. "Then he said, yeah, I don't want to."

At around 10:27 a.m. the next day the curb of the west lawn of HLRC was occupied as if there were free televisions to be had on Black Friday, droves of kids lined up as they listened to Henry give the instructions. Parents watched their cellular phones to hit 10:30 a.m., the time that Judy would wave her red ribbon, signaling that the hunt was on.

"I was looking for a scarf and I came up with a ribbon," Henry said. "I have a tiny voice that I figured they couldn't hear, so with this they could all see."

Amongst the numerous eggs were real eggs and plastic eggs. The plastic eggs gave participants candy and a chance to win a prize from inside the building. The real eggs were hard-boiled and then eventually dyed by the Malta Elementary school's fifth graders. The fake eggs were stuffed with candy compliments of the The Rough Riders 4-H Club.

"We must have had ten or twelve bags of candy," Henry said. "They had those eggs stuffed in about 40 minutes. I couldn't believe it."

Prior to the start of the event members of Rough Riders came back to the HLRC to hide and spread the eggs over the lawn.

Henry enjoys all of the activities that she directs as Hi-Line Retirement Center but this holiday really has a special meaning to her.

"Of course the religious end of it," Henry said. "Jesus died on the cross for us and rose from the dead so that we can have eternal life. It's plain and simple."