POUGHKEEPSIE – Twenty-three years ago John Flowers held an Easter egg hunt in Poughkeepsie. Flowers passed away in 2015 but his legacy shined through for the annual Easter egg hunt at Waryas Park on Saturday.
With the assistance of corporate sponsors, community groups, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Poughkeepsie, several hundred children of all ages were picking up 40,000 plastic eggs stuffe
d with candy. The law firm of O’Connor and Partners provided 2,000 baskets filled with treats for the children and the entire event was free to the public.
“We are absolutely amazed at the turnout,” said John’s son Frankie Flowers. “With the help of our partners and supporters, we have put together one of the largest Easter egg hunts in New York, and it’s only fitting that we’re at John Flowers Cirle at Waryas Park.
Despite gray skies and the threat of rain, more than 1,000 people gathered at the Poughkeepsie waterfront for the event. “This is great to see,” said John’s daughter Yvonne Flowers, a member of the city’s common council. “This is true community spirit and everyone has come together to make this as fun as it is.”
The sheriff’s office set up a display consisting of their K-9 units, motorcycles, ATVs, and a boat for people to learn about. The deputies let the kids and adults sit on the vehicles and learn about the different uses. Sheriff Kirk Imperati joined the festivities and told Mid-Hudson News that “The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office is always dedicated to the residents of Dutchess County and the city of Poughkeepsie so it’s a pleasure to work with Frankie Flowers in carrying on the tradition his father set forth a number of years ago.”
Video of some 3-5-year-olds taking their turn at collecting eggs:
