Gridley Lions Club

Click here if you like to see some more pictures of the 2005 Easter Egg hunt.
Click here if you like to see some more pictures of the 2006 Easter Egg hunt.
Click here if you like to see some more pictures of the 2007 Easter Egg hunt.
Click here if you like to see some more pictures of the 2008 Easter Egg hunt.

The Saturday before Easter at 11:00 AM (SHARP!) is the date and time of the Annual Gridley Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt. For those who have never experienced hundreds of kids seemingly out of control running to no place in particular, this is quite an experience! The objective of course is to get lots of brightly colored eggs, although the Lions have been known to die them olive drab on occasion (just to make finding the a bit more of a challenge).

The crowd is kept under control by members of the Lions Club until the clock strikes eleven. Then the lines are lowered and the kids are on their way. It usually doesn't take too long for most to get to the usual quota of 6 eggs, but to make thing more interesting there are some special eggs hidden as well. The silver and gold colored eggs, which are hidden amongst the others can be exchanged for such special prices as stuffed bunny rabbits, McDonalds gift certificates, etc. And every year there are a few of the special eggs that are hidden so well that no one seems to be able to find them (including the Easter Rabbit helpers that put them out in the first place!).

Lions Club members help the Easter Bunny with preparing the almost 5,000 (!) eggs. All the eggs have to be boiled, died, and inspected by hand before they are allowed out on the field. This usually takes around a dozen or more Lions and their family members. Quality control is of the utmost importance, although an occasional "misfire" in the coloring process will lead to camouflage eggs or olive drab ones, which of course are used for the upper age groups.

The logistics of cooking, coloring, and then cooling of this many eggs is quite a challenge. Usually the club receives the much appreciated assistance from large kitchens such as the school kitchen of the Sycamore school. Transportation is by Lions truck and VERY careful! The final hiding of course is done by the Easter Bunny, but with a lot of help from the members of the Lions Club.

The Easter Egg hunt is sponsored by the Gridley Lions and is an annual event. Funding is provided by the Activities fund of this club, usual with significant assistance of the local merchants (i.e. Safeway and others) who provide the eggs at a substantial discount. The Gridley Lions Club does not solicit donations at the event, but certainly welcomes a helping hand. If you are interested in helping out financially, you can make your check out to the Gridley Lions Club; The address is: P.O. Box 706, Gridley, CA 95948.