12.12.2006

By STEPHANIE JORDAN
Staff Writer

DOVER, Del. — With Christmas and the New Year fast approaching, most people aren’t thinking about Easter.
But on Dec. 3, shoppers in Dover Mall thought about the Easter holiday, voting for the egg that will represent Delaware in the White House Egg Decorated Egg Contest.
Forty-two eggs were on display last weekend, many of which were done by local students.
Susan Monahan of Dover decorated the winning egg.
“This is the second year I’ve won this contest,” Monahan said. “But I’m still just as excited about winning, and I’m thankful people voted for my egg. It’s an amazing experience to be chosen to represent our state, visit with the other egg artists that come from across the USA, tour the White House, and see the beautiful display of eggs.”
She has been decorating eggs using pysanky (Ukranian eggs) for 19 years. This year, her egg represents mascots from the University of Delaware (Fighting Blue Hen) and Delaware State University (Hornet).
“Both universities have lots of school spirit, and I thought it would be wonderful to represent them on a Delaware egg,” Monahan said. “It will be fun to send our Delaware mascots to the White House.”
Alice Reed of Milford, Del., won second place and Whitney Wood of Camden, Del., received third.
Monahan’s egg will be displayed in the 2007 Easter Egg Collection at the White House, and she will be invited to the White House to accompany her egg.
She also will create an exact duplicate of the winning egg and present it to Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner after the White House display has been set up in Washington, D. C.
Local artists in each state and the District of Columbia decorate eggs that represent their state. In previous years, artists have decorated eggs depicting landscapes, state symbols, beads, feathers, grain and various other designs representative of Delaware.
The 2007 White House Easter Egg Collection will continue a tradition that began in 1994 and is coordinated by the American Egg Board. Eggs had to meet the following criteria:
• Each egg was to be decorated to represent some special feature (or features) of the state.
• A local artist, amateur or professional, was to decorate the egg.
• An artist could submit only one decorated egg.
• Only large chicken eggs were to be used (contents removed).
• Eggs were to be freestanding, without a base or stand.
• Small end of the egg was to be facing up.
For more information on the Delaware White House Decorated Egg Contest or to request an egg decorating workshop call or e-mail Cindy Davis at the Delaware Department of Agriculture.