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Cultivate Church held its annual Great Big Helicopter Easter Egg Drop event on Saturday, April 8 at Veterans Park in Alabaster. (Reporter photos/Noah Wortham)

By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – Rain didn’t stop local residents from enjoying the annual Easter festivities at Cultivate Church’s annual Great Big Helicopter Easter Egg Drop.

The event was held on Saturday, April 8 at Veterans Park in Alabaster.

“Considering the weather, we felt we had a great day,” Lead Pastor Brandon Mathews said. “We were shocked that families got out with their kids in the pouring down rain, but the kids had a blast. People were very complimentary that we still did the event. We’re very thankful we did it. Just to know that we were able to accomplish what we set out to do by giving people a fun day with their family—it was well worth it to us.”

Residents had a variety of activities to enjoy during the event, including pictures with the Easter Bunny, free freshly-grilled hotdogs, a sensory area for special needs kids and the highlight of the event, more than 40,000 candy-filled Easter eggs.

“Everything that we did was 100 percent free,” Mathews said. “We do it just to show generosity. We feel like Jesus has been so generous for us. That’s what Easter represents—what He did for us. So, it’s our way of being generous to others, just extending that generosity to the community.”

Due to weather conditions this year, the helicopter was not able to fly for the egg drop. Mathews said they waited until the morning of the event to see if they could fly but were unable to.

“Instead of the helicopter dropping the eggs, we were able to scatter all those eggs across the field,” Mathews said. “And that way, the kids still received the amount of eggs that they would have been able to receive had the helicopter been able to fly.”

Mathews said that the community was complimentary and understanding of the work the Cultivate Church team went through due to the weather.

“People recognized the amount of work that our team went (through) to try to provide the day,” Mathews said. “(They) were so kind and complimentary and went above and beyond to thank us and show their appreciation that it happened. That meant a lot to us.”

Mathews expressed his gratitude for those that helped make the event possible.

“The hundreds of people from Cultivate Church who served—gave their day, rain or shine, to come out on a cold wet day to serve Shelby County is really incredible,” Mathews said. “The Parks and Rec for the city of Alabaster is always so kind and supportive of us that day. They provide people there from Parks and Rec to help take care of the park and assist us in things that may be needed. And so, I think they go unrecognized in a lot of areas through our community—they do so much. A big shout out to Parks and Rec for what they do.”

Mathews spoke on the importance of the Easter holiday.

“I think this is a powerful time each and every year that people are open to the idea of what God has done for us,” he said. “People often ask why we do this and go (through) so much trouble and expense and everything that it takes to do it. We just hope that it shows the heartbeat of God—for God so loved the world that He gave His Son—and that’s what this season of Easter represents. We just wanted as people to be a reflection of what Easter is all about in the generosity of God. We’re so thankful that we get to be a part of it and that we get to serve this community.”