The Easter Bunny has nothing on this lady

Bobby Lewis | WTSP

Show Caption Hide Caption The Easter Bunny has nothing on this lady Lee Hardy prepares for Easter all year, filling hundreds of baskets with goodies and love for children in need.

Easter is Lee Hardy's favorite holiday.

"Nobody goes all out for Easter," she said. "I felt like it was my chore."

Her chore has turned into a passion. Hardy has spent the past nine years making Easter baskets for kids in her Palmetto community. She gives them away at her church, Faith Community Church, and in her home to families that may not be able to get their own baskets this year.

"I'm giving back," she said. "You just have to put all that love in it. That's love."

So far this year she's made just under 300 baskets and is far from done.

"I will have about 700 in here but 1,000 is my goal," she said. "One year I'm going to do that 1,000."

"When she makes 1,000 I'm going to be freaking out," said her friend of 50 years, Hazel Barnes. "I don't know where she's going to put them but she's going to make 1,000 baskets."

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office donates toys cars and stickers but Hardy buys nearly everything that goes into the baskets. She fills them with Easter coloring books, crayons, books and candy. She even throws in a toothbrush to balance things out.

"They call her the Easter basket lady," said Barnes.

On Good Friday she'll invite hundreds of kids into her home to pick out one of her baskets. The smiles on their faces make all the long hours worth the work for Hardy.

"I just think of joy and love," she said with a smile.

No wonder Easter is her favorite holiday.

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