Photo by Brian CorleyAlexis Letender, 5, races to gather eggs at the Carson City Jaycees 26th annual Easter Egg Hunt at Governor's Field on Sunday. Alexis picked up an egg that was specially died to win a new bicycle. Each age group had winning eggs for similar prizes that were donated.
Alexis Letender appeared to be in shock Easter Sunday as her mom, Cheryl, wheeled a brand new bicycle from Governor's Field.
Alexis, 5, won the grand prize in the 4- to 5-year-old race of the Carson City Jaycees 26th annual Easter Egg Hunt.
"I couldn't believe it," the cherubic kindergartner said through a smile.
When she saw the silver and red winning egg spread among the estimated 25,000 colored eggs on the ball field, "I just threw it in my basket," she said.
It wasn't just another pretty Easter egg -- it was redeemable for a brand spanking new yellow and black bike with training wheels and one of more than 30 large prizes given away during the egg hunt.
From 8 a.m. until about 4 p.m. Saturday, volunteers were coloring the 2,084 dozen eggs they bought with $3,000 raised for the event. In addition to hardboiled eggs, about 700 coupons for free ice cream and burgers donated by local businesses were inside plastic eggs.
Emily Tiehm, 6, and her brothers Michael Tiehm, 12, and Brandon Nix, 12, of Galt, Calif., were visiting their grandmother, Jean Nix, in Carson City. The family moved from the area about seven years ago, but come home for every holiday.
With a total of 57 eggs between the three of them, mom, Beth Nix, wasn't sure what they would do with the leftovers.
"Throw them away I guess. We can't eat all of those," she said.
Brandon had his own -- less than angelic -- idea, "Maybe we can egg some houses."
His mother wasn't amused.
Nix's advice for parents who accompany their children to the hunt which attracts thousands, "Don't go onto the field. There were parents out there picking up eggs for their kids. That's not right."
After the winning eggs were redeemed and families made their way to their cars, volunteers stayed behind to pull up stakes and pick up trash from the baseball field. The largest casualty of the day -- the smashed hardboiled eggs trodden under thousands of feet.
Jaycee Wendy Keller-Smith said the volunteers don't worry about the mess from the eggs.
"The seagulls take care of it for us," she said relieved.