Bonita and Kenny Sohn knew their daughter wasn't going to miss out on collecting eggs at an Easter egg hunt held Saturday at New Life Assembly of God Church.

After all, in the hours leading up to the hunt church volunteers had laid out more than 10,000 multi-colored plastic eggs filled with prizes across the church's property.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Children prepare to hunt for more than 10,000 Easter eggs at New Life Assembly of God Church Saturday afternoon.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

William Bruce-Ross, 10, removes candy from the eggs he collected at an Easter egg hunt at New Life Assembly of God Saturday. The egg hunt featured 10,000 eggs that volunteers hid throughout the church grounds.

Brett A. Clark/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Children run to gather eggs at an Easter egg hunt Saturday sponsored by New Life Assembly of God Church in Elizabeth City. The egg hunt featured more than 10,000 plastic eggs scattered throughout church grounds.

Earlier Saturday, the Sohns were at an Easter egg hunt in Grandy, where their 10-year-old daughter Savannah came up empty.

"She didn't get any eggs at all," Bonita Sohn said.

The Camden couple had brought their daughter to New Life's Easter egg hunt last year and had a good time, so they decided to return this year. That's because they knew there would be plenty of eggs for their child and other children to collect.

"I knew here she'd at least get a few eggs," she said.

The Sohns were among hundreds of families who attended this year's event, which started around 3 p.m. with children re-enacting an Easter biblical scene.

Kenny Sohn said the event means more than kids getting prizes and candy.

"It is not just the Easter egg hunt that brings us back," said Sohn, who attends Shiloh Baptist church and is not part of the congregation at New Life. "The Easter egg hunt is a bonus for kids. This also may turn somebody toward the Lord where they need to be turned ...It's a better place than going to some mall."

New Life Assembly of God Pastor Clay Manos said their Easter egg hunt last year attracted 600 people after other churches earlier in the day cancelled their hunts because of bad weather.

He said the church wanted the same success this year, and church volunteers worked for weeks to organize the event and to stuff eggs with prizes. A variety of businesses donated gift certificates that also were included inside the eggs.

"Everybody pitched in. It has been a church-wide event," Manos said. "Just about everybody in the church is helping out some way."

It also was no easy undertaking for the volunteers to hide 10,000 eggs on Saturday morning.

"It took several hours to get them all out there," said Manos, adding the egg hunt is part of the church's community outreach.

"We're doing something here for the kids," Manos said. "We just are trying to provide something for the community — a safe environment for the children to come out and have fun. Along with that, we present a message of hope. It's the gospel message."

Manos said the local schools were kind enough to allow fliers passed out promoting the event, which also included a playground, face painting and a petting zoo.

Elizabeth City resident Kim Murn brought her 3-year old daughter Mary Catherine and 5-year-old son Michael to the event. Their dad took them last year, and this year was mom's turn, Kim Murn said. The children were excited and looking forward to this year's egg hunt, she said.

"Last year, they got baskets full of eggs, and some prizes, like (coupons for) McDonald's french fries."