Stop Searching! The Key Is Found
We posted that message on our website and Facebook page the moment we heard from a highly happy couple in New Lisbon.
“YOU’VE GIVEN US the thrill of our lives!” says Judy Zobal. “Standing side by side in the park and looking together at the package with your message telling us, ‘You Won!’ Wow!”
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Judy and her husband, Frank, found the key we hid in our latest Wisconsin Treasure Hunt. The park where they stood is in Juneau County, just 1-1/2 miles from their New Lisbon home. Their fortuitous find in Kennedy County Park makes this couple the winner of our custom-built trailer worth $6,000 from TCTeardrops of Wausau. Congratulations, Frank and Judy!
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We mention Frank first because Judy credits him as the eagle eye who spotted the package that held the key with our note of instructions. It didn’t take Frank long to call our editorial office in Manitowish Waters!
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When the Zobals received their Feb/Mar issue and saw that Juneau was one of only two counties that remained in the running, it spurred them into action. At noon on Sunday, January 28, they headed out to look. They weren’t the only ones.
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Searchers Descended
The gate was closed at Kennedy County Park, but six vehicles were already parked along Highway M out front. The small park was swarmed!
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“As we walked in, we passed three people heading out to their car,” Judy says. “They told us, ‘There’s a lotta hunters in there!’ ”
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The well-trampled snow was ankle deep, but Frank stopped in his own tracks as he walked past a speed limit sign made of cardboard...and noticed it slightly bulging away from its frame. A closer look revealed the plastic packet behind the sign.
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“They told us,
‘There’s a lotta
hunters in there!’ ”
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“I pulled it from his hands so I could see for myself!” Judy laughs.
These retirees live on their 300-acre farm near the park. They raised beef cattle here for decades and also worked in town, he at Walker Stainless Equipment Company and she as a teacher for more than 30 years.
These days, with ample time to travel, they can hit the road to enjoy more of Wisconsin with their custom camping trailer. Congrats again, Frank and Judy!
WE FOUND THE KEY. Judy and her husband, Frank, found the key in Kennedy County Park, located in Juneau County. Tom Mortensen photo
The Contest Works This Way
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The key is hidden in a public park to avoid trespassing.
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This contest is not limited to paid subscribers.
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Starting in the Jun/Jul21 issue, we printed a map showing the counties where the key ISN’T hidden. Then, issue by issue, we’ll eliminate 10 more counties to narrow the search.
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A new clue is provided each issue.
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The key is in a clear biodegradable bag with a note stating, “You Found It!” along with a phone number to call and a secret code number that will be requested.
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Your only license to hunt is a garbage bag. By collecting litter, you provide a public benefit. The bag’s benefit to you is that you won’t look as if you’re searching for something and invite competition.
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Don’t call us. No calls will be accepted by Our Wisconsin about this program.
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Don’t ask our field editors about the hidden key. These friendly volunteers know nothing more about the program than regular readers do.
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No employee of the magazine or relative of any employee—nor any of our field editors—is eligible
to win. -
Past winners and their immediate family members are not eligible to win.
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The contest is open to anyone else of any age.
Finally, we provide a helpful clue each issue. The first one is: “The key is not buried. It’s hidden above the ground.”
Click here for the latest clues and counties eliminated.
Campers Pampered Here. You can be cozy and comfortable anywhere in Wisconsin if you win this trailer. It's ultra-towable too, small cars can pull them.
The 5x9-foot model created for Our Wisconsin includes storage cabinet with slide-out table in the sleeping cabin, a roof rack system, queen-size mattress, battery charger/tender … and the Our Wisconsin logo displayed on the back!