DALLAS — Standing on the opposite side of a table from his 4-year-old son Travis, Justine Ide hoisted his 2-year-old son Sawyer in the air so he could race his older brother.
The boys were enjoying a duck-racing game during an Easter event held at Fellowship Church March 24. Taking a deep breath and blowing into a plastic straw, the boys raced two small rubber ducks down a stream made from plastic rain gutters before grabbing candy for their baskets.
“We just wanted to bring them out today to do something fun, keep them busy, get them engaged with worship,” their mother Samantha said.
Event organizers Tim and Ashley Sheare said the event has been going on for well over five years and offers the church an opportunity to interact with its community. Teaming up with multiple schools throughout the area, Fellowship Church offered children and their families a chance to have a free and fun afternoon while providing outreach and education to the area.
“Today is just an outreach event for the community,” Tim Sheare said. “We’re just reaching out to the community to let them know that we’re here for them and just to share the message of Jesus Christ with them.”
However, instead of a typical egg hunt ever year, the church opts for various games and activities, treating children with candy in exchange for their participation. Some of the stands included a lollipop ring toss, face-painting and duck racing.
“I think it’s fun. It keeps them engaged for longer and gets them more interested in what’s going on instead of just running around for eggs and then it’s over,” Ide explained.
A special section of the Worship Center was altered into a preschooler area for the youngest of visitors, offering age-appropriate games and a chance for families to relax.
“A lot of parents have younger kids, so we wanted to have something designated for them that was a little more age-appropriate,” Sheare said.
Approximately 40 church volunteers ran the event throughout the day, caring for upwards of 200 children and their families.
Aside from playing games and earning sweet treats, children were also allowed to enter a series of raffles. One lucky girl and boy each won a bicycle, with other baskets featuring games, snacks and more.
With his Paw Patrol basket in hand, 4-year-old Ameer King was ready to take on his first game. Walking over to the lollipop toss, his mother Khadayah Whitaker explained why she keeps coming back to Fellowship Church for the event.
“He had so much fun last year,” she said, adding that events such as Saturday’s give small children more options for longer periods of time. “There’s so many people. We love the community.”
