The March 23 event is 11 a.m. at the Dekker Huis Museum

By LAURA DORNON

 

Fifth Third Bank’s annual Easter Egg Hunt has been a unique Zeeland event for at least 15 years. This year, though, the event is changing slightly with a new location at the Dekker Huis Museum.

 

This year’s egg hunt is 11 a.m. Saturday, March 23, at the museum, 37 E. Main Ave. The event is open for children 6 and under.

 

Debbie Albert is in charge of children’s activities at the museum and contacted the bank to offer their location for the hunt. The new location allows for a little more creativity in hiding the eggs.

 

“The hunt is going to be inside as well as outside and possibly in the barn,” Albert said. “I think they’ve got about 400-500 eggs for it.”

 

The hunt had been at Vande Luyster Square in previous years.

 

Cris Hinga, manager of Zeeland Financial Center, has been with the bank for 31 years and the Zeeland branch for three years. According to Hinga, the idea is that every child leaves with a little treat.

 

Although the Easter Egg Hunt often depends on the weather, usually around 100 or 150 children attend. The eggs, usually around 400 in number, are hidden all around the park, or this year, the museum.

 

“We break it up into a couple different age groups. ... You have the small kids go first. Otherwise the big kids just plow them over. Then we always have the Easter Bunny there for the little kids who weren’t able to find any eggs," Hinga said.

 

The event was developed at the Zeeland branch of Fifth Third Bank and is a way to give back to the community.

 

“It’s a whole lot of fun. It lasts maybe 15 minutes, but it’s gotten a very positive response from the community,” said Hinga.

 

In the past, the event only consisted of the Easter Egg hunt, but Hinga hinted that other special events are in the plans for this year’s hunt that will “expose the kids to the history of Zeeland.”

 

Egg hunt

• 11 a.m. Saturday, March 23

• Dekker Huis Museum, 37 E. Main Ave.

• For children 6 and under