It provided children ages 5 to 12 with that treasure hunt essential — a map — marked with locations they had to visit and get initialed by a vendor to make themselves eligible for a prize drawing.
Perhaps more importantly, at each stop the children and their parents received goodies and good information about building a Disaster Supply Kit.
DGI merchants partcipated by providing a place for RSVP and GECEMA volunteers to set up in front of their stores.
At one such stop, Lisa Brackett of the Humane Society Pet Rescue and Adoption Center talked to children about things they need to include in a disaster kit to provide for pets during an emergency.
"They need to have a leash," Bracket said. "Most people don't keep their dogs on a leash at home. I don't."
But during a disaster, a leash can help keep an animal close, just as having a collar with at least a phone number on it can help someone return a pet that gets separated from its owner during severe weather or other challenging circumstances.
Food, water, bowls, old blankets or towels and first aid items for pets would be needed as well, she said.
"It doesn't have to be things you spend a lot of money on," Brackett said. "Just clean up an old milk jug and have it ready to put water in."
Registration for the treasure hunt was at the gazebo in front of City Hall, where children had a chance to visit Storm Tracker 42 and horses brought by members of the Etowah County Sheriff's Office mounted unit.
RSVP volunteers Kathy Snyder and Diane Knowles said children needed to visit 12 locations downtown to get information and to have their maps initialed so they could be included in the drawing at the end of the treasure hunt.
For Jilee Tooker and Lana Bullis, the event was a welcome element for spring break.
"I've only been on one treasure hunt before," Tooker said. "It was a long time ago."
"We've been to Easter egg hunts," Bullis said, but not treasure hunts.
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