47.0°,
Mostly Cloudy 18 years, thousands of eggs
It started 18 years ago, with 300 eggs and six children. Nearly two decades later, on April 2, some 2,300 eggs were scattered about the backyard of Diane Radtke’s Albermarle Avenue home.
The eggs, filled with small toys, candy, tattoos and money, were snatched up in a matter of minutes by several dozen local children, who spent a sunny afternoon under a brilliant blue sky celebrating an early Easter during their school vacation.
“We look forward to it every year,” said Radtke, who noted that many families who haven’t seen each other in a long time often reconnect at her annual egg hunt. “All of a sudden, you meet somebody you haven’t seen in years,” she said with a smile.
The annual event has become a known staple of the community for a local families, without requiring much publicity. Although Radtke said she does spread the word at nearby Tender Tales Nursery School, on Merrick Avenue.
Her three children, Colleen, Michael and Katelyn, all East Meadow High School graduates, were former participants of the egg hunt, but now stand on the sideline and watch another generation of kids enjoy the fun. Radtke’s brother, Bill O’Leary — a 1983 EMHS graduate — dresses up as the Easter Bunny. Asked how he was enjoying the day, O’Leary responded with a thumbs up (Behind his mask, we assume he was also smiling).
After the hunt, the kids and their parents sat around and excitedly sorted through their buckets of treasures.
