Treasure Hunt equals treasured memories

The annual Fiesta Treasure Hunt! Ahhhh, yes. What great memories......good times.

For years a dear friend, my children and I were avid treasure hunters. From the time the first clue was published in the Irrigator, until the treasure was found, we would go out nearly every night and scour the town.

We even went as far as to wait in front of the Irrigator office, late at night, hoping to be the first to get our hands on the newspaper. It was so freshly printed, the ink would rub off onto our fingers.

We would sit in the car, read the clue and then the lively discussions would ensue. Each of us had theories about what the clue meant. We would dissect the clue, trying to decipher if it was literal or if the clue held double meanings.......

What fun. A great time for family. An opportunity to have the kids learn investigative skills and critical thinking. The chance to learn more about the history of Patterson. They never thought about it that way, and actually, neither did I. We were just having fun.

While out searching, we would meet other folks doing the same. Sometimes, we would discuss our theories. Sometimes, we would guard our notions of what the clues meant. After all, we wouldn't want to give our brilliance away!

Little did I know at that time, that one day I would be working at the Patterson Irrigator, and ultimately responsible for the clues. That dear friend who hunted with me and my kids, for those many years, is now the author of the clues. We are co-conspirators again. Having almost as much fun as when we were hunting........but getting a lot more sleep!

The Fiesta needs You!

What a busy week or two! This town starts buzzing every year about this time, as we all gear up for Fiesta.
Patterson puts on one of the best parties in the state every year. The volunteers who work to be sure everything is ready put in thousands (no exageration) of hours to bring three days and two nights of fun for families, singles, and seniors.
The Fiesta needs our help this year. Last night's city council meeting was a real eye opener for me. This economy has taken a toll on all of us. But non-profits are getting hit the hardest, as people start pulling back their donations.
The Fiesta board is faced with some tough decisions as they plan this year's 39th annual event.
When I heard Rich Greer talk about what choices have to be made as far as cutting back on their expenses..................well it just made me sad.
Can you imagine no fireworks? Or how about no hot air balloons? It just wouldn't be Fiesta without those things, for me at least.

So please, if you love the Fiesta and enjoy any part of it, please consider a donation. If everyone who attends could give $1, or $5, that would amount to tens of thousands of dollars.