Popcorn, cardboard boxes, marshmallows, cotton balls, Rice Krispy treats, balloons and a teddy bear — these were just a few of the inventive materials employed by young participants in the Marblehead Recreation Department’s Fire Truck Egg Drop event.
Held at the Jacobi Community Center parking lot on Sunday afternoon, the event attracted 78 eager children, who accepted the challenge of protecting a raw egg from a significant fall.
“This is the first time we’ve organized this event for the public,” said Kala Strobel, the Recreation Department’s events and communications coordinator. “We sold out, as we had limited spots available for the hour we had with the firefighters.”
Marblehead Firefighter Joe Gray was responsible for dropping the eggs, as families gathered around a chalked-out bullseye on the parking lot pavement. Gray released the eggs one by one from atop the town’s ladder engine, which reached approximately 35 feet in height.
“It’s a fantastic way to bring the community together and encourage children to think creatively,” said Gabriella Pardy, who attended the event with her husband, Chris, and their children, Lorenzo and Luca. “We had a blast.”
Spectators watched intently as some eggs splattered on the ground, while others remained intact.
“Participants whose eggs survived received a medal and an ‘eggcellent’ certificate,” Strobel explained. “All participants were awarded an egg-drop medal.”
Cara Crandals, 10, proudly holding her certificate, stood next to her younger brother, Fletcher, 7, after the event concluded.
“I placed the egg in a cardboard box and covered it with popcorn,” Cara described, adding that she also modified small Polar Spring bottles to provide additional cushioning for her egg. Fletcher’s egg sadly did not survive the fall, but he resolved to return next year with a new strategy.
CURRENT PHOTOS / NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD
