GREENFIELD — And they were off. At the end of the countdown, hundreds of children rushed forward gleefully, scooping up thousands of tiny plastic eggs from the ground.
In what seemed like seconds, the ground dotted with different colors was once again green.
Saturday was the fifth annual Easter egg hunt at Greenfield Community College put on by WHAI and Bear Country radio stations.
Station employees spent at least a month before the free community event stuffing the Easter eggs with candy, coupons and certificates to be turned in for prizes at the end of the hunt.
Children aged 5 years old and younger got the opportunity to run out onto the field first, with those 6 years old and up joining them on the field a few minutes later.
“Man, this is a great event for the kids,” said Joon French, of Greenfield, who brought his 2-year-old son, McEwan.
McEwan smiled and held up his basket lined with eggs, pleased that the event’s format gave him a chance to get his own Easter treasures by running out onto the field first.
“It’s free, and it brings the kids of Greenfield out together,” French added.
After the field was thoroughly picked of eggs, those who found gift vouchers in their eggs stood in a long line to pick up gifts like flying discs and sets of toys themed after the Disney movie “Cars.”
Some workers from the WHAI and Bear Country radio stations stayed to clean up afterward, and said the event is a good way to get the stations involved with the community.
“It’s organized with a lot of help from Greenfield Community College,” said Kevin Collins of Bear Country’s Bear in the Morning show.
Collins also explained that, in previous years, the ground has had deep snow and the event had to be held on an adjacent parking lot. The last couple of years, though, they have been lucky when it comes to weather, he said.
“We put out about 6,500 eggs,” he said.
Reach David McLellan at dmclellan@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 268.