Above: Mayor Michelle Wu, Brianne Gore, Easter Bunny, Nadine Fallon, Kristin Driscoll, Michelle Carmell, and Councillor John FitzGerald at a previous egg hunt. Courtesy photo
More than 3,000 eggs full of candy have been prepared for placement for Sunday’s (March 22) Easter Egg Hunt at Savin Hill Park. A group of volunteers from the neighborhood, organize the effort to support the Easter Bunny. It starts at 10 a.m. sharp and includes pony rides and cotton candy.
The event thrives on volunteer text chains, egg packing parties, and the passion of Dorchester moms, for the most part. The egg hunt has been a tradition in Savin Hill Park for the last 15 years or so, according to Kristin Driscoll.
“Everyone always asks us what organization we’re from or what group put this together, but there’s no group,” said Driscoll. “It’s really just a bunch of moms and families.”
The effort started around 2010, according to former organizers Michelle Carmell and Nadine Fallon. A family that owned a hot dog vending company had the Halloween parade, and others joined in, and then they added the Easter egg hunt.
“It just got bigger and bigger and bigger, and then they all moved, and I was left,” said Carmell.
Driscoll and Brianne Gore joined around 2017 and are winding down their involvement, but the torch is being passed to Meghann Ellis and Macy Schmalz.
“It’s amazing we have always pulled this off,” said Gore. “The Halloween and Easter events have always been a huge part of our kids lives.”
This year’s sponsors include Councilor John FitzGerald, Columbia Savin Hill Civic Association, UMass Boston Community Relations and Phil Carver, Luisa and Brendan McDonough, and other neighbors.
