This week, The Surfing Pig, creator and sponsor of The Wildwoods Greatest Treasure Hunt 2023, hosted a check presentation to the first winners of the restaurant’s three-month-long scavenger hunt experience. The winners—four friends who also work together at The Wildwoods Convention Center—are Fran Feketics, Rio Grande; Michael Murphy, Upper Township; and Mike Tran and Missy Hays, both of Wildwood Crest. The team members, who will share the $5,000 “treasure”, already have plans to put their winnings to good use. The Surfing Pig is giving away of a total of $15,000 through the scavenger hunt this summer, with another $5,000 being given away in July and then again in August.
The friends attended The Surfing Pig’s happy hour on Thursday, June 1, which entitled them to receive a clue for the hunt several hours before it was revealed to the general public via social media on Friday afternoon. After work, with flashlights in hand, the four searched for days until the wee hours of the morning—2 a.m. on some nights. Eventually, they ended up at the hockey rink at Albert I. Allen Memorial Park in North Wildwood, where they found the lockbox with the winning key to open the treasure chest.
“I’m thrilled that people like these four put in so many hours to find the key to the treasure,” said owner of The Surfing Pig, Bill Bumbernick. “It’s what we hoped for when we first designed the hunt—to bring people together, to create some fun, and to provide a unique way for everyone to explore places in The Wildwoods they many not otherwise would have thought about. In addition, after years of the pandemic, The Surfing Pig is doing this to celebrate the resilience of The Wildwoods’ community and give back to the vacationers, residents, and others whose loyalty continues to support its businesses and attractions.”
If June’s key wasn’t found after revealing four clues—one per week in a four-week time period—the money would have rolled over into July’s winnings. Since the first winners accomplished the challenge in two weeks, July’s winnings stand at $5,000. Folks who join the happy hour on Thursday, June 29, will get a jump on the clues to potentially win July’s giveaway. Another clue and another $5,000 giveaway will take place in August. The Surfing Pig is located at 231 W. 10th Ave., North Wildwood.
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Marilyn is a freelance writer covering the food and drink scene of South Jersey. You can find more of her writing on Philly Grub and NewsBreak.