WILKIE — Easter Sunday, April 17 saw the parking lot of St. James Church in Wilkie a busy place in the early afternoon as parents and kids were registering for the Easter egg hunt organized by Sarah and Jesse Natske.
This was the second family fun afternoon the couple had organized.
The Easter hunt attracted 28 families and more than 60 children of all ages participated. Sarah said the rules were simple. Kids aged six and up were to go the Memorial Park. She said to make sure to check in the trees, on the ground and around the trees. One young girl was heading out and said, “Where is the Memorial Park? I am from Edmonton.” The younger kids five and under were to hunt around St. James Church grounds and across the street at the former St. George School playground, always being careful crossing the street. Each group received a sheet with hints to help find the eggs and it wasn’t long before they were heading out in all directions, hollering “Let’s find the eggs.”
There were some special eggs. Saran said, “Some Easter eggs had a ticket inside, which meant that the child was the winner of a prize and if you found another one, you were to share. The table [is] full of prizes purchased with the kind donations from the community. The response has been amazing, making the day a success.”
Some of the other eggs contained chocolate, and others had printed scripture verses. One of Sarah’s goals is to bring children and families closer to God in a non-denominational way.
Sarah, who holds a Bachelor of Education specializing in early childhood development, is on maternity leave from her job at Unity Public School.
She said “At school I enjoy collaborating with the parents and their kids, planning unique events throughout the school year. Jesse and I have already started planning for the next event and hoping that the weather is just a bit warmer. There will be posters and information posted on our Facebook page St. James Family Faith Days.”
She adds, “There are many positives to holding these events for families but one of the biggest ones is that Jesse and I are meeting lots of new families and families are making new friends. We really appreciate the support. It has made the effort to plan and organize worth every minute.”
