Olympia’s Project Easter Basket continues to grow

The basement of Olympia’s First United Methodist Church was packed Saturday with toys, candy and overflowing Easter baskets.

Colorful ribbons and plastic grass littered the floor as volunteers worked to assemble 354 Easter baskets before the doors opened at noon.

Event organizer Michelle Moore, of Barb O’Neill’s Family and Friends, said people were especially generous with donations this year. She expected that by the end of the day, all of the baskets and stuffed animals would be taken by children from across the county.

“This event is about family,” Moore said. “Everyone is welcome. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from.”

Moore’s mother, Barb O’Neill, began serving free community holiday meals 48 years ago. Sometime along the way, her organization began running Project Easter Basket.

O’Neill’s legacy continues after her death. The holiday meals draw as many as 1,500 people, and Project Easter Basket is growing.

This is the first year the event has operated from the Methodist church, Moore said. It had been at The United Churches for more than 20 years.

Along with the new venue, the program saw a group of fresh-faced volunteers stuffing eggs and preparing the baskets. Seven Girl Scouts from a Lacey-based troop bustled around the room helping the adults.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said Tylar Alexander, 10. “It’s exciting because we get to help people.”

Debbie Kerrick, who leads the troop, said the girls collected about $1,000 in candy and toys to help fill the Easter baskets. Her troop is focused on community service — the girls participate in at least one volunteer project every month.

“I just want the girls to have compassion for their fellow human beings,” Kerrick said. “And who knows? Maybe they’ll continue having that compassion for the rest of their lives.”

Kerrick said she hopes the troop will have a long relationship with Barb O’Neill Family and Friends. She said she admires the work the nonprofit does with the county’s homeless population.

Kerrick’s granddaughter, 9-year-old Althea Kerrick, said volunteering at Project Easter Basket has taught her a lot.

“I learned that Easter is important to a lot of people,” Althea said. “And some of those people don’t have a lot of toys or a home.”

This story was originally published March 26, 2016 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Olympia’s Project Easter Basket continues to grow."