Robe-Ann Park Easter egg hunt off for second straight year

For the second straight year, the annual Robe-Ann Park Easter egg hunt has fallen victim to our pandemic times.

Announcement of the cancellation came Wednesday night at the Greencastle Park Board’s monthly meeting at City Hall.

Park Director Rod Weinschenk told the board that after conferring with members of his staff and the Board of Health, the decision was made to err on the side of caution.

”Following the recommendation of the Governor’s Executive Order 21-06 and suggestions from the Putnam County Health Department, we will not be holding our annual Ester egg hunt per se, but will be replacing it with three other Easter program opportunities,” Weinschenk said, adding that gatherings of no more than 100 are currently permitted inside or outside.

The Robe-Ann Park event annually draws 800-1,000 youngsters and their parents into close proximity as they await the start of the event in age group sections.

So instead of an actual egg hunt, which had been tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 27, the park will sponsor:

-- An Easter egg hunt take-home kit, where in lieu of the major hunt, Parks and Recreation Department officials will prepare take-home kits to be handed out to the first 250 registered participants. Families can use the kits to set up their own egg hunt in any location they desire, even the park. Each kit will include 18 plastic eggs filled with candy, toys or local food coupons, as well as a chocolate Easter bunny. Some eggs will include larger prizes such as a Hot Wheels kit or even a bicycle. Registration can be completed at www.greencastleparks.com with the kits to be picked up by appointment only from March 22-31.

-- A non-traditional egg hunt, a program introduced last year. Decorative paper eggs, numbered 1-21, will be placed in the front windows of 21 Greencastle businesses. Each participant will print out a game card from the park website -- www.greencastleparks.com -- and travel around town filling in the blanks matching the numbered clues with eggs in the business windows. Once a participant completes a game card, he or she can redeem it for a chocolate Easter bunny by scheduling an appointment with the park.

-- The Great Bunny Hunt, where two Easter bunnies will be secluded somewhere in the city park system of eight parks. A rhyming set of clues will be released through the park Facebook page. Participants will have a chance to win a chocolate Easter bunny. Program will begin March 15.

-- Easter Peep Gingerbread House, where gingerbread scenes can be created using Peeps and other candy. Rules and guidelines are available at www.greencastleparks.com.