By Landon Olson

PARADISE -- It may not be as big as Trout and Berry Days, the town's annual celebration, but Easter certainly isn't ignored in Paradise.

Saturday morning the town will hold an Easter egg hunt and a bake sale, both sponsored by the local Lions Club. The bake sale begins at 9 a.m., while the egg hunt, for children ages 1-12, will start at 10 a.m.

Despite a town population of only about 800, both Councilwoman Margaret Obray and town recorder Amy Winn say they expect a large turnout.

"It's something annual. People come from all over," Obray said. She said about 150 kids and all their parents are expected to show up.

"It is quite a big deal," Obray said.

Winn said the wives of the Lions Club members usually dye the eggs and Obray said town members donate eggs and bake sale items. Proceeds from the bake sell are used to offsets the costs of the event, such as those for rabbits, chickens, egg dye and giving all of the children chocolate rabbits.

Set-up for the event will begin at about 7:30 a.m. and teen-agers from the local 4-H club will be there to help hide the eggs, Winn said. The eggs will be hidden in all the fields around the town hall, and not only do the kids get to keep the eggs they find, there is also an opportunity to win prizes.

Winn said the eggs are numbered and after they have all been collected, a raffle using the numbers will be held ^Ö if the number on the egg is called, the holder wins a prize.

After the egg hunt, Winn said there will be a bunny chase and a chicken run, but both are "kind of controversial."

Children will have the chance to chase a rabbit or a chicken, and if they catch it they can take it home. The problem, Winn said, is people are concerned about injury to the animals and the kids being able to take care of them when they get it home.

"Usually it turns out OK," she said.

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