The Ornament Has Been Found!

December 12, 2024
1:17 pm

Written by Melissa Bernhard, Cluemaster (Paul Bernhard also served as a Cluemaster)

The Angel ornament has been found! Liam Ailabouni found ornament alongside his hunt team, Jack Pribyl and Farrah Pribyl. They had an inkling on day two that the ornament might be in Campostella. The team was in that park on day 3, exploring all the possibilities, and was out there this morning, ready to spring into action. They found it within minutes of the 4th clue coming out.

The explanation of clues is pasted below.

The clues followed the tune, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, and the angel ornament reflects that theme. Neither the song nor the ornament contained hidden meaning. The angel was found at the base of a massive tree just outside of Campostella Park, on one of the multiple plots of land the Northfield City map shows as Regional Park.

Clue #1 – The clue highlights some of the happenings at Northfield’s Winter Walk, and sprinkles in a few clues about the ornament’s whereabouts.

Lighted trees: A very tiny first clue that the angel would be near a tree. It was located at the base of a tree.
Find a place to lay your head: Hunters had to go through Campostella Park, and just outside the park boundary to find the angel. When one camps, they usually need to find a place to lay their head.
It’s a trip that we all share: Winter Walk (a winter fair) is an experience young and old can share in, but the word trip doesn’t quite fit in that sentence. The intent is to get the hunter to think more about the word trip…. And that it might be some kind of other trip…like a camping trip.

Clue #2 – The clue turns to regular things that most of us do in preparation for Christmas, and again mixes in clues about the ornament’s whereabouts.

Wishing snow would hit our ground: This is another small clue that the ornament will be found on the ground.
Craft a snowman, get your tree & Make an angel, share your glee: These lines hint at where to find Campostella. Northfield Construction is a business located right near the entrance to the park. Craft and Make were alternative words to say “construct – construction.”
See the tower, view the river: This clue helps the hunter orient themselves, or at least start thinking about parks along the river, and one where a tower, or towers might be seen. The ornament was in an area, right along the river, where two water towers are viewable. The main entrance to Campostella Park is off of Riverview Lane.
Look for stars, now don’t you shiver: Another name for “stella” (part of the name Campostella) is star!
Leave the trail of love and joy: This may or may not be a helpful clue, but should help hunters know that at some point they may find themselves on a trail that they must leave. Hunters have to leave the East Cannon River Trail to get closer to the ornament.
Plant yourself in peaceful noise: “Campo” has meaning around agriculture, fields, and perhaps planting, and also refers back to camping again. Peaceful noise…camping is usually done in peaceful places, among the beautiful sounds of nature.

Clue #3 – Today, the clue begins to take hunters on a journey to their Christmas celebration. Now that the scene has been set, and the preparations have been made, it’s time to get to the location where the holidays will take place, while also honing in on the location of the ornament.

Memories cement in stone: Cemstone concrete products is located at the entrance of Campostella Park.
Build yours up, don’t be alone: “Build”…Perhaps a closer reference to Northfield Construction, which is also located near the entrance of Campostella Park.
Call your friends and family: When you go camping, you usually meet up with friends and family.
Pack your gear, bring Christmas Tea: When you go camping, you bring gear
River views, which one to take: The Campostella entrance is just down the road from where Riverview Lane and Riverview Drive intersect. Also, a view of the river is easily seen from where the ornament lies.
Regional it’s almost fake: The regional park is just on the other side of the Campostella Park boundary. The plots of land titled Regional Park on the city maps hardly exist in the minds of hunters. Campostella is a little bit obscure itself, and many people don’t know of its existence as a Northfield City Park.
Pitch a tent where dreams take flight: Direct reference to camping.
Under stars, so blue and bright: Stars again refer to Stella, or simply camping in an open field under the stars. Hunters have to travel through a small field to get to the angel. There is also a blue GV trail marker at the entrance of Campostella, and other blue markers that line the edge of the open field, on the way to the angel.

Clue #4 – This clue moves hunters to the exact spot pretty quickly. If hunters found the general vicinity the day before, and have explored some of Campostella already, then some of the language in this clue will make more sense than to someone just showing up to the park for the first time.

Mulch your food down, take a walk: There is a mulched trail beginning at the Campostella Park sign, leading to the East Cannon River Trail.
Chase the sun, no time to balk: This is a reference to go WEST on the East Cannon River Trail.
Field and sky, set up camp: The open field is easily spotted after walking down the East Cannon River Trail about 15 yards.
String your wires, light your lamp: String up your lights for the holidays! There are large power poles with power lines stringing right over the East Cannon River Trail, and through the open field. Light your lamp…camping reference.
Power up at two-eighteen: One of the power poles in the field has #218 on it. Hunters can find a way to “power up” there by finding exact directions and paces to the ornament found hidden in the grass at the base of power pole 218.
Or find the TREES, and trail between: Hunters can choose to forgo the powering up (whatever that might mean), and try to find large trees in the area instead. There are two very large trees that stand on either side of a dirt track trail, and you can walk right between them.
At the base of Christmas time: The angel is found at the base of one of the large trees, tucked back into a protected, small opening.
It’s the love that always shines: The angel has already been found, but it sure does sparkle and shine!