4 Friends Win $5K In Wildwoods Treasure Hunt By The Surfing Pig

NORTH WILDWOOD, NJ — Four Cape May County friends are the first winners of The Surfing Pig's “The Wildwoods Greatest Treasure Hunt 2023,” a three-month scavenger hunt that awarded them $5,000.

Fran Feketics, Rio Grande; Michael Murphy, Upper Township; and Mike Tran and Missy Hays, both of Wildwood Crest, who all work together at the Wildwoods Convention Center, are splitting the prize. And there's more to come - The Surfing Pig is giving away of a total of $15,000 through the scavenger hunt this summer, with another $5,000 being given away in July and then again in August.

The four attended The Surfing Pig's happy hour on June 1, where they received a clue for the hunt that the general public did not get until the next day via social media.

After work, the friends gathered with flashlights in hand to search for days until the wee hours of the morning - 2 a.m. on some nights.

Eventually, they ended up at the hockey rink at Albert I. Allen Memorial Park in North Wildwood, where they found the lockbox with the winning key to open the treasure chest.

“It was worth coming to the Surfing Pig for happy hour to get the early clue,” said Murphy, an avid golfer who plans to use his winnings to purchase a new driver. Feketics said she is putting the money toward a new car, while Tran would like to take a trip using the money he won. As for Hays, she wants to save it for a rainy day.

“I’m thrilled that people like these four put in so many hours to find the key to the treasure,” said owner of The Surfing Pig, Bill Bumbernick. “It’s what we hoped for when we first designed the hunt—to bring people together, to create some fun, and to provide a unique way for everyone to explore places in The Wildwoods they many not otherwise would have thought about. In addition, after years of the pandemic, The Surfing Pig is doing this to celebrate the resilience of The Wildwoods’ community and give back to the vacationers, residents, and others whose loyalty continues to support its businesses and attractions.”

If June’s key wasn’t found after revealing four clues—one per week in a four-week time period—the money would have rolled over into July’s winnings. Since the first winners accomplished the challenge in two weeks, July’s winnings stand at $5,000. Folks who join the happy hour on Thursday, June 29, will get a jump on the clues to potentially win July’s giveaway. Another clue and another $5,000 giveaway will take place in August.

The Surfing Pig is located at 231 W. 10th Ave., North Wildwood. More information can be found at
TheSurfingPig.com/treasure.