Last year when the West End Food Pantry was just getting started, a call went out from the volunteers to see if they could round up 120 dozen eggs so that each family could have a dozen eggs to color for Easter. It was a success and each family who came to the pantry the weekend before Easter left with eggs to color, hide or just to make a nice fresh breakfast.

This year the staff decided to set their sights a bit higher. The goal this Easter was to make sure that every child who signed up for an Easter basket would receive one. The call went out again by cellphone, Facebook or just word-of-mouth."The response was incredible," said pantry director Karena Thek. "We were lucky to get some big donations from organizations, but it was the individuals, school groups, churches and scout troops that helped us to make our goal."Initially the pantry was looking to provide around 250 baskets. Volunteers had a sign-up sheet during one of the pantry's bimonthly distribution dates and was a bit surprised that they needed to supply 315 baskets for children."We couldn't do what we do without our volunteers and the valuable help we get from businesses like Mrs. Bush's Personal Care Home," said Thek as she assisted in assembling the baskets in the activities room at Mrs. Bush's.Thek said Mrs. Bush's donated the baskets, the room to assemble the baskets and lots of busy hands to stuff the baskets full of Easter goodies.Just Born donated "Mike and Ike" candies and County Waste donated carrots filled with Goldfish crackers.All of the children's baskets include candy and small toys. The infant baskets include formula, yogurt treats and a small stuffed toy.The baskets will be given to those children who registered in advance this Saturday during the regularly scheduled pantry distribution.