An Island Rite of Spring: Easter Egg Hunt at St. Gabriel’s Meadow

At 1 o’clock on Easter Saturday afternoon, Debbie Speeches stood in the grass at St. Gabriel’s Meadow, with hundreds of multi-colored plastic eggs decorating the green all around her.

Before her was a crowd of bright-eyed kids lined up holding baskets — some of them hopping from foot to foot like bunnies in the bright, chilly spring day. Families stood by with more baskets.

Ms. Speeches, in the uniform of the Shelter Island Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, began a countdown: “Five-Four-Three-Two-One,” and with a short blast from the horn of a fire truck parked on North Cartwright Road, the annual Shelter Island Easter Egg Hunt was on with joyful shots and laughter as kids scrambled to collect the eggs.

The Meadow was divided into four parts for children ages 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, and 7 to 8. The older hunters had a much larger course, which stretched along the row of trees bordering the spring Meadow.

Before the fire truck’s blasts, Ms. Speeches and fellow Auxiliary member Ann Beckwith said there was a total of 1,728 eggs in the Meadow, placed by the Auxiliary, who sponsor and organize the annual fun, aided by members of the Shelter Island School’s National Honor Society.

The Easter Bunny was in attendance, resplendent in white from the tips of her ears to her formidable feet, a magnet for children and adults who surrounded her. She was silent, mostly, giving and receiving hugs from the little ones and posing for multiple photo-ops.

When she spoke, which was rare, she sounded remarkably like the Shelter Island’s Animal Control Officer.

For the older folks, it was a time to relive happy memories of Easters past. Bill Herzog remembered 40 years ago, when his daughter Kara was running to collect eggs. He has five grandchildren, Mr. Herzog said, who have joined in the fun, including this year, with grandson Reese, 7, getting ready to run.

Another countdown, another blast, and happy shouting filled the field as Mr. Herzog, smiling, turned to watch the children running in the Meadow.

Below, more photos by Eleanor P. Labrozzi of the happy day.