Nevada Day Treasure Hunt kicks off Monday

The Nevada Day Treasure Hunt is back.

Every weekday starting Monday for 15 days - or until the treasure is found - the Nevada Appeal and its website will publish a clue about the treasure location, which could be in Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, Storey, Mineral or Washoe counties.

The first person to find the treasure, which is a medallion, will get a $500 prize. If the winner also registers at www.nvdaytreasurehunt.com before finding the treasure, they will get another $500.

It's the ninth year organizer Laurie Olson and her family have hosted the treasure hunt through their non-profit, Where In Nevada.

"Our mission is to help educate Nevadans in a fun way and help people appreciate where they live more," Olson said. "We all live in a place for a long, long time and usually it's not until friends or family start to visit that you sightsee locally."

The clues are rhymes that include cryptic bits of Nevada history, geography and other fun facts. They lead searchers to locations across Northern Nevada, hopefully picking up a bit of local lore along the way.

Over the years, they've hidden the medallion all over the region, including Silver City, Genoa, Reno's Rancho San Rafael Park, the Nevada State Museum and Boundary Park.

The leather pouch that contains the square, acrylic medallion will not be buried and will not require anyone to climb or do anything physical except walk up to retrieve it.

Also, players should limit their searches to day light hours and to not trespass onto private property. If you find the treasure bring it to the Nevada Appeal, 580 Mallory Way, in Carson City between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. If the treasure is not found by 5 p.m. on Oct. 22, the contest is over.

Players also must be 18 by Oct. 4 to participate.