Both attendance and donations were up substantially at the sixth annual Aldergrove Easter event, held Saturday, March 30 on the plaza at Fraser Highway and 272nd Street.

It was a great day, with near-perfect weather, and everything was free.

Organizer Jodi Steeves of RE/MAX Aldercenter Realty estimated more than 400 showed up to enjoy a petting zoo, glitter tattoos, mini donuts and the Easter Bunny, while being invited to make donations to the Aldergrove Food Bank.

Last year, when the event raffled off a gift basket, it raised $180 for the food bank.

This year, instead of a gift basket, some plush jumbo bunnies were deployed to encourage contributions.

READ ALSO: Realtor Jodi Steeves raises donations for Aldergrove Food Bank this Easter

鈥淚 thought they might get a bit more traction, just because they鈥檙e big, and colourful, and fun,鈥� Steeves said.

They had the desired effect. Donations totalled $534.75, and 鈥渢hen we just matched that so it comes out to 1,069.50,鈥� a pleased Steeves told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe how much money we raised just from those bunnies,鈥� Steeves added.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a lot.鈥�

Most of the food bank donations were cash, with a small amount of food items also collected.

Another marker of increased attendance was the number of free, hot mini-doughnuts distributed.

鈥淲e gave out 600 bags of free hot donuts,鈥� up from 450 the previous year, Steeves said. 

A new addition to the event, a petting zoo presented by Abbotsford-based Cinemazoo, proved to be a popular attraction.

鈥淲e鈥檒l definitely have them back again, and we鈥檒l probably add a little band as well,鈥� Steeves said.

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