The Easter Bunny will be hopping down the bunny trail to Galena Park on April 8 for Draper's annual Spring Egg Hunt. Children age 12 and under can hunt for candy-filled eggs, take photos with the Easter Bunny and get their faces painted.

The Spring Egg Hunt has been a Draper tradition for decades and hundreds of children participate every year. Many volunteers are required to make sure the event goes smoothly. Members of the Draper City Mayor's Youth Council are once again helping out with this year's egg hunt—and having fun in the process.

Cooper Johnson, a senior at Corner Canyon High School played an Easter Bunny last year. "It was a blast!" he said. "It made me really happy. It was so great to see the big grins on the kids' faces." He is looking forward to possibly donning the fuzzy ears again this year.

Youth Mayor Shaelyn Preede, a senior at Corner Canyon and First Attendant in the Miss Draper scholarship program, was a photographer at last year’s Spring Egg Hunt. “The best part of the egg hunt was walking around with the Easter Bunny before the event officially started,” she recalled. “The Easter Bunny took photos, danced and even slid down the playground’s slide to entertain the children.” 

The Youth Council members volunteer in a variety of capacities at the event. They put out thousands of candy-filled filled plastic eggs around the park, take photos, paint kids' faces and generally help to keep an eye on things.

To make sure that children of all ages and abilities have a fair chance to collect eggs, Galena Park will be divided into four sections for different age groups and children with special needs. Families with children in multiple age groups should choose the section that best fits their needs. Children are encouraged to collect eggs without help from an adult unless they are under the age of 2 or have special needs.

"I helped out last year with putting eggs in a particular area for the littlest kids so it was easier for them to pick them up," said Corner Canyon High School junior Ashlee Jensen. "We make sure the bigger kids don't take them."

"I just love all the events that Draper always has," Jensen added as she explained what inspired her to join the Mayor's Youth Council. "The opportunity to give back to the community is really special."

Councilmembers volunteer for all of Draper's seasonal community events, including the Haunted Trail, Draper Days, the International Arts and Crafts Festival and the Tree Lighting Ceremony. With 87 members this year, it is the largest youth council in the state.

“The Draper Youth Council is a fantastic way for high school students to be involved in their community through leadership, service and activities,” Preede said via email. 

“You get to meet people in the community that you wouldn’t ordinarily get to meet,” Jensen said. “I love doing Youth Council.” 

The Spring Egg Hunt starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 8, at Galena Park, 12500 S. Vista Station Blvd. (550 West). Children must bring their own baskets and families are encouraged to arrive early as the eggs go quickly. For more information, visit www.draperutah.gov/931/Spring-Egg-Hunt or call the Community Events Manager at 801-576-6584.