GOODIES AND GOSPEL MUSIC USHER IN EASTER WEEKEND

The sounds of excited Easter egg hunters and gospel music at Arena Park provided Robyn Hosp with a one-stop Saturday morning. Her 7-year-old son, Drew, waited on a softball field with thousands of other children for the signal to begin hunting goodies. An hour later at the A.C. Brase Arena Building, Notre Dame High School sophomore Casie Janet, Hosp's friend, contended for the top prize in a gospel singing competition Hosp herself won a few years ago.

Easter traditions -- the eighth annual Easter egg hunt sponsored by Schnucks, Pepsi and the Zimmer Radio Group and the sixth annual Pre-Easter Talent Competition for gospel singers -- were all over Arena Park.

The Easter egg hunt is a nutritionist's nightmare but a kid's dream: more than 2,400 cans of soda and another 12,000 items, most of them snacks, scattered about a soccer field-sized patch of ground. An estimated 3,500 children separated into age groups scoured the land for goodies in three separate hunts.

The 2- and 3-year-olds had help from their parents. The 4-through-6-year-olds were on their own but very quickly cleared the field of Honey Buns, cheese curls, boxes of raisins and the plastic eggs that could be redeemed for prizes. Some specialized in the plastic eggs, others let their stomachs do the hunting.

"They went after the food," said Jason Krueger of Cape Girardeau, surveying the work done by his chewing sons Andrew, 3, and Jason, 6.

The 7- and 8-year-olds, old hands, raced onto the field when emcee Mike Legg counted down and were finished in only minutes. "Get the brownies!" yelled one mom from the sidelines, explaining that she was making hot fudge sundaes later.

Drew returned with his basket full. The booty included two packages of chocolate chip cookies, lots of sodas and a replica of the Pillsbury Dough Boy.

Gospel time

Twenty-six females, nine males and 11 groups participated in the Pre-Easter Talent Competition this weekend, coming from as far away as Texas and West Virginia. About 1,500 people attended the gospel sing Friday night that featured the Crab Family, Michael Bowling, N'Harmony, the Revivers and others.

Earlier in the day, the 16-year-old Janet celebrated her birthday by winning the female solo competition at the gospel sing. Janet is the daughter of Jill and Chris Janet of Cape Girardeau. Saturday, she competed against men's winner Paul McConnell of Springfield, Mo., and gospel group winner Chosen of Sikeston for the championship. A panel of judges picked the 31-year-old McConnell for the grand prize.

But Janet, McConnell and the members of Chosen -- Teresa Griggs, Lori Grubbs and Janet Mills -- all won the right to compete at the Southern Gospel National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Ky., the top competition of its kind. Hosp won the solo prize in Louisville two years ago.

All three winners Saturday received cash and recording time at Willing Heart Studios in Patton, Mo. Mc-Connell, who works for a uniform service and supply company, also received recording time at a Nashville studio. They all performed again at the gospel sing Saturday night.

The Pre-Easter Talent Competition is produced by Jim Scaggs, a supervisor for ABF. "This is what I do for a ministry," he said.