Easter egg hunts bring kids out to Lorain's Central, Oakwood parks

LORAIN — The Easter Bunny visited Lorain twice Saturday afternoon. Volunteers and community leaders in the city's Central and Oakwood parks hosted Easter egg hunts and games for children in the city. Known for the summer's Stop the Violence basketball tournament, Jaskie Lewis decided to bring some Easter fun to her local park in central Lorain — hiding more than 1,000 brightly colored, candy and money-filled plastic eggs around the area with the help of other volunteers. "The Easter egg hunt is for the younger kids, because there's nothing for the kids to do around here," Lewis said. "So anything I can do to help the community bring the kids together so they can get to know each other, so they can stop the fighting and the bickering with each other. And the main thing is getting these kids out here and talking to these kids about the violence and fighting amongst each other and just trying to come together." Lewis' annual basketball and kickball tournament in June are in memory of two of her sons. Marquis McCall, 18, was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2009 — prompting the original block parties that spawned the basketball tournament. Kickball was added later, for the younger kids, by Kacy Thorpe Jr. Thorpe, 31, was killed in a car crash off Oberlin Avenue in 2018. The Easter Egg hunt, games and prizes donated by City Council members JoAnne Moon, D-5th Ward, and Pam Carter, D-3rd Ward, along with business owners like Destini Casey of Caterpillars to Butterflies Daycare, is a chance to reach kids at an even earlier age. "We stand behind and support those that are doing community work for our children, because our children need something to do," Carter said. Lewis plans to make the Egg Hunt an annual event, much like her longstanding summer tournament. The spring event also offered kids free food, and spread through word of mouth — with flyers posted at local corner stores, gas stations and shared online. On the other side of the city, organizers in South Lorain hid about 5,000 eggs around Oakwood Park. Organizer Rachel Workman, with Fit for Youths, coordinated the event, which brought out Lorain Police, Fire, and free food and games to the south side park. Several groups donated time, and supplies to the afternoon event. It is the first of what Fit for Youths hopes to make an annual tradition. Her nonprofit, which brings fitness programs to kids mostly in Lorain and Elyria, is still in its infancy — only about a year old. COVID-19 halted much of its fundraising efforts last year, putting a damper on some of its events. Saturday's event was fueled by donations from City Council, ACES, Afro Dogs Motorcycle Club and others, allowing every kid to get a hot dog, chips, water or juice, along with their fair share of plastic eggs stuffed with prizes. They also offered free egg decorating — with prizes for the best decoration — and a three-on-three basketball tournament. "This is what makes us thrive, this is what makes us happy," Workman said. "This is what makes us want to do and push for everything that we do because if we don't do something for our kids, our kids are our future." Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.