News & Events

Jingle Hike Challenge

Thank you to all of our participants for the memories & to our 2022 Jingle Hike Challenge Winners… CONGRATULATIONS!

❄️ Deborah Ann Hollingsworth – Two-night stay at Camp Ondessonk
❄️ Argo (Craig’s GSD) Ventimiglia – 3 days/3 night stay at Country Estate Kennel, Inc
❄️ Sarah J Coble – Tesla for 24-hours Gift Certificate
❄️ Shelley Tarrant – Family Pass at Bel-Air Bowl/St. Clair Bowl
❄️ Cheryl Michael – $100 gift card for Sandy’s Back Porch
❄️ Shannon Kotras-Webster – $50 gift card & $50 laser tag for The Edge
❄️ Genevieve Phelps – Two 1-day passes for Climb So iLL
❄️ Dan Idoux – Toolen’s Running Start Hoodie
❄️ Cheryl Moore – Toolen’s Running Start Hoodie
❄️ Katelyn McCracken – Toolen’s Running Start Hoodie

Are you one of our lucky winners?
We will reach out to you with more information on prize redemption.

Did you correctly identify the tree species for bonus entries during the Jingle Hike Challenge? If so, you’re probably curious if you were correct. Here are the correct tree identifications for the associated park bells:

• White Rock Nature Preserve: White Oak (Quercus alba)
• Woodland Park: Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
• Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site: Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
• Rock Springs Rotary Park: Eastern Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
• Citizens Park – W Belleville Trail: Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
• Centennial Park: American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
• Clinton Hills Conservation Park: Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)
• Hamel Community Park: White Poplar (Populus alba)
• Belk Park: Weeping Willow (Salix Babylonica)
• Lake Lou Yaeger/Shoal Creek Conservation Area: Shagbark Hickory (Carya ovata)
• Marine Heritage Park: Shingle Oak (Quercus imbricaria)
• Edwardsville Township Park: Cottonwood (Populus deltoides)

Don’t forget to check back on January 12th for the announcement of the winners and prizes!

What are the rules?

  1. Visit as many of the parks as you can and find the trees with the jingle bells.
  2. Take a photo of yourself with the tree tag.
  3.  NEW Submit your photo using the QR Code on the tag or brochure. More information will be provided in your registration packet. Each bell you find and submit = one entry. The more bells you find, the better your odds will be of winning a prize.
  4. Correctly identify the tree species (e.g., red oak) to get a bonus entry.

Prizes:

  • Camp Ondessonk | Two nights of St. Noel lodging (up to six people)
  • Tesla | Tesla for 24-hours Gift Certificate
  • Country Estate Kennel, Inc. | 3 day/3 night stay, bubble bath & play time
  • Bel-Air Bowl/St. Clair Bowl | Family Pass
  • Sandy’s Back Porch | $100 Gift Card
  • The EDGE | $50 Gift Card & $50 laser tag
  • Climb So iLL | 2 1-day passes
  • Toolen’s Running Start | Hoodies

* Must find at least 6 bells to qualify for the grand prizes.

2022 Challenge Prize Winners will be announced live on our facebook page in early January.

Jingle Hike Participants

2022 Jingle Hike Locations:

1. Belk Park 
  Site Host:   City of Wood River
2. Hamel Community Park
  Site Host: Village of Hamel
3. Woodland Park
  Site Host: City of Collinsville
4. Centennial Park – Swansea
  Site Host: St. Clair Township
5. Marine Heritage Park
  Site Host: Village of Marine
6. Clinton Hills Conservation Park
  Site Host:  Village of Swansea / REALTOR Association of SW Illinois (RASI)
7. West Belleville Trail @ Citizens Park
  Site Host:  City of Belleville |  Sponsor: Lochmueller Group
8. Rock Springs Rotary Park
  Site Host: City of O’Fallon |  Sponsor: Bauerhaus Design, Inc
9. Lake Lou Yaeger Rotary Blue Bird Trail
  Site Host: City of Litchfield
10. Edwardsville Township Park Walking Trail (Airplane Park)
  Site Host:  Edwardsville Township
11. White Rock Nature Preserve – Valmeyer
  Site Host: Clifftop  /  Sponsor: Atkins’ Acres Educational Farm
12. Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site – Ellis Grove
  Site Host: Illinois Department of Natural Resources / Sponsor: Pufalt-Pauley Insurance

Thank you to all the host locations for participating in the challenge!

Disclaimers

HeartLands Conservancy wants you to have fun during this self-guided challenge. You, therefore, agree to participate at your own risk. Each park in the Challenge will have different conditions, terrain, rules, and facilities. HeartLands Conservancy is not responsible for the condition of parks, trails, and facilities in the challenge that are not owned by HeartLands Conservancy. Participants will likely need to drive to various locations to participate in the challenge. HeartLands Conservancy is not responsible for weather and road hazards that may occur during your participation – please adhere to all traffic laws, road closures, and weather-related alerts.

You agree to hold HeartLands Conservancy harmless for any accidents, injuries, or other problems that may arise during your participation in the Jingle Hike Challenge. By participating in the event, you – as well as anyone else in your photos – authorize HeartLands Conservancy to use your Jingle Hike photo submissions in social media and other HeartLands Conservancy publications, presentations, and marketing.

HeartLands Conservancy reserves the right to delete posts and disqualify any participant who posts what we determine to be obscene, lewd, discriminatory, or indecent photos or posts during the course of the jingle hike challenge.

Should you win a prize, HeartLands Conservancy will notify you via email. We will not share your personal information with outside entities without your permission.