You could find $2,500 in forest preserve

On June 7, 1915, DuPage County voters approved the creation of a countywide forest preserve district.

Over the next 100 years, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County grew from having no property to owning about 12 percent of all the land in DuPage. Meanwhile, its 60 preserves are used by more than 4 million people a year.

Sometime over the next two weeks, one of those visitors is going to be $2,500 richer.

The district is celebrating its 100th anniversary by hosting a medallion search contest, which kicks off Sunday.

Through June 17, residents can use clues appearing in the print and online versions of the Daily Herald to determine the locations of six medallions hidden at district sites throughout the county.

Depending on which medallion they find, contestants can win running shoes, bikes, a fly-fishing package or the $2,500 grand prize.

"We're excited to offer such a once-in-a-century event to get DuPage County residents - both regular and new forest preserve visitors alike - outside and into the preserves," forest preserve President Joseph Cantore said.

Officials said the idea for the medallion search stems from the district's effort to connect residents to nature.

"We thought, what better way to celebrate than to create a further incentive for people to get outside?" said Beth Schirott, a senior public affairs specialist for the district. "We decided to do that in the form of a contest that requires people to get outside and explore the forest preserves in order to participate."

The grand prize medallion already is out there somewhere. It will stay in its assigned spot until it's found.

Starting Sunday, daily clues about where the $2,500 medallion's location will appear in print ads in the Daily Herald's news section and online at events.dailyherald.com/centennial-medallion-search.

New clues will be posted through June 17 or until someone finds the medallion.

"The clues are going to go from the very general to the very specific," Schirott said.

Meanwhile, previous clues can be viewed on the district's website.

In addition to the grand prize medallion, five other medallions will be placed in preserves during the contest.

Photo clues for the location of each medallion will appear in the Daily Herald on June 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16.

Schirott said the photographs will show landmarks within the forest preserves that should be recognizable to regular visitors.

The prize packages for the five "photo" medallions are: two bike packages that each include one adult and one child bike and two helmets; two running packages that each include a pair of running shoes and insoles; and a fly fishing package that includes a one-hour casting clinic for two and an assortment of lures.

The five prize packages - which were donated by Element Multisport, Dick Pond Athletics and DuPage Fly Fishing Co. - are "representative of the types of activities that you can do in the forest preserves," Schirott said.

Fortunately, you won't need to trudge through the brush to win a prize.

According to the contest rules, all the medallions will be no more than 40 feet from "any paved or mowed area or from a crushed-gravel trail"

"We're not making it too difficult," Schirott said. "We're not expecting for people to travel too far off the trails."

District officials also want to make sure high quality natural areas aren't impacted by medallion hunters.

So they've announced that medallions won't be found at those and other selected spots, including the district's golf courses and education centers.

Complete rules - including where to look and not look - are at dupageforest.org/medallion. The site also will have clues and winner updates.

As for what the medallions look like, Schirott didn't want to provide much detail other than to say they're about 3.5 inches in diameter. "You won't miss it when you find one," she said.