April 1, 2021 – While Boys & Girls Clubs of Youngstown prepared for the Annual Spring Celebration & Egg Hunt, Mother Nature played a cruel April Fool’s Day joke with the weather and blanketed the playground with snow. And plans for an outdoor, fresh-air-and-sunshine egg hunt were scrapped. Determined not to let the foul weather ruin the day, Club staff called an audible and made a new plan.
While Ms. Edna, unit director, picked up a surprise dinner, youth development professional, Ms. Heather distracted our youngest members in the gym where fitness strategies are disguised as play – exercise is best when you don’t know you’re doing it! Ms. Peoples, membership coordinator, and few helpful teen volunteers took advantage of our enormous Games Room to stuff hundreds of candy-filled, toy eggs inside and under pool and ping pong tables, vending machines, corn hole boards, arcade games and more.
When all the eggs were settled in the pockets and corners of Games Room, members gathered for musical chairs. After the dancing was done and the winner declared, Ms. Peoples lined up everyone at the front of the Club where she explained the rules of the much-anticipated Egg Hunt. Excitement filled the air as she counted down to “GO!” and soon all the girls and boys scattered in pursuit of the brightly colored holiday treats. Even though a few bumper pool balls at first fooled some, it wasn’t long before each child’s bag was filled, and they gathered to count their bounty.
Deciding they’re a little too old for egg hunts, the teens joined Mr. Cobie, YDP, in the gym for hoops and chocolate bunnies.
As the activities drew to a close, Board President, Jeanette Garvey, stepped into the kitchen with Ms. Wanda, director resource development and marketing, to serve the special-order dinner of fried chicken, sub sandwiches and cookies. With smiles and full bellies, members began to filter out of the Club for the long holiday weekend. And, just like that, another successfully fun Spring Celebration ended.