Visit Topeka’s treasure hunt awards first winner

Topeka, Kan. (May 17, 2010) –

Visit Topeka Inc. announced today that Tony Hernandez was the first person to complete the 2nd Annual Topeka Treasure Hunt. The treasure hunt is made up of 15 stops and is designed to help residents explore unique locations and attractions in Topeka while offering a chance to win prizes. The event began May 12 and ends July 19.

Hernandez brought his completed photo album into the Visit Topeka office at 8:30 a.m. on May 17. A Topeka resident, Hernandez enjoyed working on the treasure hunt with his wife. “She was really good at figuring out the clues, and we had a great time,” Hernandez said. “If we didn’t know the answer right away we looked it up online or in the Visitor Guide.”

As the first to finish the treasure hunt, Hernandez won a special prize package which included two tickets to the Mulvane Mountain/Plains Art Fair on June 5 and 6, an one night stay at the Ramada Convention Center, a candle from Marion Lane Candles, a Kansas I-70 Association cookbook, and free admission for two at the Combat Air Museum, Old Prairie Town, Great Overland Station, and a Topeka Golden Giants game. While everyone who completes the treasure hunt by the deadline will be entered to win a drawing, Visit Topeka has a special reward for the first 100 participants to finish.

Although Visit Topeka Inc. held a treasure hunt last year, this year’s hunt features new locations, all of which offer free admission. The treasure hunt begins with picking up a free information packet and the first clue in the Visit Topeka Inc. office at 1275 SW Topeka Blvd.

“Last year’s hunt was really successful,” said Shalyn Marsh, marketing and communications manager for Visit Topeka. “We handed out more than 450 treasure hunt packets and heard hundreds of positive comments from the community about how they enjoyed exploring places in Topeka they hadn’t been, or didn’t know existed.”

Last year’s hunt was also recognized by the Travel Industry Association of Kansas and won the best overall Community Awareness award.

“We love the treasure hunt because it helps our residents see the capital city in new light,” Marsh said. “When their friends and family come to visit, we want them to remember what they learned during this event and share what Topeka has to offer.”

The information packet participants pick up will point them to the first attraction, each of which will feature a treasure chest with a clue that will lead them to the next stop on their journey. Each site will also have a designated location where participants must be photographed. After participants have taken photos at all 15 locations, they will place the photos in a photo album provided by Visit Topeka. The completed photo albums must be returned to Visit Topeka to enter the prize drawing.

Visit Topeka Inc. is dedicated to improving the area economy through marketing the region as an exceptional destination for meetings, events and tourism. Visit Topeka Inc. is committed to advocating for community development that will not only attract more visitors, but will enhance the community’s quality of life. For more information, visit www.VisitTopeka.com or call, 234-1030.

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