If you notice an unusually large number of people walking around Hellertown in early May, there’s no reason to be concerned. The uptick in pedestrian activity will be for a fun, family-friendly event–a community-wide scavenger hunt–that has been organized by a local man.
John Cummings, a Lower Saucon Township resident and realtor with Better Homes & Gardens Cassidon Realty, has planned the activity.
To help incentive participation, Cummings is offering a $1,000 grand prize to the winner of the six-day scavenger hunt, which will be held from 7 a.m. on Saturday, May 6 to 7 a.m. on Friday, May 12. Second and third prize winners will each receive a $10 Wawa gift card and four tickets to an IronPigs baseball game in August, with the prizes to be distributed to the winners within 30 days of the event’s conclusion.
Cummings said he will also donate $1,000 to the Cassidon Foundation in support of children’s charities as a way of giving back.
“I wanted to have a fun event to promote the community,” Cummings said. “I didn’t learn about a lot of what Saucon had to offer (such as the blessing boxes, free little libraries, historical societies, etc.) until we had kids and started going to the parks and getting more involved. So I wanted to get others out and about to see all of the things they might not otherwise.”
Cummings said he believes the scavenger hunt as he has it planned will be the first of its kind in the area and something that not only reminds people of why they enjoy living here, but also introduces them to new places.
To participate, individuals can either copy and paste the URL https://socialscavenger.app/#/signin?code=2023saucon into their browser or download the “Social Scavenger” app on their smartphones. Once downloaded, the app will prompt the user to enter an “unlock code,” which is “2023saucon.” Participants will then enter their email address, create a username and set up a password.
As the scavenger hunt doesn’t begin until May 6 at 7 a.m., those who download the app in advance won’t see any challenges until that point.
Many of the challenges–trivia questions, for example–can be completed remotely, however some will involve traveling to a particular location in Hellertown or Upper Saucon Township, where Flint Hill Farm and the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley are part of it.
Cummings received the blessing of Hellertown officials–including the police department–to hold the event in the borough and has also worked closely with business owners and others whose properties will be part of the scavenger hunt. In addition, anyone participating in it must abide by certain rules and regulations or risk being disqualified.
“No clues or answers will be inside or onsite of any business locations during off hours,” the rules of the game state. “DO NOT go on the premises of any private property during these times.”
For challenges that require participants to visit a certain location, such as a park or a local business, Cummings said he expects that they will all be handicapped-accessible.
The scavenger hunt has been developed for a maximum of 2,500 participants and Cummings said he will consider it a “great success” if 625 people take part in the fun.
“I would love to have this be an annual event, if all goes well and people enjoy it,” he said.
To help promote the scavenger hunt, Cummings has distributed flyers to various local businesses and is also advertising it via social media.
In addition to a website he has created, Cummings has also made a Facebook event for it.
“As you embark on this scavenger hunt, I encourage you to be creative, think outside the box, and most importantly, have a blast!” he wrote on the site’s homepage. “I hope that you’ll make some great memories, forge new friendships, and learn more about our awesome area!”
Visit the site for the Saucon Scavenger Hunt here.
