CHESAPEAKE, Va. — For as long as she can remember, Angelique Thames, a mother of three girls in Chesapeake, thought the annual White House Easter Egg Roll was reserved for the children of politicians and D.C.'s elite.
So when she found out that children from all 50 states can be entered to participate in the event through a lottery system, she was excited to put her family's names in.
On April 7, when they got the email that they had been selected, it was a dream come true.
"I thought that was very impressive [that children from across the country can enter] and I was thrilled," Thames said. "I was also excited to celebrate things that are coming back after the pandemic."
The White House Easter Egg Roll tradition began with President Rutherford B. Hayes' administration in 1878.
144 years later, several major events have caused the event to be cancelled on occasion, from World Wars to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But after a two-year hiatus, the holiday celebration is back.
To surprise her girls with the news, Angelique created a scavenger Easter egg hunt, which had different historical clues that led to items they would need for the event, like wooden spoons, and then finally the big announcement.
"I wanted to come up with something that incorporates the historical aspect of it," Thames said. "The most exciting part was them trying to figure out all these items and what they meant."
Annaliese, Avonleigh and Addelynne proudly will represent Hampton Roads at the 2022 White House Easter Egg Roll on April 18.