By CHARLES MELTON
Editor
Chinese philosopher Confucius said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” At Peninsula Services’ gift shop in downtown Bremerton that quote has taken on an eggs-trodinary meaning.
The results of that egg-cellent journey will be evident on March 22 when children of all ages participate in the American Legion Post No. 149 annual Easter Egg Hunt at Forest Ridge Park.
Last year Peninsula Services helped prepare eggs for the event, which included hard-boiled eggs in addition to candy-filled plastic eggs, said Peninsula Services supervisor Janet Foster.
This year, instead of dealing with the hassle of hard-boiled eggs, the challenge is to fill 10,000 plastic eggs in the three weeks leading up to the event, Foster said.
Crews are working in three four-hour shifts to accomplish the mission, she said on Tuesday as a group of eight people with differing ability levels worked as a team to make a dent in the first 1,000 eggs.
Each individual was given a role in the process, from distributing empty eggs to actually filling the eggs with candy to depositing the finished eggs in a basket.
“It’s amazing what these people can do, if they’re given a chance,” Foster said.
Some of them are autistic, blind, deaf or otherwise physically or mentally challenged, but they can still make a positive difference in the community, she said.
The idea of filling 10,000 eggs might seem mind-boggling to many, but to Foster it’s just another opportunity for the group to succeed.
“We will get it done by the Easter Egg hunt,” Foster said.
For Peninsula Services executive director Jill Robinson, the egg-stuffing effort is just another example of the positive impact the organization seeks to make in people’s lives.
“It is absolutely inspirational to watch what emerges from people, including the people that we serve, when they are given an opportunity to excercise their own talents, and to contribute to the world around them,” Robinson said. “People begin to excel with their individual strengths.”
When people are given those types of opportunities, they begin to develop positive self-esteem and a greater happiness in life, she said.
“We are pleased that those working at Peninsula Services are able to give back to their community. So are they,” Robinson said. s
