It's almost Easter Egg Hunt time! Delphi Chamber members Janice Roe, Krista Watson, Lisa Perry and Anita Hartman worked Monday night to fill Easter baskets for the Delphi Easter Egg Hunt set for April 11 on the courthouse lawn. Comet photo by Debbie Lowe Easter Egg Hunts are being planned in various communities throughout Carroll County.

Delphi

The Delphi Easter Egg Hunt has become a much-anticipated tradition for area children. This year's annual egg-finding hunt is sponsored by the merchants in the Delphi Chamber of Commerce and will be held April 11 at 11 a.m. for children ages zero to eight. It will be on the grounds of the Carroll County Courthouse in the center of Delphi.

More than 3,000 colorful plastic eggs with candy stuffed inside will be hidden around the courthouse for children to find and savor. Some eggs will have numbers on them to signify a prizewinning egg. Prizes will be distributed by volunteers in the courthouse rotunda.

The Easter Bunny will make an appearance in the rotunda, giving out more candy and will be available for photographs. Parents and guardians are encouraged to bring cameras to record the experience for their children.

Local resident Judy Conner will again offer free facepainting from 9:30 to 11 that morning in the rotunda. Hot chocolate, provided by Delphi Main Street, will be free of charge.

Organizer Lisa Perry said this year was the first time the chamber had the opportunity to host the annual event. It is expected the hunt will bring close to 300 children and their parents to the downtown area. Perry said it seemed like the perfect fit for the chamber to be at the helm of the hunt. Downtown merchants will provide coupons as prizes and give-a-ways for hunters and their parents. They will also decorate their store fronts in celebration of the day.

"This is really a fun event to head up," Perry said. "The 4-H Junior Leaders donated much of the candy and filled many of the eggs for us. Psi Iota Xi donated new books for each age group as prizes."

"It just seems like it all fell together and because it is a good thing for the community," she added. "It seems like everybody pitched in to help when it was needed."

For information or to volunteer contact the chamber office at (765) 564-3034.

Flora

An Easter Egg Hunt will be held in Flora at the park at 2 p.m. this Saturday.

There will be three age groups - 3 and under; 4, 5, and 6; and 7, 8, and 9 - and the Easter bunny will be present and available for pictures.

All children will receive candy-filled eggs, a chocolate bunny, a soft drink or juice box, a chance to win one of several large prizes, and an entry into a drawing for one of five bicycles and tricycles.

If the weather is unsuitable, an Easter party will be held in the 4-H Community Building.

People are encouraged to bring their extra or unwanted plastic eggs from last year to the hunt for recycling for future hunts.

Event sponsor is Flora Community Club's KICK team with generous donations of merchandise and money from local businesses. Carroll sixth grade is helping with the hunt by stuffing 3,500 eggs with candy.

For additional information or to volunteer to help, call The Flower Shoppe at 967- 3022.

Burlington

An Easter Egg Hunt for toddlers through sixth graders will be held April 11 starting promptly at 1 p.m. The annual event, sponsored by Kiwanis Club, will be held at Burlington Community Park.

Children will be divided into five age groups. There will be candy and prizes for everyone.

Carroll County 4-H Junior Leaders are filling the eggs.

Hickory Grove Church

Hickory Grove Church will host its Annual Easter Party on April 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the church, located at 9714 N. CR 700 W., about five miles south of Idaville. The party will include an egg hunt, snacks, games, a door prize, and goody bags to take home. This is a free event and the public is invited.

For more information, call Pastor Ken Smith at 574-826- 4307.