"It's not easy running around with the three of them," Benoit said.
However, there was another event last Saturday that had to take precedence.
"My daughters [Elena, age 6, and Christina, age 5] were so excited about the Easter Egg Hunt," Benoit said. "They look forward to it for weeks. When Easter's coming, they know that it's time for the egg hunt, so we have to go. I can't disappoint them."
With that, the baseball bat and glove were put on the backseat, in order that the Benoit sisters could join approximately 300 other youngsters, ages infant to 8 years old, in the pursuit of eggs that could lead to getting two-foot high chocolate bunnies.
The event, which was held at Louisa Park off Boulevard East, has been a staple of Weehawken Recreation's annual calendar for the last 16 years, with its popularity growing every year.
Donna Daly has been the supervisor of the Weehawken Easter Egg Hunt for several years. The event has transformed into a labor of love for Daly, who begins preparing three months in advance.
The first and most important aspect is securing the right chocolate. Store-bought bunnies just won't cut it. Daly orders more than 400 of the sweet rabbits from Bromilow's Chocolates in Little Falls, so each treat is 100 percent homemade.
"In order to get the chocolate bunnies in time, you have to order them months in advance," Daly said.
Tickets are placed inside plastic eggs, and the lucky youngsters who find an egg with a ticket inside get the bigger chocolate prize.
Even though the only kids who find the winning eggs get giant bunnies, all of the participants get regular-sized rabbits.
Daly then has to secure the services of the cast of characters that make appearances at the hunt, like the Easter Bunny (whose schedule is just a little tight just before the big day), Mr. and Mrs. Chick (whom the kids loved) and another year-'round favorite, Big Bird.
"I loved being with Big Bird and the chickies," said Elena Benoit. "I like to see them. I like them better than getting the chocolate."
"My kids aren't real big candy eaters, thank God," Tammy Benoit said. "They just have a lot of fun seeing the characters and looking for the eggs. Christina was a little afraid of the characters, but she loved the chicken. Elena went right up and hugged the Easter Bunny. It's wonderful to see the way the kids respond."
Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner loved the reactions of the kids who participated.
"It's symbolic to the beginning of spring," Turner said. "The Easter Egg Hunt is a wonderful day. The children love it. It's a great time. It seems like a simple activity, but there's actually a lot of work involved."
The staff was busy Saturday morning turning Louisa Park into an Easter playland. Nearly 1,000 balloons were inflated and hung around the park. The eggs had to be placed strategically throughout the park, but not hidden so far out of plain sight that the kids couldn't find them.
Each child was able to find one egg - and then were able to see if they won a bigger chocolate prize.
Township recreation director Chuck Barone said that the event is factored into the recreation budget "for a few thousand dollars."
"We had a sizeable crowd," Barone said. "The weather, with the threat of rain, may have held some people back. But it was still a good turnout. The little kids really enjoy themselves, looking for the eggs. The staff really gets behind this event, and everyone has a lot of fun. Every kid is guaranteed something. The kids have a great time, and the workers have a great time."
The organizers said that although the event takes a lot of work, the rewards are plentiful.
"When you get to see how excited the kids get when they get an egg," Daly said, "it's just simple, old fashioned fun."
"It's always pleasing when you get to put smiles on the faces of the children," Barone said. "You get a big thrill out of it. It makes the whole day worthwhile."
Turner said that the entire recreation department, as well as other township employees, deserves credit for running a successful event.
"It took a lot of work," Turner said. "Once again, Chuck's crew did an outstanding job. But the Parks and DPW (Department of Public Works) people had to work hard after a tough winter to get Louisa Park in tip-top shape. It all clicked. It turned out to be a nice day."
If you need proof, ask young Elena Benoit.
"I got a good, big bunny," Elena said. "It was a lot of fun."
"My kids look forward to all the events," Tammy Benoit said. "I think it's great to see them get so excited, going and looking for the eggs, seeing them with the characters. It's really great to see them so happy."
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