This virtual egg hunt is taking over SLO County and beyond. Here’s how you can take part
Many things are different in San Luis Obispo County this Easter Sunday: Social distancing has the county isolated in their homes, without the ability to come together like many usually would on the holiday. Churches and restaurants are closed to people, and large gatherings are prohibited — that means no traditional egg hunts for the kiddos.
But with the coronavirus-induced challenges, comes creativity.
Christian churches are holding their Sunday services online, and restaurants are offering special takeout meals for Easter dinner.
Meanwhile, residents like Shauna Soltero have found new social-distancing-approved ways to keep to traditions and make sure San Luis Obispo County kids (and adults) get the opportunity to celebrate the holiday with something special.
Soltero, of Templeton, is the founder of the Virtual Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt Facebook group, a massive virtual egg hunt across San Luis Obispo County and beyond.
“Basically, just with the current situation of the whole world and everything going on right now, I wanted to find a way to spread some joy and positivity, the love of Jesus and of course, hope,” she told The Tribune on Thursday.
“Things are so different this Easter, and that’s how it, no pun intended, hatched,” Soltero said with a laugh.
How the virtual egg hunt works
The premise is simple: People decorate eggs and hang them in the windows, on doors or put them on their lawns for all to see. They can then add their eggs to a virtual map on the Facebook group, tag them #VirtualEggHuntSLOCo, and then families can take their kids on drives to find the eggs.
The people who find the most eggs will be eligible for prizes, Soltero said, noting that local residents and businesses have been donating items for the winners.
The response has been huge.
When she started the group, it quickly began adding more than 500 members per day. In the last few days, it’s been adding closer to 1,000 per day. And they aren’t just in San Luis Obispo County: Soltero said the hunt has since expanded into 35 states, and 12 countries.
“It’s unreal,” she said. “It’s just blowing up, and I had no idea it would come to this.”
Organizing an international egg hunt hasn’t been easy, but Soltero said she’s been helped along the way by her husband, Tony, and their sons, Cameron and Gabe.
Huge response online
As of Thursday, the Facebook group has more than 7,500 members, from parents with kids to others who just wanted to help spread some joy.
Angela Hixon-Porte said her entire Atascadero neighborhood has been decorated for the hunt.
“This egg hunt has brought our neighborhood together more,” she told The Tribune. “Instead of just waving at each other, as we each rush off to work or something else, we now say ‘Hi’ and chat for a few minutes. We are helping each other out a bit more. Life has slowed down just a bit through this virus pandemic, but this egg hunt has brought families together to do something fun.”
Yasmin Nason, of Paso Robles, said she hopes the virtual egg hunt will continue on in the years to come, even beyond the coronavirus restrictions.
“We have loved seeing friends from our local area and across the country jump on board and participate,” she told The Tribune. “My kids have loved intentionally hunting and unintentionally finding eggs. My 4-year-old even made a little iMovie with me of his hunt last weekend.”
Adults are also getting in on the fun.
Annie Cronauer told The Tribune she and her husband are teachers and decided to participate by making eggs because they missed their students.
Hailie Smith of Paso Robles said she and her fiance have been making blank wooden eggs for people to decorate and hang so they can participate. She said by Sunday, she expects the two of them will have crafted 250 eggs.
“We both aren’t working right now, and have the time and materials to do it,” Smith told The Tribune. “So we figured if it could bring some light into this crazy time, it was worth it.”
The Atascadero Police Department even shared photos on its Facebook page April 7 of its officers, including K9 Luke, hunting down eggs in the dark.
“Thank you for the fun and for everyone who is participating in this effort from decorating eggs to hunting for the eggs!” the department wrote.
There is still time for latecomers to participate in the egg hunt, Soltero said. The last call for hunting tallies is 5 p.m. on Sunday. She also noted people are still making and displaying their eggs, so new locations are being added every day.
“It’s self-evident that everyone is having such a good time, and these eggs are blowing up everyone’s feed and giving them something else to focus on,” she said. “It’s heartwarming.”
%20Cropped.jpg)