GREENSBURG – Decatur County Memorial Hospital and the Daily News are again partnering this year to welcome the Easter Bunny as the host for the April 13 Easter Egg Hunt at the Decatur County Family YMCA.

The side yard at the Y will again be witness to the iconic mad dash of children ages 2 through 10 as they scramble to collect multicolored plastic eggs filled.

Registration for the egg hunt begins at 11 a.m., and the hunt itself begins promptly at noon.

The event is held in conjunction with the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, which runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and includes a book fair, games, ID cards, prizes, bounce houses, touch-a-truck, and bicycle giveaways. Free lunches will be served to children 18 and under from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. while supplies last.

Egg hunters will be separated into three age groups and one lucky winner in each age group will find a special egg with a ticket for a brand new bicycle, courtesy of Walmart.

Indiana Blood Center also will be on hand in their mobile unit accepting blood donations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m..

And, despite his already busy spring itinerary, the Easter Bunny will be on hand to greet the children from 11 a.m. to noon. The egg hunt is a rain or shine event and will be held inside the YMCA in the case of inclement weather.

All these events are free and open to the public.

Throughout history, the Easter Bunny is sometimes depicted with clothing: brightly colored collar, tie, and vest, and often with a festive hat. He carries colored eggs in his basket, candy, and sometimes toys to the homes of children.

Originating among German Lutherans, the “Easter Hare” originally played the role of a judge, evaluating whether children were good or disobedient in behavior at the start of the season of Eastertide, celebrated the week after Christians typically celebrate Jesus Christ rising from the dead.

According to Wikipedia, the custom was first mentioned in 1682, in the author Georg Franck von Franckenau’s “About Easter Eggs,” referring to a German tradition of an Easter Hare bringing Easter eggs for the children. Typically viewed as signs of fertility, eggs and rabbits have been part of pagan and Christian symbolism of spring (rebirth and renewing) throughout time.

The hare was a popular motif in medieval church art. In ancient times, it was widely believed that the hare was a hermaphrodite. The idea that a hare could reproduce without loss of virginity led to an association with the Virgin Mary, with hares sometimes occurring in lavishly decorated manuscripts and Northern European paintings of the Virgin and Christ Child. Since birds lay eggs and rabbits and hares give birth to large litters in the early spring, these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth in spring.

“I know that lots of kiddies will be there, and that’s great, but what about the chocolate, man?” the Easter Bunny asked. “I love all this fuss about me, but people have to understand that I’m really only there to see the kids have chocolate!”

Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-663-3111, ext. 7911 or email at bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com.