MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - Donning their best dress with baskets in hand, several families filed around the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Chapel April 8 for the air station’s annual Easter egg hunt.
The non-denominational chapel held Sunday morning services before the gathering on the chapel lawn.
“Three, two, one – go!” counted down religious personal assistant, Seaman Analiza Gordy, sprawling the candy-crazed children into an egg frenzied free-for-all.
“Holiday occasions are when families can focus on each other,” said Cmdr. Carl P. Koch, command chaplain at the air station. “Everybody’s got their cameras, photographing for the sake of capturing those memorable moments.”
One Marine, set to deploy to Afghanistan soon, said the day spent with his family was especially enjoyable.
“I think he got enough eggs,” Staff Sgt. Jai Le said, smiling down at his 5-year-old son, Jett.
Le, a communications chief with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28, said he, his wife and children usually go home to Louisiana for Easter, but with the upcoming deployment going home this weekend wasn’t workable.
“This is the first Easter we’ve spent just the four of us,” he said. “But it was nice to spend it with the people here at the chapel who we consider family.”
As for the kids, most of them seemed happy enough just to be leaving with full Easter baskets.