If there is one thing about Easter that delights us all, it has to be the excitement our children feel the closer it gets. What with Easter egg hunts and special church services, there is just too much to take in sometimes. I’m sure most of you remember what it was like when you were a child, wondering what the Easter Bunny was going to bring you.
I know I did. My brothers and I always got Easter baskets. They would arrive on the hearth of my parents home like magic. To this day, I am sure it was. They weren’t there when I toddled off to bed but they were when I awoke. Had to be magic, right?
Chocolate bunnies and eggs and plastic toys, all overflowing in baskets that were real. None of this fake stuff like they have these days. I see you smiling … you must have had one, too.
No, these were the real deal. Mine still lives in the attic of my mother’s home. I am sure that when she passes, I will keep that Easter basket for a while, just in case. One never knows when the Easter Bunny might show up.
As we approach Easter, I want to congratulate the winners of our Easter Coloring Contest:
First place went to Kylie Ringer of Pomaria. Parents Brett and Cara must be proud! Second place went to Emily D. Hawkins, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Russell Hawkins of Newberry and third place went to Josie Price of Newberry. Parents Amanda Yon and Tommy Price are certainly very proud of you!
If no one from The Observer has called you yet, be sure to stop by our office, located conveniently at 1716 Main St., to pick up your Easter Basket for winning, presented courtesy of Sonic. We can’t give it away but we think you will like it! Be sure to give yourself some time when you drop by so we can get a photo of you, your folks, your drawing and the basket. Then look for it in an upcoming edition of our paper.
Speaking of awards, Andrew Wigger, one of our writers, attended the S.C. Press Association annual awards luncheon this past weekend to collect two awards: a first place award for Sports Enterprise Writing and a second place award for column writing. Nice going, Andrew!
Andrew’s winning story was about Newberry College being able to bid for post-season NCAA events, something they had not been able to do because of the Confederate Battle flag controversy that started many years ago. But once the flag came down, the folks over at Newberry College got busy, an effort that was chronicled in his story.
It was nice for us to be able to write something positive about that whole flag brouhaha, especially when it means bringing people to Newberry. We are looking forward to seeing their efforts pay off down the line.
On a side note, I won an Honorable Mention for a story I wrote late last year about George Epting. If you are a regular reader of The Observer, then you will recall that he is the World War II veteran who received a quilt of valor. I spent an afternoon with him for the story and enjoyed every second of it.
He reminded me of my own father, who was also a World War II veteran. In fact, there were so many similarities between the two that it spurred me to send in for my father’s military records.
Thanks to George, I now know more about my daddy’s military service than I ever knew. So thank you, George.
As I wrap this one up, I just want to say thank you to all of the kids who entered our coloring contest. The next will be held this summer for the Fourth of July so make sure you remember where you store your crayons, markers and pencils. I am thinking you will be needing lots and lots of bright colors for this one!