KEKAHA — More than 2,000 traditionally boiled and dyed colorful eggs awaited discovery Sunday at the Mana end of H.P. Faye Park, also known as Kekaha Ball Park.
“We always had egg salad sandwich at Easter,” said Dennis Eguchi of E Ola Mau, one of the leader groups for the traditional community egg hunt. “You have to have hard-boiled eggs. That’s how this all started.”
The West Kaua‘i Lions Club joined with E Ola Mau and the Kekaha Agriculture Association, with support from the Waimea High School JROTC, Waimea High School Leo Club and Scout Troop 334, to host the first community egg hunt since COVID-19 shut everything down two years ago.
“This started back at the Hanapepe Park,” said Lion Eric Nordmeier. “But when Big Save came, we had to move. First, to Waimea, and after Big Save, now in Kekaha, where nobody wanted to do egg hunts.”
The crowd of families was treated to not only the excitement of the egg hunt, but had an opportunity to go through and pick a prize of their choosing before diverting to the special car hosting cuppy cakes that had been individually wrapped for the sake of sanitation.
Additionally, special prizes for each age group included new bicycles distributed through must-be-present-to-win random drawings.
“You’re right,” said Garrett Agena of E Ola Mau. “It’s been so long people forgot what to do. No wonder the crowd came late.”
The late arrival worked as U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele and his family made an appearance to participate in the hunt, the congressman and Al Brandee, a past Lions International director from Long Island, New York, being given the honor of releasing the group of eager keiki onto the field of eggs.
“This is community,” Kahele said while flitting between individuals and groups needing some time with him, stopping also to spend extra time with the student groups like JROTC and the Leo Club.
“The main thing is that everyone is leaving this place with a smile,” said Nordmeier. “That’s what this is all about.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
