Lifelong Waseca resident Danielle Hasselquist and her children Slader, 1, Soren, 8, Ezra, 9, and Madison Frederick, 12, found the Sleigh and Cutter medallion on their first trip to Sportsman Park along Clear Lake’s north shore the afternoon of Wednesday, Jan. 24.
Medallion found
Only two clues needed to locate treasure
Only two clues needed to locate treasure
Wed, 02/07/2024 - 11:00pm
“I was just thinking we should stop and come back another day, and then I saw it,” describes lifelong area resident Danielle Hasselquist. She and her four children had been searching for about half an hour in Sportsman Park when Danielle spotted something out of place among the bark of a tree.
Hasselquist says she had never before searched for the medallion, but found her interest piqued when she saw the first, then second set of clues published on Facebook. Considering the clues that said the medallion was “beyond the city limits by only a few feet,” and then advised “Think north, find a spot and go forth,” she decided she and her children would head to Sportsman Park, just to the south of the golf course clubhouse along the Clear Lake shoreline.
Her group was not the only one thinking along those lines. Hasselquist remembers that, as she and her children arrived, a father and daughter were searching the park as well. In fact, their footprints peppered the snow fairly close to the tree which hid the medallion. When those two finished and left, Hasselquist decided to search the same area, the trees to the west of the park’s parking lot near the beached docks.
The medallion was in a small, wrapped package about 5 feet above the ground, tucked into a natural indentation of the tree, then covered over with a piece of bark. Surprised and elated to realize she had the prize in her hand, she called out “I found it” and waved the packet in the air for her children to see.
Twelve-year-old Madison says she can still barely believe they found the medallion and earned the prize, $1,750 in Chamber bucks and store certificates, redeemable at area businesses. The family will be able to officially submit and redeem their find during the Feb. 16 Sleigh and Cutter Banquet to be held at the Waseca V.F.W. Post.
Although Hasselquist has not yet had time to consider what she would like to purchase with her prize money, the children are quick to respond. Their thoughts turn to items ranging from a VR headset and an X-Box to craft supplies and a pet turtle.