Wisconsin Rapids business owner creates a new kind of Easter memory
By City Times staff
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – A Wisconsin Rapids business owner drew upon her own memories to create a new experience for children during COVID-19.
On April 6, Tami Kasten was working on taxes, recalling memories of past Easter celebrations.
“I was doing taxes and remembering how, as a child, my grandparents always took me to Witter Field for Easter egg hunts and how I took my niece, Kazmira, when she was little and the great memories of those events,” explained Kasten, owner of Accounting Plus.
“On Kaz’s 15th birthday, three years ago, her birthday was on Easter Sunday and instead of being excited that is was her birthday, she was more excited to set up an Easter egg hunt for her cousins on her birthday.
“It was the last year we got to actually have a party for her, as both her 16th and 17th birthdays there were big snowstorms, making travel unsafe, and there will be no party for her 18th birthday due to COVID-19.”
Feeling nostalgic and sad that kids would be missing one of her own favorite memories this Easter, she decided to put together an Easter Bunny visit at her office.
Approximately 500 children saw 14 characters along the trail. Submitted photo.
“My original thought was to have the Easter Bunny and hand out goodie bags on Good Friday, so that plan was set into motion,” Kasten recalled.
But, that didn’t seem like enough for Kasten. She decided that Mr. & Mrs. Easter Bunny could use some assistance during the event.
“I reached out to friends on Facebook for costumes,” she added.
Through her connections, she was able to add multiple other customers, including Rudolph, Santa, the bunny from “A Christmas Story,” Rosco from the Rafters, and several others.
“In the end, we had 14 costumed characters,” Kasten said.
Each child secured an empty bag outside of the vehicle as it traveled down a trail full of characters in the alley behind the office, where toys and novelties were placed in the bags.
“At the end of the trail, (a) Poop Emoji gave a roll of toilet paper to the driver of the vehicle,” Kasten added.
“Hippity Hoppity Trail” saw 166 vehicles, bringing in about 500 children that day, creating new memories for this Easter season.
