Thousands of treasure hunters, hundreds of kilograms of chocolates and tens of thousands of dollars raised for the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation made for very successful Easter Egg Hunt at Kingston Park on Good Friday.
It was the popular venue’s first taste of holding the major charity event and by all accounts from young and old, it was a winning formula.
Last year it was held at Government House at the Royal Botanical Gardens but switched this year to Kingston, at the popular park which is a purpose-built playground and one of the places to visit for southern Tasmanian children.
In previous years it was held at the Botanical Gardens before renovations forced it to move.
Research Foundation CEO, Steph Furler, was generous of her praise of Kingborough Council’s support in staging the event and playing host to more than 2500 children.
“The Council has been great, and we couldn’t have wished for a better venue,” Ms Furler said.
“How good is this?
“It’s a purpose-built playground designed for children of all ages and totally enclosed.
“It’s a paradise for kids.
“It’s a fantastic fundraising event, but also really great to see Tasmanian coming out in force to help out other Tasmanians in need”.
The hunt raised about $60,000 with money raised going towards supporting kids in hospital, including through art therapy programs and new equipment purchases.
The Foundation also supports initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of all Tasmanians.
It funds crucial medical research, provide state-of-the-art equipment, patient support services, and education programs for healthcare professionals.
“From developing innovative diagnostic tests and treatments to equipping hospital departments with life-saving tools, every dollar raised drives meaningful change across the health system,” Ms Furler said.
“Together, we’re supporting patients, empowering clinicians, and advancing care for all Tasmanians.”
The organisation on the day was seamless with dozens of volunteers, many of them teenagers, making sure the youngsters had the time of their lives.
In between time taken to collect clues, there were non-stop activities all day ranging from the Blundstone boot tossing competition, a train ride around the site courtesy of the Rotary Club, Lindisfarne, a circus workshop and the chance to sit behind the wheel of a prime mover truck.
There was no time for boredom.
To go into the hunt, all that was required was a ticket which entitled the holder to a treasure map with clues and the all-important identification band.
Once all the clues were marked off by the volunteers, the participants could head up to the prize tent and collect their booty of easter eggs.
There was plenty of fun, plenty of smiles and plenty of chocolate devoured.
