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Kiwanis play Easter Bunny
Thousand plus swarm fields during egg hunt
pic egg-hunt-3
Jose Blanco, 1, Armando Ortiz, 2, and Sergio Blanco, 2, show off the Easter eggs collected at the annual event. - photo by VINCE REMBULAT/The Bulletin
It was undetermined whether Victoria Stagno could count the number of Easter eggs she placed in her basket.

But, according to her mother, Alisha, all that really matters was that the local 1-year-old had a good time at Saturday’s free event made possible by Manteca Kiwanis.

“This is a first-time taking part (in Easter egg hunt),” said Alisha Stagno, who also involved her other daughter, Lilly, 3. “We’re already looking forward to next year.”

As expected, the annual community Easter egg hunt attracted thousands of children age 10 and under at the Northgate Park softball fields.

Those attending also received free tickets for the drawing consisting of Easter gift baskets and bicycles made possible by a generous donation from the local Wal-Mart Store.

“Those who have been here before knew exactly where to line up,” said Don Wood of the Manteca Noon Kiwanis.

That’s because the plastic eggs filled with candy were gobbled up by a thousand or so eager youngsters – in some cases, their parents had a helping hand – in a matter of minutes.

Each year, the Noon Kiwanis is able to stage this free event thanks in part to the proceeds raised during Fourth of July breakfast as well as assisting the Sunrise Kiwanis in staging the Manteca Pumpkin Fair.