By DIANE GASPER-O'BRIEN

dobrien@dailynews.net

It's been moved inside. It's even been postponed a week.

But to people's recollection, the annual Kiwanis Easter egg hunt in Hays, sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club, never has been canceled entirely in 36 years.

While there are several smaller egg hunts in town and the area, the Kiwanis hunt is the largest.

Even Fort Hays State University's annual student Easter egg hunt doesn't surpass the Kiwanis hunt in numbers.

This morning, about 5,000 eggs filled with jelly beans were snatched up by FHSU students.

On Saturday, Kiwanis members will hide 6,000-plus plastic eggs on university grounds near Fort Hays' Memorial Union.

And the Easter Bunny is a persistent sort.

So rain or shine, there will be an Easter egg hunt.

After all, one hates to break tradition, and this event oozes of tradition.

Since 1974, Kiwanis members have prepared for hundreds of egg hunters on the eve of the event.

While dying real eggs has gone by the wayside, Kiwanians still show up at a designated spot Friday night to stuff plastic eggs with candy, coins and a variety of coupons.

The 36th annual hunt is set to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday west of the union.

Five different age divisions of children will then be set loose with hopes of nabbing at least one egg during a race that takes only a few minutes.

"It can definitely get crazy," said Jerry Ubert, longtime Kiwanis member. "But it's fun. It's for the kids."

Other public Easter egg hunts in Ellis County on Saturday are:

In Ellis -- 11:30 a.m. at Memorial Park and Railroad Park, sponsored by the Ellis Chamber of Commerce.

In Victoria -- 1 p.m. behind Victoria Junior High School, sponsored by the VFW Auxiliary.