The Santa Clarita Aquatic Center is no stranger to hosting community events, and this Saturday was no different. They hosted their annual Splash N’ Dash Egg Hunt, where parents could bring their kids to the center so they could walk, not run, to collect as many plastic eggs as possible to celebrate Easter a day early.
The event offered two separate times to accommodate as many kids as possible, with start times at 10:00 and 11:00. They separated the kids into age groups to ensure every child who showed up had an equal opportunity to grab eggs. And any Easter celebration wouldn’t be complete without the help of the Easter Bunny.
The event was powered by volunteers, who helped direct the kids into their respective age groups. Kaiser Permanente also sponsored the event, providing water-safe bags for the kids to bring into the pool and store their eggs. The event has been taking place annually since 2009, but it serves a greater purpose.
“Since this is a free event, we do encourage participants to donate dry and canned goods just for the Santa Clarita Valley food pantry, so that is kind of what this event is for,” said Sophie Legler, Aquatic Center program specialist.
The egg hunt also could not have happened without the Aquatic Center’s lifeguards, as they routinely watch over the pool, run the prize tent where kids could turn in their eggs for prizes, and also help set up and tear down the event. The lifeguards keep the pool safe for kids, but the job also comes with a passion that some people may not realize.
“I love being a part of this community and being able to serve this community in ways that I wouldn’t be able to outside of this job and its events like today are really great and unique ways to get to do that and to be able to interact with kids and get them excited to be here, and who knows maybe some of them will be our lifeguards one day as well,” said Mackenzie Hamblin, lifeguard.
