Every Easter Sunday, a famous bunny hops through the streets of Windber.
The woman behind the costume: 95 year old Millie Molnar.
“Everybody knows who I am,” she said.
“Anywhere I go, they say, ‘That’s the Easter Bunny.’ They know me just to see me.”
It all started 50 years ago when Millie worked at the 5 & 10 Store in Windber.
One year, she got tons of Easter candy even too much for her kids so she gave it away.
“Then, before you knew it, I went to daycares, preschools, and nursing homes. I traveled everywhere,” Millie said.
The store eventually bought her a bunny outfit, and she became the “Windber Easter Bunny.”
“They know that I’m Windber’s best Easter Bunny,” she said.
Every year, kids run outside onto the sidewalk to see her drive by.
“I love the children. That’s my purpose. They’re excited when they see the bunny.”
Although, after five decades, it’s time for Millie to ‘hop’ into retirement.
“When I started, I was the energizer bunny. Somebody said, ‘Well, your batteries went dead? Why don’t you get the rechargeable ones?’ But you know, I wish I could do that. I would rather do that than anything else,” Millie said.
So, even though it’s time to hang up the fuzzy ears and cotton tail, the character will always be with her.
“In my heart, I’d like to do it forever,”
And forever the Windber community will know there’s no “bunny” like her.
