Lombard egg hunt for adults to raise money for Lilac Parade

The Lombard Lilac Parade Committee is planning an egg hunt to raise money for this year's parade, but the event isn't being marketed to kids.

Instead, adults 21 and older are invited to grab a bag and flashlight and gather at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at Lombard Common, 433 E. St. Charles Road, to collect 1,500 eggs filled with candy and other undisclosed "goodies."

"You're just laughing because you see grown people acting like kids again," said Laura Sasinka, the committee's fundraising co-chairwoman. "It's hysterical."

If you're too busy laughing at everyone else, however, the eggs will get snatched up.

"There are no rules," Sasinka said. "Check-in takes longer than the Easter egg hunt. Within two minutes it is done and over with."

The cost to participate - if preregistered by March 5 via an email to Sasinka at laurasasinkalilacparade@yahoo.com - is $5 for residents and $10 for nonresidents. Participants do not need to pay until the day of the event. Anyone who doesn't preregister will pay $20 to participate.

Sasinka brought the idea of an adult flashlight egg hunt to the committee last year, after using it as a successful fundraiser for the Brookfield Jaycees.

Lilac Parade Committee Chairwoman Ellyn Murphy said the committee was a little unsure about Sasinka's plan, but was willing to give it a shot. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 25 people were registered.

"We needed to fundraise more this year than we did last year and (Sasinka) thought this may be a good, fun thing to get the community involved," Murphy said. "It sounds like a lot of fun. I have concerns about the weather, of course, but it doesn't take a whole lot of time outside."

After the egg hunt is over, participants will gather at Miller's Ale House, 455 East Butterfield Road, to enjoy drinks and take part in two raffles.

For years, the village picked up most of the parade costs with funding from its hotel/motel tax, but recently it has been urging groups that receive money through the tax to come up with 50 percent of their own funding.

"They've been more than generous with the parade in the past and funded more than that," Murphy said, adding that the total cost of the parade is about $26,000 a year.

Last year, the committee was able to raise about $6,000 for the parade. This year, members hope to raise between $13,000 and $15,000 before parade day on Sunday, May 15.

Aside from the adult egg hunt, the committee is asking residents to print out a flier on the committee's website and bring it to Rock Bottom, 94 Yorktown Center, during a dine-out event from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday. The restaurant will donate 10 percent of food and nonalcoholic beverage sales to the committee.

The committee is also in the process of organizing a new Wine Walk fundraiser in downtown Lombard on April 30.