Beep-beep, can you hear the eggs? On Sunday, April 9, 2017 children on the South Plains will hear beeping Easter eggs at Maxey Park for the Alström Angels Beeping Egg Hunt. Many blind and vision impaired children will get to experience the long-loved Easter tradition with the help of special eggs designed to create an audible beep.

The community event is brought to Lubbock by Alström Angels, a Lubbock-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children diagnosed with Alström Syndrome.  The charity focuses on raising funds for medical research and increasing awareness of the rare disease.  Alström Syndrome is a genetic disease that affects children with complete blindness, deafness, type 2 diabetes, kidney and liver failure, congestive heart failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. “Because childhood blindness is such a big part of Alström Syndrome, the Beeping Egg Hunt is a great way for us to raise awareness for all blind and vision impaired children,” said Cassie Johnston, co-founder and executive director of Alström Angels.

Hear the Beeps, Find the Eggs:

According to the Division for Blind Services, there are more than 100 children living with a vision impairment in Lubbock and the surrounding areas.  “Children with visual impairments have a difficult time participating in activities like their sighted siblings or peers,” said Jennifer Matlock, blind children’s specialist with the Division for Blind Services in Lubbock.  “Events like a beeping Easter egg hunt are adapted to allow them the opportunity to interact and participate with other children.  As a result, it helps blind or visually impaired children to feel included in activities just like their sighted siblings or peers.”

Fun for the Entire Family:

The Beeping Egg Hunt is a community event for the whole family to enjoy.  All children will be able to participate in the Hunt.  Blindfolds will be given to sighted children, and they, like their vision-impaired counterparts, will get to experience what it would be like to hunt eggs without their vision.  Alongside the hunting grounds the event will host areas to hit beeping baseballs, a petting zoo, face painting and bounce houses.

“It was so much fun! Plus it gave kids who aren’t visually impaired a chance to experience what we go through every day,” said Scout Sonnenberg, an 11-year-old with vision impairment who attended the beeping egg hunt last year. 

Scout’s dad, Lee Sonnenberg, added, “Our family had an amazing experience with all three kids hunting the beeping Easter eggs.  Scout loved being able to best her siblings by finding more eggs.  It was so much fun!”

The Beeping Egg Hunt will be held on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at Maxey Park from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and is open to the general public.  The event will host continuous egg hunts throughout the afternoon, allowing attendees to come and go at their leisure.  There is no admission charge to attend the Beeping Egg Hunt and related activities.

(News release from Alström Angels)