Sometimes it takes more than a strong detective nose and a knack for putting clues together to win a medallion hunt.
Being in the right place at the right time, along with a little luck, can also be the key to bringing home some cash.
That was enough for last year's winner, Oakdale resident Dave Wojcik, and good sign for potential Summerfest 2009 hunters.
The Oakdale Summerfest Medallion Hunt begins Monday, June 15. It's a pre-event for the annual celebration that begins June 18.
There are seven total clues to the hidden round, clear plastic medallion, but last year's winner wasn't even searching until fate intervened.
"I didn't even know what was going on," Wojcik says.
Wojcik eventually took home the $1,000 cash prize, after talking with a young woman who was searching for the medallion outside of his home.
"She asked if the daycare across the street was an old church," he recalls. "Then she told me, 'It's got to be here.'"
Some spend days and days searching for the medallion and end up as a winner, but it worked out a little bit easier for Wojcik.
"It took about 20 minutes," he says.
The young woman and Wojcik searched for a few minutes, then she decided to head home and look online at the clues again. She also wanted to make sure nobody had found it yet, because she was sure it was at the daycare.
After she left, Wojcik called up a friend and they searched for about 20 minutes and found it, he says.
Nearly 45 minutes later, the woman came back with her boyfriend to search some more. Unfortunately for the woman and all her effort, she was too late.
"It looked like she was going to shove a stake in my heart," Wojcik says with a chuckle.
All in all, the money came at the right time for Wojcik. He was able to pay some bills and relax for at least a few days in this tough economy.
This year, the first clue will be revealed at 7:30 a.m. on June 15. 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.
A $1,000 cash prize will be awarded again to the winner of the 2009 medallion hunt. The event is sponsored by the Oakdale Business and Professional Association.
As for this year, Wojcik says he may call up his friend to help him search and hopes his luck continues again. Come out and give it your best shot and prove that strong detective skills really do pay off. And, remember that a little luck, can go a long way.
"We had a good time," Wojcik says.
Cody Zustiak can be reached at staffwriter@lillienews.com
Copyright 2009 Lillie Suburban Newspapers.