Is it under that tree? Or is it inside of that slide?
The wonderful aspect of Summerfest's Medallion Hunt is that one needs to be a strong detective while also following their intuition.
Those skills combined with good old-fashioned luck helped the Bernard family of Oakdale last year.
Robert and Kristin Bernard used solid searching skills to take home the $1,000 cash prize.
"My husband was holding his cell phone waiting for the final clue to post when I found it," Kristin Bernard says with a laugh.
The Bernard's three children, Jordan, Skylar and Brandon also helped Robert and Kristin bring home the cash prize.
There was a scary moment for the Bernards, who happened to be searching in the same area as a large group working on the medallion hunt last year. Suddenly, the group changed their minds about the medallion locale and left to search another area, causing some doubt in the Bernard family.
Fortunately, they were the ones who had the correct detective nose.
"It was located at East Side Park in Oakdale," says Oakdale Business and Professional Association member Larry Eberhard. The OBPA sponsors the medallion hunt.
'The medallion was placed in a bag covered with wood chips and placed to look like it was part of the natural surrounding environment," Eberhard says.
Ready for the search
Kristin and Robert searched for the medallion without luck in 2009, but their perseverance paid off during their second try. And, they'll be back for the 2011 hunt, Kristin Bernard says. "It's a great way for us to explore the parks and recreation system and we have always enjoyed medallion hunts."
The city's clues had the Bernard's searching through the last day of the 2010 medallion hunt until they found the prize.
"It's like a pirating expedition," Eberhard says with a laugh. "It's difficult to find a good hiding place because we don't bury the medallion, there is no swimming or climbing involved and there isn't any snow on the ground to help us out."
The medallion is hidden anywhere on public property in Oakdale, but historically it has been in one of the city's parks, Eberhard says.
Creative clues
Eberhard and Oakdale City Clerk Sue Barry have joined together to make the clues and distribute information for the hunt each of the past 11 years.
The Medallion Hunt is a pre-event for the full Oakdale Summerfest celebration.
Clues will be revealed beginning at 7:30 a.m. on June 20.
A $1,000 cash prize will be awarded to the winner of the 2011 medallion hunt.
"It's a multi-faceted event that both encourages community involvement," Eberhard adds.
Visit www.ci.oakdale.mn.us or call the medallion hotline at 651-734-2615 to check for the clues and the status of the medallion.
"Overall, this is an event that encourages friends and family to get out together and search through the Oakdale parks," Eberhard says. "It's a way to have some creative fun while realizing what the city of Oakdale has to offer for all of its residents."
Copyright 2011 Lillie Suburban Newspapers.