- December 5, 2025
Samantha Gilliard runs on to the playground to gather Easter eggs during Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tucker Lothian, Hunter Bebon, Emmett Bebon, Hope Bebon, Miley Lothian and Kyle Bebon take their photos with the Easter bunny at Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Fifth grader Skylar Kasmarski works on filling her second bucket at the Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Graham Mauldin had fun coloring the Easter themed dry erase board at Tomoka United Methodist Church's Easter party. Photo by Michele Meyers
Katie Gilliard focuses on coloring the Easter board at the Tomoka United Easter party. Photo by Michele Meyers
Katie Gilliard focuses on coloring the Easter board at the Tomoka United Easter party. Photo by Michele Meyers
Janie Rogers and her granddaughter Teddy Steverson play the games at Tomoka United Methodist Church's Easter party. Rogers calls her the Tedmeister. Photo by Michele Meyers
Maya Ramos (right) plays the games at Tomoka United Methodist Church's Easter party as her grandparents Doug and Christine (left) watch. Photo by Michele Meyers
Maya Ramos (right) plays the games at Tomoka United Methodist Church's Easter party as her grandparents Doug and Christine (left) watch. Photo by Michele Meyers
Domonick Sheldon guesses how many jelly beans are in the jar at the Tomoka United Methodist Church's Easter party. Photo by Michele Meyers
Domonick Sheldon guesses how many jelly beans are in the jar at the Tomoka United Methodist Church's Easter party. He won the jar of jelly beans and a gift card to Jeremiah's with a guess of 436--one off of the total. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kindergarteners through second graders line up for the Tomoka United Methodist Church annual Easter egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Katie Gilliard runs on to the playground to find Easter eggs at the Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual egg hunt and party. Photo by Michele Meyers
Stella Buccellato is delighted with the egg she found during the Easter egg hunt at the Tomoka United Methodist Church. Photo by Michele Meyers
Emmett Bebon checks out his egg stash during the Easter egg hunt at the Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Madelyn Taylor tries to open her egg during the Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Annah Young throws her candy in her Easter bucket during the Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Tomoka United Methodist Church pastor John Gill helps the Easter egg hunters with their prizes at the annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Volunteer Terri Gill smiles as Stella Buccellato points toward the Easter bunny when he walks into the Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Miley Lothian and Tucker Lothian have fun at Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Miley Lothian, Tucker Lothian and Hunter Bebon have fun at Tomoka United Methodist Church's annual Easter party and egg hunt. Photo by Michele Meyers
Children pointed excitedly and began to move toward the Easter Bunny as he made his way into Bleekman Hall on Saturday, April 1, marking the start of Tomoka United Methodist Church’s annual Easter party and egg hunt.
Family and friends gathered at the event to partake in the festivities. Cindy and Brian Buccellato, with their children Stella and Jack, came from Colorado to join their parents on a month-long vacation in Florida. They stopped in for some fun activities for the kids, photos with the Easter Bunny and the egg hunt.
We enjoy providing activities for families and the community. We invite folks to be a part of our congregation." — Pastor John Gill
Katie and Samantha Gilliard gravitated toward coloring on the dry erase board and the Easter movie being shown in a separate room. Grandfather Barry Petoh was on “grampy duty” since their mom, who is a cardiac nurse, was working. He and his wife have been staying with his daughter’s family in the Trails since Hurricane Ian.
“Grampy’s being the Easter Bunny guide,” he said. “Next month, we move in to our house. It hasn’t been an easy road but there are people that are worse off. We’re getting there.”
Every year, church volunteers offer cookies and juice to the participants before the kids venture outside for the Easter egg hunt. The hunt is divided into three age groups — preschoolers, kindergartners through second grade, and third grade and older. Each plastic egg holds candy or a prize-specific note which is collected at the prize table.
Pastor John Gill helped the kids empty their eggs and discover which prizes they had won.
“We enjoy providing activities for families and the community,” he said. “We invite folks to be a part of our congregation.”
