Egg hunters are searching throughout North Florida communities for large plastic eggs. The red, blue and even shark-painted treasure troves are filled with candy, toys and even cash.
The game is simple: a photo of a newly hidden egg is posted to Facebook along with a riddle hinting at its location. Once a resident finds the prize, they get to keep what's inside but are tasked with filling it back up and hiding it again for the next person to find.
Cristina Keith is the person behind the hunt. She says she got the idea after finding the eggs on sale at the Dollar Store.
“I’m sitting on the porch and I get the idea, ‘How cool would it be to start a scavenger hunt where people could find the egg, keep the items that are in the egg, refill the egg and then rehide the egg?" she says.
Keith started the hunt in Bristol, but since then she’s expanded throughout surrounding communities. With that expansion, she's had to recruit help. including Victoria Pitts and Flower Lucas. They say the game has taken their small towns by storm.
“It gives people the idea to get out and go enjoy things and do something with your friends or do something with your family," Pitts says. "Just to get out of the house and do something different.”
“In a lot of small towns its everyone knows everybody, word of mouth gets around really fast,” Lucas says.
And she means fast. Admins posted this hint at 4:28 P.M. and within 5 minutes the egg was found on the playground at Honeyville park by Candace Meridith and her granddaughter.
“She was so excited," Meridith says. "We could see the egg and a little bit of the red just coming down the road and as it got more visible, the more excited she got. I was excited for her!”
Keith says she’s excited to see residents of all ages are on the hunt.
“I get so stoked when I see the teenage kids from about 11-16 because those are the too cool for school kids," Keith says. "This event is literally for everyone.”
The hunt will continue through the end of July. Keith says while it's still early, they are planning more possible hunts during winter break and next year.
