On a cool April 3rd morning, Lake Highlands Area Early Childhood PTA families gathered in Lakewood Park for the annual egg hunt. Clutching colorful Easter baskets, nearly 100 children paced anxiously as they awaited the start of the age-specific egg hunt.

Once the whistle blew, children raced to gather the brightly colored eggs filled with stickers, plastic rings, rubber balls and, of course, candy. The parents scrambled behind them to memorialize this precious moment. Shortly after the end of the last egg hunt a surprise visitor arrived. The Easter Bunny!

The bunny handed out hugs and high-fives to the delighted children, who then snuck away to enjoy the spoils of their egg hunt or sample many of the snacks and drinks provided by volunteer parents.

Hunt organizers were happy the weather cooperated. Heather Rinaldi, who played the Easter Bunny, said she enjoyed making the children smile.

"The kids mobbed me and I was sore the next day from crouching down to hug them," she said.

The Lake Highlands Area Early Childhood PTA is a group of 250 families with preschool aged children. The group has added several new members this year, with five new babies born to members in February and seven newborns added in March.

LHAECPTA offers Sunshine Meals for families who have added a child through birth or adoption. Volunteers provide six meals per family to help them adjust to their new arrival.

For more information on the Lake Highlands Area Early Childhood PTA, please contact Ruth Gluck at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit http://www.lhaecpta.org.