By noon on Friday, April 3, the first day of this year’s Bunny Watch, event organizers estimated roughly 200 people had already ridden on an antique tractor-pulled wagon to count bunnies at Glander Field on the Fairfield Hills Campus.

This is the fifth year the Bunny Watch has been organized by local Odyssey of the Mind Team members, and enables Newtown High School’s Odyssey of the Mind Team, coached by Robin Fitzgerald, raise money to travel and attend World Finals, which will be held at Michigan State University May 20-23.

The Bunny Watch will be held again at Glander Field on Saturday, April 4, from 10 am until 4 pm, rain or shine.

This year's Bunny Watch includes wagon rides pulled by antique tractors for $5 per person to spot and count bunnies, relay races and games, face painting, and photo opportunities with props provided by Newtown Parks & Recreation.

The Easter Bunny was waiting for one tractor-pulled wagon on Friday, and riders began shouting out welcoming greetings to the bunny as he climbed on-board.

“That was cool, Easter Bunny!” said Jack Langenus, who was seated next to his mother, Alison, and little brother Charlie, after meeting the Easter Bunny and getting a high-five.

As the ride continued through the trail, riders pointed out bunnies they saw posted alongside of the tractors’ routes.

“Look at this guy. He is hanging off the tree,” one rider said. Another said, “There’s one, Daddy!”

After taking their turn on a ride and meeting the Easter Bunny, some riders guessed their were 134, 131, and 128 bunnies along the trail.

As Bunny Watch ride coordinator and organizer Rob Emmerthal responded to Ava and Owen Stoltz, who had ridden on a ride with their father Michael, the final tally of bunnies will be available in the April 10 print edition of The Newtown Bee, for everyone to see how close they came to the correct count.

Odyssey of the Mind is the largest intellectual competition in the world. Teams of up to seven students select and solve one of five long-term problems that they present at the annual state competitions. The top 30 teams in each competing state then head to World Finals, where teams from more than 30 countries come together in the spirit of international competition.

Members of the NHS Odyssey of the Mind team Problem 5 are captain Zach Weiland, Jake Emmerthal, Hannah Fitzgerald, Ryan Fitzgerald, Lily Holmes, and Michael Ziluck.

Assistance and antique tractors for the event come from Mr. Emmerthal, George Birch, Milt Adams, Molly Emmerthal, and Kasey Roman. According to Mr Emmerthal, Silberman’s Farms is providing the wagons.

This year’s Bunny Watch is the high school Odyssey of the Mind team’s only fundraiser for the team’s trip to World Finals. It costs each team member $500 for room and board for the three-day event, according to Mr Emmerthal. Last year the team came in sixth at World Finals.