Family Wins $5K In Wildwoods Treasure Hunt

NORTH WILDWOOD, NJ — A Northeast Philadelphia family of four is the latest to win $5,000 in the Surfing Pig's “The Wildwoods Greatest Treasure Hunt 2023.”

The Kolla family — John, Lindsay, Jack, 7, and Natalie, 5 — only took a few hours spread over two days to find the key that opened the treasure chest containing $5,000.

Jack Kolla discovered the key inside a statue at the new Crest Arts Pavilion. The family was about ready to give up and move on to another location when Jack, who was just the right size to weave in and around the statue, ultimately located the key.

“He said, ‘but, Dad, I see the key’,” said Lindsay Kolla of what her son said to her husband as he was walking away. “Jack stuck his little hand inside the statue and there it was.”

The family was presented with a $5,000 check from Surfing Pig Owner Bill Bumbernick, who created the scavenger hunt as a way to 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.

The hunt has been open to the public all summer, beginning in June and ending this month. The treasure hunt key may be hidden in any of the island’s three cities—Wildwood Crest, Wildwood or North Wildwood.

“The reaction this scavenger hunt has been getting all summer is exactly what I had envisioned when I conceived the idea for it,” said The Surfing Pig Owner Bill Bumbernick. “I'll drive around the island and actually see groups of people searching for the key based on the clues they received. It's been so amazing that we already plan to do it again next summer.”

The first clue for August can be found on The Surfing Pig's Facebook page. If the key is not found this week, another clue will come out each week in August until it is found. Those attending the restaurant's Thursday happy hour from 3-6 p.m. get a head start on the clue before it is revealed to the general public. The winners will received $5,000, making The Surfing Pig's total giveaway this summer $15,000.