Humane Society Easter Eggstravaganza draws a crowd

Apr 14, 2019

Kids, families and pets all came out to the Humane Society and Shelter SouthCoast on Ventura Drive Saturday afternoon to celebrate Easter with the animals.

It was their third annual Easter fundraiser, and they had it all: a bake sale, a raffle of more than fifty Easter baskets donated by a variety of local people and businesses, an Easter Bunny photo station, egg dyeing tables, and even a popcorn machine.

The shelter’s Executive Director Melinda Ventura said that a former employee came up with the idea.

“It sort of took off,” she explained, “and it’s grown a little bit every year.”

According to Ventura, when they opened at 12:30 p.m., there was a line to get in.

“It was mobbed, you couldn’t find a parking place,” she said. “The parking was all the way up the street. I think the rain actually helped, because all the Easter Egg hunts got cancelled.”

Humane Society volunteer and board member Jen Hickney ran the baked goods table.

“It’s festive and fun, it’s always good to see all the kids in,” she said, adding that she got to see “lots of families, lots of puppies, a rabbit, we had chicks...A whole plethora of [animals].”

Syllina Ramalho brought her son Dominic, 3, from Acushnet for the event. She commented: “It’s super cute. All the baskets are very well done. It’s a nice event to get the animals seen and looked at.”

Verna Lucey comes every year with her service dog Molly, who lost an eye in a pit bull attack.

Molly was dressed up for Easter in a white patterned dress with a blue bow. Last year she came dressed as a parrot, in a feathered costume Lucey made herself.

“She’s my sweetheart,” Lucey said fondly of the pup. “She’s the only one who doesn’t know she’s blind.”

Families packed a room lined with multicolored Easter baskets wrapped in cellophane and dropped bright orange raffle tickets in front of the ones they liked.

In the egg dyeing room, spilled glitter lay strewn across tables and the smell of vinegar pervaded the air as children poked happily at their eggs, staining their hands in the process.

Said Ventura: “It’s a nice little event, and people enjoy it.”