CARIBOU, Maine — The city of Caribou held a surprise Easter event at the Wellness and Recreation Center on April 9, which featured treats for local youth and an appearance from the Easter bunny.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and statewide social distancing orders, rules for the event were for people to remain in their cars, pull up in front of the gym doors, where one person could leave their vehicle to pick up one gift bag per child.
Caribou Marketing and Events Director Christina Kane-Gibson said she and other city officials originally planned the event for April 10.
“We realized we had to do it today because of the impending storm,” she said. “We got the Easter bunny to come and had a blast just waving to people. They’d put their windows down and we’d tell them how much we miss seeing them at the rec center. Even when we ran out of candy, we stayed out with the bunny, and some kids just came to wave at him.”
Guests were asked not to hug or high-five the bunny and to keep their distance during the drive-through event.
“Kids lit up like crazy and were smiling,” she said. “It was nice being able to see people and give them a reason to take a quick ride with their kids who regularly attend our programs.”
Looking ahead, Kane-Gibson said she plans to come up with more ways to connect with the community while social distancing, including using online videos to stay in touch with everyone.
“We want to let people know that we’re here and as soon as we can get programs and events going again, we absolutely will,” she said.
