Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bowen Island Community Recreation (BICR) had to cancel the annual Bowen Easter Egg Hunt, regularly attended by approximately 75 children & a great source of family fun on the Easter long weekend.
To change the focus from an in-person egg hunt to a virtual challenge, I worked with BICR to utilize their connections with THE bunny and FB page with reach to many Bowen families. The R-NSG grant funds purchased prizes from Cocoa West chocolatiers, Undercurrent advertising, gas money and a small honorarium for a local photographer to use his extensive talents to put together a photo album, in a very short timeline (think, less than a week!)
The Community Foundation called an emergency meeting after receiving the application and approved it in good speed for the project to go forward. This was the first recipient of Bowen’s Responsive Neighbourhood Grants program and in collaboration with many others, the idea developed into the Great Bowen Bunny Search Contest. Emmett Sparling Photography came on board immediately and tackled the project, lending his professionalism and talent to the photos and location selections. The end result was an inspiring, hopeful and beautiful array of photos of THE bunny in locations across our island as Bowen Islanders had the opportunity to submit their best guesses and be entered the draw to win three Cocoa West gift certificates. The winners were announced on the BICR FB page the morning after the contest closed.
The outcome of this project was an increased sense of pride & belonging for our community, providing social media users with positive, fun activity and stay connected as we all did our part to stay home during the suggested isolation measures of the early days of the global pandemic.
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