REALTOR® Ron Neal had no idea when he organized a small Easter egg hunt for his kids 17 years ago just how important that newfound tradition would become for his Victoria, B.C. community.
Last weekend marked the RE/MAX Alliance Neal Estate Team’s 17th annual Easter egg hunt supporting British Columbia Children’s Hospital. About 500 children attended the hunt – an impressive increase from the early days when only Neal’s closest family and friends would take part.
“It started with just a handful of people and soon a few of my clients invited other clients and then those clients were inviting family and friends. Now it’s become a go-to community event,” Neal said. “Local media get involved. It’s broadcast on TV. It’s such a fun thing to do.”
He said about $3,000 was raised for the hospital this year from the hunt, but that his office has donated well over $100,000 through personal donations.
“I think that it’s important to give back,” said Neal, who is also on the hospital’s board of governors. “As REALTORS®, we’re really out there as ambassadors in our communities. We should be setting an example for people.”
He said this year’s hunt featured more than 30,000 chocolates and they were all gone in “the blink of an eye.”
The hunt, held at Beaver Lake Regional Park, also included face-painting, crafts stations and visits from Peter Cottontail himself.
Neal said 100 per cent of the proceeds from the event went to the BC Children’s Hospital.
