Scavenger Hunt

Add a Heart to the Neighborhood Valentine Tree

/ Anna White

The young members of the North Woodside Roots & Shoots group so much loved creating the neighborhood Thankful Tree in the fall that they wanted to do a similar participatory community art project every season.

It remains to be seen if the group can reach that ambitious goal, but they are now halfway there with the unveiling of the Neighborhood Valentine Tree (aka Community Tree).

Roots & Shoots members invite all neighbors to visit the Community Tree Triangle*, reflect on what they love about the neighborhood, and add a heart to the tree.

Extra hearts and markers for writing are in a plastic box under the tree. If the extra hearts run out, feel free to write on the backside of hearts already hanging on the tree.

The Neighborhood Valentine Tree will be on display through the end of February. 

More Fun: Go on a Neighborhood Heart Scavenger Hunt! In addition to the hearts decorating the Neighborhood Valentine Tree,  30+ hearts have been placed throughout the neighborhood.  There is at least one along every street in the neighborhood, including along most, but not all, blocks. How many can you spot?

* Intersection of Glen Ross Rd. and Luzerne Ave.

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt: Hearts!

/ Anna White / 1 Comment

❤ 💌 💟 😻💓

We’re almost two years into the pandemic, the peak of the omicron wave just went through, the parameters for safe socializing tiringly keep changing, the national and international news remains depressing, it’s cold again but there’s no snow,…and well, it feels like time for another neighborhood scavenger hunt, a heart-themed one!

Want to contribute?  Display one or more hearts on your front door, windows and/or yard.  Can be big or small, any color, drawn, painted, or whatever you happen to have around that’s heart-shaped or has hearts on it (pillow? flag? sign? stuffed animal holding heart? etc).  Check out this link for lots of heart-themed coloring pages, if you want to go the print-out-and-color-and-tape-on-door route.

Hearts are already starting to pop up around the neighborhood. Here are a few of them. Can you find them?

All neighbors are invited to add to these! In the heart of this winter, let’s show some love to neighbors, postal carriers, package deliverers and all those who pass through the neighborhood, and add some little bursts joy and color to these gray days.

2021 North Woodside Dog Scavenger Hunt

/ Anna White

At long last, the updated North Woodside Doggie Directory, featuring 33 fine neighborhood furry (and one not-so-furry) friends, is ready to be unveiled!  North Woodside residents may request a copy by email.

The dogs — of many ages, sizes, types and colors — have traveled from near and far (in one case, as far away as Kosovo) to live in North Woodside. One recently moved with his humans to the neighborhood, and another will be moving away soon (so try spotting him while you still can!).  There are four pairs of “doggie doubles” (dogs who live in the same household) and many rescue dogs, including a rather sedentary one.

Now for the fun….

Between now and June 21, 2021 (not quite the “dog days of summer”, but the beginning of summer, nevertheless), neighbors of all ages are invited to participate in the 2021 North Woodside Doggie Scavenger Hunt. 

Directions

  • Record the name and home street of each dog you spot in the neighborhood. Note:  You may not include canine members of your own household, but the more you walk them the more likely other neighbors will spot them!  Put a star next to all dogs spotted who are listed in the Doggie Directory.  These will be worth bonus points.
  • Keep track of how many times you spot each dog. Note: Maximum of one tally per walk (i.e. if you encounter the same dog twice during a walk, you may count them only once; but if you encounter them once during a morning walk and once during an evening walk, you may count them twice.) “Per walk” refers to the dog’s walk and/or your walk, if applicable; it is fine to sit in front of your house and record the dogs that pass by!
  • Submit your final tallies by June 21 to be eligible for prizes, and to allow the prize-winning dogs and amount raised for a local dog rescue organization to be determined.  The nature of this scavenger hunt is that dog sightings of any quantity will count toward determining the dog winners and final donation amount — so all are encouraged to submit their tallies, regardless of how many or few dogs spotted.  

Would you like a handy dandy dog tallying sheet? Email the organizer to receive one.

Prizes and awards for: the human neighbors who spot the most dogs, the most-spotted dog, the most-spotted dog listed in Doggie Directory, and more! 

BONUS: All dogs spotted will help raise funds for a local dog rescue organization!

Dogs have helped many get through this past pandemic year. Let’s give some love to one or more local organizations that have been working hard to find rescued dogs loving homes, e.g. Knine Rescue (“Dogs are not our whole lives, but they make our lives whole.”).  Feel free to suggest others.

For starters, for every dog spotted 25 cents will be donated. But if enough pledges come in, we may be able to raise this amount.  You may pledge: a specific amount or an increase in the amount donated per dog spotted.  If your contribution is in honor of a dear canine companion, living or deceased, please note.

Questions? Want to make a pledge?
Email the organizer

Have a WOOF-iful time spotting and getting acquainted with the dogs (and their humans) of the neighborhood!

A few of the many you might get lucky to spot…