Dana Nowland and Chanel Jadack hold fourth annual Easter egg hunt in Sauk City
A Wisconsin Spring staple across Wisconsin, the Easter Egg hunt, seems to be an event that children and adults alike look forward to each year. It is an opportunity to break up the monotony of a long winter and enjoy the outdoors.
Last Saturday, Meyer Oak Grove Park in Sauk City, Wisconsin, was filled with children and their families to hunt for the elusive eggs and have fun outside. The event was started four years ago by area residents Dana Nowland and Chanel Jadack, as a way to give back to the community and bring people together.
“This is an event that Chanel Jadack and myself created. It’s an event we wanted to do for the community that we live in, we work in. We just so happen to be agents for the First Weber Realtors office in Middleton. This actually started at a different brokerage, and then we switched brokerages and now it just trickled over to First Weber. So, it's our event, but we do use our business as promoting, but essentially it is a personal event,” Nowland said.
Nowland and Jadack feel holding this event is a way for them to give back to the community. A way to emphasize their appreciation for the surrounding areas doing business with them, the event vendors and sponsors. Nowland said, “It's all about supporting each other.”
The event has been held at the Meyer Oak Grove Park the last four years and rightfully so with the amount of space for people to gather.
The hunt boasted 3000 eggs, 1500 on one side of the park, and 1500 on the opposite. Nowland shared that last year they had over 500 people, and from looking at their online registration they had easily surpassed that. “3000 eggs won't be enough. So next year, we'll probably be doing 5000 eggs,” she said enthusiastically.
The event was not limited to just an egg hunt. Other vendors and attractions made sure there was something for everyone. “We have a magician, a tattoo (temporary) station, animal balloon entertainment. The Sauk City volunteer fire department came out today with one of their fire trucks. We have two local bakers one selling macaroons, one selling cupcakes, and our favorite local coffee brewer John Joseph Coffee, selling as well,” Nowland said with a smile. Also featured was a bounce house for the children, and for those that worked up an appetite, Juana Cubana and Jose’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant food trucks.
New to this year’s event and a favorite so it seemed, was Brown Paws Dog Rescue. The organization is a 501c3 and state licensed rescue. Brown Paws is a Foster-based rescue and 100% volunteer-run. Not having a facility, their dogs and cats are located in foster homes throughout Madison, Wisconsin and the surrounding areas.
When asked how Brown Paws Rescue came to join the event, Nowland said, “I follow them on social media for about two years now. I'm looking for a dog myself and I know other people that also adopt out with Brown Paws Rescue. I just love them. They're fantastic. They do such great things.”
Brown Paws Rescue was founded by Becky Brown. Brown started by fostering for a different rescue and found herself helping working with a Texas rescue to get another one started. Realizing she and her friend Lily were good at starting a rescue operation, they started up their own.
Not having a traditional brick and mortar, Brown acknowledged they do have a shop/warehouse. “When the animals come in to the shop, we keep them for three days. During that time, we feed and water them, get them physically checked out, and they receive microchips before the fosters come and pick them up,” said Brown.
Brown feels being foster-based, it is better for the dogs’ social and mental health, and reduces the stress factor normally experienced in a traditional rescue facility. Fostering, she pointed out, allows a time for socializing with people, making the dogs feel more comfortable. “Socializing them with families, the dogs receive the love that they can't get in shelter. I think it's healing for the dogs,” she said.
Brown said they rely on fundraising and donations. “Things get expensive,” Brown admitted with providing vet services and spaying and neutering.
Working a full-time job and running the rescue, she said it can be stressful. Having 100 foster participants they rotate the dogs with has proven to be a big help and vital to Brown Paws Rescue’s success. “I mean, it's very successful. We had a lot of viewers here looking at the puppies. I think they were pretty popular.”
Also new to the event, the Sauk City Fire Department. Fire fighters Tyler Erickson, Dan Kramer, and Andy Krause had one of the departments newer vehicles available for kids to see up close. “It's great to see the kids jump in the truck. They love all handles on the side of the truck and just jumping all around the truck. We hand out trinkets for all the kids. They love it. The truck is always a big attraction. The line to see the truck has been non-stop,” said Krause.
Seeing so many people attending the event, it’s a sure bet it will continue for years to come. “I think one of the most exciting things for me to be truthful, is when my child, she's too old for the Easter egg hunt, but she loves planning this with us every year and the same goes for Chanel. Chanel’s family jumps right in and we get to work with some of our favorite companies. There are friendships, it's not just business. And then seeing my clients with their kids again today is great! I last saw one of my clients a year and a half ago when she was pregnant, I just got to meet her daughter here today. So, it's just like a reunion for a lot of our community,” Nowland said.
Nowland and Jadack are grateful to the following sponsors:
First Weber Realty, Waunkee Rental, John Joseph Coffee, Nicole Byrne Photography and Design, Brown Paws Rescue, Bank of Prairie Du Sac, The Village Pub, Tools of Marketing, Annisa Baker-Prosperity Mortgage, Piggly Wiggly, The Home Inspector LLC, Kayser Chrysler of Sauk Prairie, Locale-Local Beauty Shop, Pathway to Wellness Clinic, Pinnacle Massage-Lisa Wipperfurth, Culvers, Dairyland Movers/Storage, Frey Construction, Press Box Bar & Grill, Village Family Dental, Bonham Movie Theatre, SP Fitness & SP Nutrition, Riviera Bowl & Pizzeria, JDH Auto Repair LLC, Rural Mutual-Pulsfus Agency, Magical Moments Vacation, Cenex Gas Stations, Erica Mack-Chef & Baker, Ms. Maria- Tattoo Station
Special thanks: Magician Ryan Martin, Balloon Animals- Dawn Ferengo of Pop Art Entertainment, and Fleur de Lis Macarons.
