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SALT LAKE CITY — For Christians, Easter is the holy celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And for many, it is also a time of renewed hope for better days ahead.
Such was the case for Sandy Peterson, 37, and her son, Juan, who — along with about 1,200 other people — took part in a banquet and Easter egg hunt in Pioneer Park on Saturday.
For the past few months, the Peterson family has been homeless. Sandy's husband was unable to work after being diagnosed with lupus, eventually resulting in their stay in a Salt Lake City shelter.
While her family has been forced to endure some difficult challenges of late, she is still optimistic that their lives will soon be better. She is also grateful for the blessings that her family has received in their time of need.
"This is awesome," Peterson said. "We were able to get some clothes and have some food and a great time for the kids."
She said watching her 7-year-old and other children enjoy the Easter egg hunt "and watching the smiles on their faces just makes my whole day."
Chris Croswhite, executive director of the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake, said the annual event is an opportunity for the public to "give back (and) realize how lucky some of us are that we still have jobs and still have a home for our family."
He said having the community partner with the Rescue Mission so that people who are struggling can participate in the banquet and receive a healthy meal and clothing "really completes the cycle" of community service.
"It enables the population of Utah to partner with professional organizations like the Rescue Mission in providing professional services to the homeless, not to give them a handout, but a hand up," Croswhite said.
Email:jlee@ksl.com
