The 2023 Find the Buoy Holiday Scavenger Hunt Winners!
The third year of the Find the Buoy Holiday Scavenger Hunt in Stonington Borough was even more fun than the last two put together! We had a total of 15 buoy locations and 14 merchants contributed gift cards to the grand prize worth $880! We had an additional 3 prizes that included one week of 1/2 Day Camp at New England Science & Sailing Foundation worth $400, a membership to the Stonington Historical Society plus 4 tickets to a La Grua Center concert worth $165, and a sterling silver buoy charm and chain worth $230 designed and created by Maggie Lee Designs. We are thrilled to announce the 2023 winners!
SARA PUHLICK
Winner of one week of 1/2 Day Camp at New England Science & Sailing Foundation worth $400
“The scavenger hunt was a great activity for a chilly day that got us outside and exploring Stonington! I discovered so many cool shops and had never thought about Stonington as a shopping destination prior to participating.”
MARY GIORDANO
Winner of the membership to the Stonington Historical Society (Historic Stonington), a stack of their best-selling books, plus 4 tickets to a La Grua Center concert worth $165
“It was a great way to be introduced to local businesses I would possibly not have visited! Very fun! Absolutely loved the books that were chosen for the prize. Super meaningful for me!!”
KATHLEEN MANZELLA
Winner of a sterling silver buoy charm and chain worth $230 designed and created by Maggie Lee Designs
“The Scavenger Hunt was a blast! I went with Stonington high school friends who planned the outing and invited me along. We had a lot of fun searching for cleverly decorated buoys tucked away in the shops and then attending the buoy tree lighting. The Hunt is a great idea for introducing out-of-town folks like me to a variety of nice shops on (and after) small business Saturday. I can’t believe I won a prize! I’ll be sure to come back this year!”
JEN BOYLAN
Winner of the tote from The Stonington Free Library filled with gift cards worth $880, courtesy of participating Stonington Borough shops + restaurants
“Participating in the Stonington Buoy Scavenger hunt was an excellent experience. I have been coming to the Borough all my life with my family to create memories at the family beach house (our “Yellow House”), which has come to be like a second home to all of us. Even with all of this time spent in the Borough, I admittedly hadn’t visited many of the locations on the scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt led me to explore so many of the wonderful antique, jewelry, pottery, thrift, and furniture shops and restaurants, many of which I didn’t know existed, that have made their homes nestled in beautiful sp aces in corners of the Borough. Beyond this, the shop owners were extremely welcoming and it was a gift to be able to cross paths and converse with so many unique and kind individuals in such a short amount of time. Thank you for this experience!”
Thank you to everyone who hunted — who visited our merchants and got their cards stamped. We hope you were able to do a little holiday shopping as well!
We’d also like to thank our wonderful businesses that served as buoy locations and donated toward the prizes: The Stonington Free Library, New England Science & Sailing Foundation, Stonington Historical Society, La Grua Center, Maggie Lee Designs, Boro Bodega & Scoopery, Breakwater Stonington Harbor, Carolyn Yost Estate Jewelry & Stonington Antiques, Etc., Coral by Lindsey Coral Harper, Cove Ledge Beer, Wine & Spirits, Dog Watch Café, GLAZE Handmade, Grand & Water Antiques, Noah’s Restaurant, Repertoire Furniture, Ship Shape Shop, Stonington COMO Thrift Shop, Stonington Consign to Design, Stonington Jewelry at Cannon Square, Yali Stonington, and Wm. Cole.
A special thanks to Chelsea Parrilla at Wm. Cole for serving as Chair of the Find the Buoy Holiday Scavenger Hunt, and The Ocean Chamber of Commerce for loaning our merchants buoys for the hunt.