The first of three Alabama events that allow blind children to hunt for Easter eggs using their ears will be held today.

The hunts feature plastic eggs that contain a battery, connector, electronic beeper and holes drilled to allow the sound to escape. The eggs were constructed by members of the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators at their annual training conference in Huntsville.

The eggs, which cost about $11.50 each to build, are placed in a field, and volunteers activate the beepers once they are hidden. As the children find the eggs, volunteers disconnect the beepers and replace the beeping eggs with candy-filled eggs.

David Hyche, whose daughter is blind, heard of such events in other states and launched the same program here. He is a supervisor with the Birmingham division of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and ATF agents volunteer with the program.

The Alabama Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairment co-sponsor the hunts with Hyche's church -- North Shelby Baptist and its Ministry for the Visually Impaired. There will also be a puppet show written and performed for visually impaired children.

Saturday's event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 242 Sarah Dean Road in Harpersville and is open to any visually impaired child. Their siblings can participate with a blindfold.

Anybody interested in more information can go to

and pull up AAPVI under Alabama services or call 205-422-5826.

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