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By MACKENZEE SIMMS | Staff Writer

HELENA – With wicker baskets and inquisitive spirits, toddlers stumbled around the field of Joe Tucker Park, searching every nook and cranny for Easter eggs. Hosted by the Church at Old Town, the community gathered for the annual Helena Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 23.

The Easter egg hunt was divided into different age groups. Parents held their toddlers’ hands as children under two years of age and younger chased after colorful eggs peppering a baseball field. Although this particular egg hunt was made easier for the younger children, there were occasional camouflage eggs thrown in the mix to add a bit of challenge.

One such child, Katerina Ellis, experienced her first ever egg hunt at the event. According to her father, Jacob Ellis, this is the first year that Katerina has been old enough to enjoy this event.

“It’s been really nice,” Jacob said. “We came out and Katerina got to go down and pick out eggs for the first time,” Jacob said. “Now, we’re just coming around and playing on the playground. It’s a really nice event for families to come out to. We just really love that we have something like this that we can come out to and have good, family fun.”

Meanwhile,  children between the grades of kindergarten and fifth grade congregated at the base of the hill. Volunteers scattered Easter eggs among the trees and shrubs in the park. When the announcer proclaimed the start of the hunt, the children dashed into the fray, scouring the brush for hidden treasure, hoping to find the mythical golden egg containing a special prize.

In between hunts, families roamed around the pavilion, catching up with friends as their kids frolicked on the playground. The Easter Bunny posed for photos while members of the Helena Belles, dressed in their typical pastel regalia, played with children.

Although it was the official annual Easter Egg Hunt for the city of Helena, the event was sponsored and hosted by the Church at Old Town. The Easter Egg Hunt staff mostly consisted of Church at Old Town volunteers.

One such volunteer, Martha Stokes, is a member at the Church at Old Town. On a normal Sunday morning, you can find Stokes working in the children’s ministry, teaching the four-year-old group.

With her background in the children’s ministry, Stokes shared that she was happy to help the younger kids in the smaller egg hunts.

“(The egg hunt) is just an extension of that (ministry) to me and I’m glad that the city of Helena lets us do it,” Stokes said. “My favorite part is just seeing the kids and them having so much fun finding a plastic egg. It’s awesome. I love it.”

Those interested in learning more about the Church at Old Town can visit Thechurchatoldtown.org. For more information about upcoming events for the city of Helena, visit Cityofhelena.org/calendar.