Children’s laughter was heard and many grinning faces were seen as kids and families alike ran around Alumni Circle finding colorful eggs and hidden prizes at Cubs on the Hunt April 12.

The event was organized by the Office of Student Advocacy and Community and featured an Easter egg hunt as well as crafting activities and face painting.

Many students, faculty, and members of the community came out to hunt eggs and enjoy an afternoon of fun together.

Loudspeakers played fun music and tables were set up where kids and their families could do different crafts like painting and coloring pages.

The children had the opportunity to find one thousand regular eggs and twenty-four special golden eggs which could be turned in for extra prizes.

Maria Negrete Padron serves as the Associate Director in the Office of Student Advocacy and Community and was a main organizer for the event.

She said, “We sent out a survey at the beginning of the semester for student parenting student, pregnant and or parenting students.”

“One of the things that the parenting students said they wanted to see more events for students with kids and kid friendly events overall,” she said.

 “That’s how this idea started,” Padron said. “We thought it was a great idea to incorporate kids on a Saturday and be able to do something for anyone that was able to come.”

She said the prizes included “a lot of little toys, balls, stamps on little notebooks, and, of course, candy and chocolate candy.”

“In the middle section of the alumni circle between the two sidewalks, it was zero to three-year-olds,” Padron said.

“Then the next section, closer to library, that was the four to eight-year-olds. All around the circle was for anyone up and older,” she said.

Padron said they had placed the golden eggs all around the circle by dividing “eight eggs for the small kids, eight eggs for the middle age group, and then eight for the older.”

Vice President for University Advancement Mary Lackie came with her family and grandchildren.

“I’m always looking for something to do with my grandkids,” she said, “and this was a beautiful day.” 

“My youngest grandson was in town, even though he understood little to appreciate what an egg hunt is. It’s always fun to get the cousins together,” Lackie said. 

She said, “We did color some little wooden flowers and a bird, and then we did the egg hunt.”

“I think it’s fun because it gives people that have kids or grandkids, that are students or work here an opportunity to bring their kids here,” Lackie said.

She said, “You never know how young a kid might start thinking and feeling at home here, and want to be a part of the UCA family someday.”

“Everybody got a lot [of eggs]. I saw people with some pretty big baskets full,” she said.

Lackie said there was a memorable experience that “wasn’t funny, but there was one bush that had flowers all over it where there were eggs hidden, and there were giant bumble bees in there so none of the kids wanted to get those eggs.”

She said that she thinks these sorts of family events at UCA are “super important.” 

“These are the things that kids will remember someday, hopefully, and simple things that don’t involve electronics,” she said.

“I love being at UCA,” Lackie said. “It’s an awesome institution, and I’m glad we are a place that cares about families and has activities for families and kids and grandkids.”

Lackie’s granddaughter Abigail said she enjoyed the event and had fun “hanging out with my baby cousin.”

OSAC will be holding one final event for this semester where it will be offering popcorn April 24 in Bernard Hall 207.

Any further information on OSAC and its resources or events can be found on Instagram at @uca_osac or OSAC’s official website.