The Augusta Common was filled with children and bathed in sunshine for the city of Augusta’s Easter celebration.
Parents and children began filling the Common by 10 a.m. for the April 15 event scheduled for 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. and the Easter bunny joined several hundred people enjoying the celebration.
This is the city’s sixth annual Easter egg drop, and it is the final one that Davis will enjoy as Augusta’s mayor. He said it is all about the children.
“We started this journey thinking about 32,000 students who were part of our school system. I wanted to create an Augusta that works for them. And I just love being around kids. I’ve got a host of nieces and nephews, and as much time as I spend with them, and I love hearing them say ‘Uncle, uncle, take us here and do this.’ So that’s what today is all about. Hanging out with the kids,” he said.
Ashley Bowman brought her 19-month-old daughter Faylynn to start making happy Easter memories.
“She likes picking up easter eggs and trying to get her in the Easter spirit. My mom sent me a text message that it was going on today. So, I brought her out,” she said.
While the event was designed for the children to enjoy, there was also a serious side for adults.
Interspersed among the bouncy houses and food vendors were area service organization to distribute information and advice.
Hawthorne Welcher, director of the city’s Housing and Development Department, said it was an opportunity to provide a different kind of eggs. Eggs of hope.
“And one of those eggs and hopes was homeownership and the way to get there. They may be able to pay a monthly payment, but they may need help the actual down payment as needed,” he said. “You have a lot of thriving entrepreneurs here. I see bouncy houses; I see the food trucks. Some people want the same type of thing from an entrepreneurship standpoint, but they don’t have the infusion of cash to be able to get a line of credit. They don’t necessarily have a cash infusion to be able to provide a startup.
However, the highlight of the day for the children was the Easter eggs. The Augusta Fire Department used a ladder truck to drop thousands of eggs filled with treats to the waiting hands below.
On April 16, the party moves to the Sand Hills Community Center. The city sponsors and Easter Egg Hunt for children up to 12-years of age. The event will include games and music, with the Easter bunny visiting at the center at 2540 Wheeler Rd.
Dana Lynn McIntyre is a general assignment reporter for The Augusta Press. Reach her at dana@theaugustapress.com
