They brought the Easter Bunny to the community.

Gowrie Firefighter Jeff “Easter Bunny” Peterson did the honors. He donned his cotton- tailed apparel in the classroom at the fire station under the watchful eye of Fire Chief Greg Benson.

Where exactly the Easter Bunny should ride was intensely debated. The choice being between on top of the grass rig or in the cab.

Inside the truck offered one advantage.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Gowrie firefighter Jeff “Easter Bunny” Peterson looks for a good place to sit Friday afternoon before being driven around Gowrie to wave at families for the Easter holiday.

“Just flop your ears,” Benson said.

On top won. By a hare.

“Then I don’t need my rabbit feet on,” Peterson said. “Should I put my big feets on?”

Big feet, both of them, also won and the pair pulled out of the station a few minutes later.

Brantley Worrel, 6 and his sister Lesley Worrel, 3, were waiting a few blocks up Main Street. Both had put on bunny ears for the occasion.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Larkin Freund, 3, of Gowrie, waves as the Easter Bunny drives by his home Friday afternoon. The family dog, Hariko, wasn’t too impressed. His sister, Calder Freund, 8 months, and his dad, Alex Freund, also came out to greet the bunny.

Brantley Worrel is pretty sure that the Easter Bunny is planning a return visit.

“He will come, I know it,” Worrel said.

Their mom, Chelsey Worrel, also enjoyed seeing the truck riding Easter Bunny. She said that while her children enjoyed it, they’re not going stir crazy being at home.

“No,” she said. “They’re not. We’re having a lot of fun.”

A few blocks further on, Larkin Freund, 3, was all smiles as the truck, and the Easter Bunny, stopped in front of his home.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Lesley Worrel, 3, and her brother, Brantley Worrel, 6, wore their bunny ears Friday to watch the Easter Bunny drive by in a Gowrie Fire Department truck.

Freund brought his Easter basket outside with him.

“He was all excited,” his dad, Alex Freund said.

Larkin Freund didn’t get to hear the siren but he knows what it should sound like.

“Like honk, honk,” he said.

One thing that Peterson and Benson were unable to do was give away candy along the route; it was a precaution taken to keep everyone safe.