Miami Lakes volunteers plan Easter event: debate over egg‑hunt timing, vendors and volunteer needs

The Miami Lakes CDP Activities Task Force spent the bulk of its Feb. 20 meeting on planning the town’s Easter event, discussing vendors, sponsors, volunteer counts and the schedule.

Bridal Rodriguez, committee chair, said she had been contacted by a pediatrician (Dr. Sanjay) and a vendor to provide a booth, and reported that ‘‘Oscar’’ can handle face painting and other vendor services. Rodriguez said giving Oscar the face‑painting contract would free committee funds for other activities and sponsors. Several members agreed: ‘‘Give everything to Oscar, and we have nothing to do but…’’ one member said, describing how outsourcing those services would reduce the committee’s logistical burden.

Members debated timing and crowd control. Several participants proposed a single egg hunt to avoid multiple overlaps; the group discussed start times that ranged from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for the egg hunt and event windows that ranged from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. to 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Rodriguez and others argued for an earlier public opening to allow parking and staging time; at one point a participant summarized a common suggestion as starting the event at 9:30 a.m. with a single egg hunt at 10:30 a.m. The discussion included enforcement concerns after a chaotic Halloween event the previous year; members emphasized keeping the egg hunt ‘‘simple’’ and fair for all children.

Volunteers and safety were a recurring focus. Members debated how many volunteers would be needed to place and guard eggs immediately before the hunt; estimates in the conversation ranged from about 20 volunteers up to 75. Rodriguez said repeatedly that the more volunteers, the faster the eggs could be distributed and the less opportunity there would be for people to take entire boxes at once. Committee members also discussed the need for water for volunteers, a trailer for volunteers to rest, and a weight limit for pony rides.

Sponsorships and finances were addressed. Rodriguez said sponsorship money must be submitted up front (no payment plans) and that sponsorship tiers determine the level of benefits a sponsor receives; Specialty Smiles was noted as having made a midpoint sponsorship. Members discussed approaching local businesses, churches and the Chamber of Commerce for sponsorship and outreach; several members volunteered to attend chamber luncheons to pitch the event.

No formal motions to finalize the event time, volunteer numbers or vendor contracts were recorded in the transcript. Members asked staff and volunteers to secure quotes, finalize sponsor commitments, confirm vendor availability (including Oscar for face painting), and return with recommended wording for flyers and the sponsorship packet at a future or an emergency meeting.

Why it matters The Easter event attracts families and large crowds; clear scheduling, volunteer staffing and vendor coordination determine whether the event runs smoothly and equitably for participants. The committee flagged the event as requiring more volunteer recruitment, clearer messaging about a single egg hunt, and up‑front sponsor funding to secure key services.