Participants win prizes, including for booze, during grown-up Easter egg hunt

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SCOTIA — You can never be too old to participate in an Easter egg hunt. Especially if that egg hunt involves alcohol.

That was the sentiment expressed by some of the more than 100 people who converged on Collins Park in the village of Scotia on Sunday for the seventh installment of the Capital Region Grown-Up Easter Egg Hunt.

The field was covered by multicolored Easter eggs that made up approximately $5,500 worth of prizes, according to organizers Becky Daniels and Emily Lang.

Some had gift cards to Nico’s pizzeria, The Shop in Troy and City Beer Hall in Albany.

Others had $5 gift cards to Empire Wine.

Lang, digital marketing manager at Proctors, said they collected prizes from 50 different local businesses over the course of two weeks. It wouldn’t have been possible, she said, if those businesses weren’t so generous.

“They’re just awesome people and awesome folks,” Lang said. “It was amazing.”

The hunt is also meant as a charity event. Each year it tries to benefit a different charity, and this year’s recipient was the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

That’s why there was a $15 entry fee, a $20 donation to enter into raffle for a bike from CK Cycles in Albany and other opportunities to donate.

For Chris and Rose Nolan of Clifton Park, the event was something fun for them to do on a Sunday. It was also their first time participating in the event.

They said they remembered having fun doing Easter egg hunts as kids, but had other friends who participated in the adult version in previous years.

“We didn’t know what to expect,” Chris Nolan said. “But we gave it shot.”

Rose Nolan said it also was nice to just finally get out of the house and do something, even if it was a little chilly.

“We’ve been cooped up inside for a lot of weeks,” Rose Nolan said. “I think everyone wanted to get outside.”

 Andrea Wilcox of Latham said this was her third time doing the grown-up egg hunt. She said she was there for the free booze. She also said it was cool to also be supporting a charity at the same time.

“It’s always a plus,” Wilcox said.

When asked what she thought about pretending to be a kid again, her response was simple.

“I’m wearing a unicorn hat and a tutu,” Wilcox said. “I’m already a big kid.”

Wilcox and the Nolans said their strategy for the egg hunt was to just go out and grab as many as possible.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students Connor Napierala and Jessi Mastropietro said while the plan is to grab as many as possible, location was key for them.

“Just go to the middle, grab a ton and work our way out,” Napierala said. “That’s the best strategy.”

Napierala said he liked the idea behind the event because he said he liked doing Easter egg hunts as a kid. Now that alcohol is involved, he said it “made it seem more fun.”

“As long as I get $15 worth, I’ll be happy,” Napierala said.

Even though there was alcohol, Napierala said he also liked the fact he was helping raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“It makes me feel like a better person because of it,” Napierala said. “Now, it’s not like I’m selfishly Easter egg hunting for alcohol, I’m doing it for a good cause.”

Daniels, executive director for Discover Schenectady, said the event is part of her 10-week campaign to raise $75,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It’s also part of her effort to become the woman of the year for the organization’s Man & Woman of the Year.

Daniels said she is particpating in the campaign on behalf of cancer survivors Bella Caruso and Evan Fronk.

The campaign began on March 27 and ends June 1, and Daniels has organized several events in the area to help raise money between now and then.

You can visit her website at beckydaniels.com to see the list of events or to make a donation.

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Categories: News, Schenectady County