A helicopter set to fly over Camp Jordan on Saturday will have a payload of 50,000 Easter eggs to be dropped for three hunts hosted by Venue Church.SAVE THE DATEHere are more egg hunts to put on your calendar. Submit yours online at www.ChattanoogaNow.com.April 12:¦ Easter Egg Palooza at St. Luke United Methodist Church, Chattanooga¦ Doggie egg hunt at McKamey Animal Center, Chattanooga.¦ Easter egg hunt for pooches at Fletcher Park, Cleveland, Tenn.¦ Easter egg hunt for pooches at Fletcher Park, Cleveland, Tenn.¦ Glow-in-the-dark egg hunt at Fort Mountain State Park, Chatsworth, Ga.April 19:¦ Speggtacular Saturday egg hunt at Oakwood Baptist churches in Chickamauga and Ringgold, Ga.¦ Spring Egg-stravaganza at James H. "Sloppy" Floyd State Park, Summerville, Ga.
Appearances by the Easter Bunny multiply this weekend with photo-ops starting at three more shopping malls and a massive community egg hunt in which the eggs drop from a helicopter.
BUNNY PHOTOS
The bunny is already in residence at Hamilton Place, 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd. Look for him through Saturday, April 19, on the lower level near the Belk Women & Children's Store.
Starting Saturday, April 5, he'll add Northgate, Bradley Square and Walnut Square malls to the itinerary.
¦ Northgate Mall -- 271 Northgate Mall, Hixson. The spring scene is located near Sears. Photo hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday (breaks at 1 and 5 p.m.), noon-6 p.m. Sunday (break at 3 p.m.); break times are subject to change. For more information, call 423-875-4351 or go to www.visitnorthgatemall.com.
¦ Bradley Square Mall -- 200 Paul Huff Parkway, NW, Cleveland, Tenn. Photo hours are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Pet nights with the bunny are scheduled 6-8 p.m. the next two Mondays, April 7 and 14. For more information, call 423-472-5080 or go to www.shopbradleysquare.com.
¦ Walnut Square Mall -- 816 Walnut Square Blvd., Dalton, Ga. Look for the bunny at Center Court. Bunny hours are the same as mall hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 706-226-3777 or go to www.walnutsquaremall.com.
HELICOPTER EGG DROP
Venue Church, a nondenominational church launched in October 2013 on Shallowford Road, will celebrate its first Easter with a helicopter egg drop Saturday, April 5, at Camp Jordan, 315 Camp Jordan Road, East Ridge.
Some 50,000 eggs are expected to be released in three intervals: 2, 3 and 4 p.m. The event, which is scheduled from 1 to 5 p.m., also will feature activities such as a petting zoo, bounce houses, face painting and pony rides. Prize giveaways include a PlayStation 4, iPad Mini and 40-inch television. Activities will be held rain or shine.
Admission is free, but registration is required at www.TheVenueChurch.com. Attendees are asked to check in at least 30 minutes before their scheduled egg drop. A printed ticket or electronic version on a smartphone may be presented.
The idea for the egg drop was conceived as an effort to connect Venue Church with the community and create a tradition for Chattanooga families, says Pastor Tavner Smith.
Smith is so dedicated to the idea that he even sold his truck to raise funds, according to a news release.
"Radical giving is one of the core values of Venue Church, and I believe this event will make a positive impact on many lives, so I was happy to be the first to contribute," he says.
Average weekly attendance at Venue Church is 350, with a 30 percent increase in the last month, Smith says. Easter will mark the beginning of a third worship service each Sunday.