Prizes and pancakes

About 40 local homeless children spent Saturday morning hunting for colorful Easter eggs, a tradition they would normally miss had it not been for Newport Dunes Resort and its work with the Orange Coast Interfaith Shelter in Costa Mesa.

The kids joined about 600 to 700 other children and hunted for 6,000 eggs, all of which had some gifts, including 50 golden eggs with big prizes.

“Newport Beach is one of the most affluent cities in the nation, and people don’t realize that there are many homeless people here in our backyard,” said Frank Groff, spokesman for Newport Dunes Resort, which began the Easter egg hunt and pancake breakfast 18 years ago.

Seven years ago, Newport Beach Dunes partnered with Costa Mesa’s interfaith shelter, which provides families with homes, jobs and counseling. The partnership has paid off since, Groff said.

“Easter in Newport Beach Dunes gives our kids something to look forward to and brings them out to share a fun event with the community,” said Jamie Warner, assistant to the executive director of the interfaith shelter.

There were those who came from Long Beach, Mission Viejo and Bellflower to attend the Easter egg hunt, including Janell Robinson, whose family has been coming together from the three cities to attend for the past eight years.

After the egg hunt, the kids joined together for a pancake breakfast. The homeless children also received bags with gifts and basic-needs items, Groff said.

Kara Fortier was a big winner on Saturday. The 10-year-old, who came with her family, has been attending for the past four years but had never landed a golden egg.

This year, she did. The prize was a bike.