4,000 Kids & 1,000,000 Easter Eggs

Scott Craver doesn’t have a job, but he’s spent 37 years in various fireman/fireman-related roles, with the last fourteen as Assistant Fire Chief for the Saginaw Fire Department.

So Craver really does have a job? Technically, the answer is yes. Emotionally, what he does goes far beyond a paycheck and a job description.

“It’s so much more,” Craver said. “Being a fireman is the only dream I’ve ever had. I started spending time at the station when I was just a kid, and I was the mascot for the department when I was thirteen. I never thought of anything else, and both my sons were the same way. It gives me tremendous pride to say they’re fire fighters as well.”

What are the duties of an Assistant Fire Chief? Regardless of the location, the list of responsibilities reads about the same, with one major exception for Craver. Every year, before the daffodils bloom and before the Robins convene for worm-hunting sessions, Craver is at his desk writing letters to every registered business in the city of Saginaw. He’s asking for donations to fund the annual Saginaw Fire Department-sponsored Easter egg hunt.

“We raised about $10,000 last year,” he said proudly. “This year, on April 1, marks our 34th consecutive hunt. I order plastic eggs from Sunny Bunny Eggs with the business donations. Each one is filled with candy or a small toy. I also buy a hundred Easter baskets from Walmart as special prizes. The event is held at Willow Creek Park and is attended by Saginaw’s personal Easter Bunny.”

Is the hunt well-attended? Can you stretch your imagination in all four directions and picture approximately 4,000 kids gathered in one place? The answer is yes if that number satisfies your definition of “well-attended.” And how many eggs are needed? We’re not certain but probably around 1,000,000! Mind-boggling!

The cut-off age for participating in the hunt is ten.

“It begins at 10:00 a.m. sharp,” Craver said. “We call the first age group over the speaker and kids come running. They keep coming until 2:00 and it seems as if they have those eggs cleared out in about three minutes. It’s really something to see.”

Does Craver think about retiring from this job that’s not really a job? “I’m only 51,” he answered, “so I’ll go at least another ten years, and probably longer.”

Regardless of the date of his retirement party, nothing will keep him away from the annual hunt.