MOSES LAKE — There are all sorts of strategies and routes to take when participating in the Moses Lake Lions Club’s annual Easter egg hunt at McCosh Park. And why wouldn’t there be? This is a serious event with serious implications if you don’t plan ahead.

“Me and my mom got here like an hour early to scope out where the best spot to line up is. My mom didn’t really wanna get here that early, but I begged her because I wanted to get as much candy as possible,” Jack Stevens, 6, said.

Jack was one of hundreds of kids who showed up at Saturday’s annual hunt, which has become a staple in the Moses Lake community every Easter weekend. The hunt is sponsored by the Moses Lake Lions Club, but wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the Lioness Club of Moses Lake, local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and members of the Moses Lake Robotics Team.

This year’s hunt mirrored previous ones. Thousands of plastic eggs were laid out all over the park, with different sections designated for different age groups.

“I had my mom help me this year, but next year I want to do it on my own,” Whitney Ferrario, 3, declared.

Hours of hard work to put the hunt on and mere minutes for it to end. The event started at noon, but the majority of the eggs had already been gathered before the clock hit 12:05 p.m. A quick event? Sure. But a can’t-miss family staple? Most certainly.

“We take our kids out here every year, rain or shine. It’s really a neat thing that these groups take time out of their lives to do this for the community. It goes to show that caring about your community has an impact and does not go unnoticed or unappreciated,” mother of three Taylor Carroll said.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.