Chuck the Duck pulls bunny duty in Batavia
When hopes of holding their traditional Easter egg hunt were dashed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Batavia Park District staff members came up with another idea.
In the spirit of DoorDash, they introduced "Egg Dash."
The district already had filled thousands of plastic eggs with candy and staffers wanted to put them to good use and have fun with residents - all while being safe. So they started thinking creatively, Director of Community Recreation Brittany Meyer said.
On Wednesday and Thursday, Chuck the Duck, the mascot of Hall Quarry Beach, spread Easter eggs in residents' front yards and delivered goody bags to registered families.
It wasn't quite as easy as it sounds to get Chuck's giant yellow head and large furry butt in and out of the minivan that was driving him around town. But it was an effort that families appreciated.
"This is super cute, and totally made their day," said Jodi Bingman, mom of Ella, 5, and Kathryn, 7.
"The park district wanted to keep the annual Easter egg event tradition alive and put a smile on kids' faces," Meyer said. "My favorite part of my job is providing lifelong memories and experiences for families, and the Egg Dash is one event that I'll never forget."
All proceeds from the Egg Dash will be donated to the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry.