Park student finds Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest Medallion

Sierra Oden, a junior, and her mother, Kris, found the medallion just after 7 p.m., four days after the search began.

“My mom and I, we look for the medallion every year,” Oden said.

The 17-year-old and her mother scoured Highlands Park along with dozens of searchers, but Oden said she had help from a good luck charm along the way.

“There was an elderly couple that was walking along the trail when they said, ‘Oh, what’s everyone looking for?’” she said. “I told them we were all looking for the medallion, and the man even helped me look for a minute.

“They left and said, ‘Oh, I hope you find it, good luck.’”

Within about 20 minutes of searching, Oden said she found the medallion wrapped up in paper towels, inside a plastic bag, underneath some foliage. It was hidden beneath leaves near a park bench at the end of the walking trail on the west side of Highlands Park.

“There was an area of grass that was matted down and I wondered what kind of animal would do that,” she said. “But then I saw a little plastic bag sticking out and grabbed it. It almost looked like a cookie wrapped up in paper towels.”

Oden said after several years of searching and coming up empty handed, it was exciting to finally uncover the medallion.

“The first thing we do every year for Strawberry Fest is buy our button, and then we go out and look for the medallion,” she said. “I was determined to find it.”

Each year, the winner of the medallion hunt wins a cash prize. With a Strawberry Fest button the prize is $300, without is $200.

The medallion hunt is sponsored by the Bulletin and Edina Realty Cottage Grove.

Copyright 2015 South Washington County Bulletin.