The Easter bunny’s helpers

Throw together 10,000 colorful plastic Easter eggs, 250 pounds of candy, 17 pizzas and more than 40 kids and you’ve got the makings for 2 1/2 hours of hard work, with lots of fun and laughter thrown in along the way.

Each spring, members of Camas-Washougal Boy Scout Troop 562 and students from the Washington State School for the Blind in Vancouver descend on the Camas Community Center to fill their stomachs with pizza, and then spend the rest of the evening filling plastic eggs with sweet treats and prizes. The eggs are then used during the city’s annual hunt at Crown Park on Easter Sunday, which typically draws up to 1,000 people.

It’s a tradition that has gone on for at least the past 15 years, said Krista Bashaw, of Camas Parks and Recreation.

Adrienne Fernandez, volunteer and recreation coordinator for the School for the Blind, said the students, who range from 12 to 21 years old, benefit from the social activity.

“I think anything they are succeeding at is rewarding,” she said. “They just like doing it. It’s a fun, fast activity, and they get to make friends with the Boy Scouts.”

Jeanette Smith, the Boy Scout troop’s service project coordinator, said the event is a popular way to log community service hours, and also offers intangible benefits.

“It is good for the boys because they develop friendships and realize everyone is the same,” she said. “They look forward to this. It’s one of our most well attended community projects.”

In addition to the Crown Park event put on by Camas Parks and Recreation, several community organizations as well as churches have planned Easter egg hunts for Camas-Washougal children. Below is a sampling of some of those local events.

Crown Park Easter egg hunt

The popular annual event at Crown Park, located at Northeast Everett and 17th Avenue, will be held Sunday, at 1:30 p.m. Candy and prize filled eggs will be hidden in designated egg hunting areas for children in age groups including 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 and 10-12. Participants should bring their own basket or bag. A traditional Easter bonnet and contemporary hat contest will take place immediately following the egg hunt. For more information, call Camas Parks and Recreation at 834-5307.

Egg hunt at Hathaway Park

The Washougal Eagles will once again host its Easter egg hunt on Saturday, at 1 p.m., at Hathaway Park, 2451 “G” St., in Washougal. For more information, call the Washougal Eagles at 835-9653.

Harvest Community Church

The community is invited to attend the egg hunt at the church, 2436 N.W. Astor St., in Camas. The event, for kids from toddler to fifth grade, will be held rain or shine at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Bethel Community Church

The egg hunt will be held Easter Sunday, at 10:30 a.m. Children ages 6 and younger can participate, and should bring their own baskets. The church is located at 1438 “B” St., in Washougal. For more information, call 835-8714.

Zion Lutheran Church

An Easter egg hunt will be held Sunday, at 10:15 a.m., at Northeast Fourth Avenue and Garfield Street, in Camas. For more information, call 834-4201.

Washougal United Methodist Church

An egg hunt will be held on Easter Sunday at noon, at 4020 “M” St. The event will be cancelled in the event of rain. For more information, call 835-3494.

Parkside Church

Parkside Christian Church, located at 1420 N.E. Third Ave., will hold an egg hunt on Sunday for children in fifth grade and younger. The event will be held immediately following the church’s 10:30 a.m. Easter service. For more information, call 834-2332.