FOLEPI HAS BEEN FOUND!

Folepi was found at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, December 14, by Brandon Edwards, 32, of East Peoria, on Access Road 3 off Illinois Route 116 (Main Street) near the Par-A-Dice Hotel-Casino and the original Burger Barge restaurant in a hollowed-out post near a large rock. Brandon said he has been looking for the ornament, and today's clue referring to dice and cards, and a barge which he took to mean Burger Barge, lead him to Access Road 3, where he found the ornament. Congratulations Brandon! Thanks to everyone who participated in the 11th annual Find Folepi Ornament Hunt.

Clue #4

The train is picking up speed,
The engineer has complete control.
It is headed out of town.
Keep your head up and look around. 

If your main wish is to win a prize,
Roll the dice or spin a wheel.
Pick a card or two.
You may be lucky to win the deal. 

If it’s a puppy you want for Christmas,
And it needs a place to play.
Send it to camp for furry friends,
And let it stay the day. 

If the train slows down and you can get off,
Stop by the woods and enjoy the snowy night.
The woods are dark and the water is frozen,
But you may not be seen, you might be out of sight. 

Some trees stand tall while others have fallen lifeless,
This makes a home for wildlife running about.
Sometimes the water comes near and a barge you might see,
There are discarded items scattered throughout. 

Clue #3

As we continue to travel down the path the cedars have lined,
There is shopping to be had.
Many travel to the big, windy city
But we know there is plenty shopping here,
if you just follow the paper ad. 

Santa will need to circle the globe
As the reindeer prance and pace with excitement.
The bells were heard ringing from the sleigh,
It was a magical moment.

In order to prepare for the holiday festivities.
Clean out the chimneys and
Put up the trees
And don’t forget the nativities.

Your main goal now is West to East,
You are at the center of town.
If you are in need of last minute shopping,
Have a quick look around.

Clue #2

 As we travel on to the town,
The light in the eastern sky shines bright.
Whatever can it be? We have heard a child was born.
But the train did not slow down, we went faster and faster into the night,
Like a car on a rollercoaster ride.

 If you watch the big clock when it strikes twelve,
There are those that say the excitement of the holidays will sparkle.
The houses come alive with millions of twinkling lights and Christmas décor,
And Santa himself and FOLEPI the Soldier may make an appearance where books are stored.
Take a walk and a story you might hear.

As we slow to a crawl, we enter under the archway.
Here the streets are filled with shops and plenty to eat.
If a snack is what you need, a cookie should suffice.
They come in many flavors, but watch out for the crumbs.
Hot chocolate and a candy cane will top it off.

 “All aboard,” … we need to move on to see what we can find.
But don’t forget to spread the cheer
And goodwill towards all!
The pleasure will be all gold!!

Clue #1

Winter time is upon us,
The leaves are gone for sure.
The evergreens, however,
Are standing proud and waiting
For the holiday lights to appear.

The sounds of the train,
hissing steam and screeching metal,
Can be heard far and wide.
Perhaps it’s on its way to the North Pole,
And we may all catch a ride.

As we board the locomotive,
Christmas carols are being sung.
Hot chocolate, as thick and rich as chocolate bars,
Is being served with candies and cookies, Oh Yum!

We have noticed the train is traveling from East to West,
Towards the flickering Christmas lights of the town.
Then, all of a sudden, the lights could not be seen.
We traveled through the quiet darkness
Where names identify the loved ones of Christmas past.

As we travel on, there is a crowd gathered on the hill,
There are people dressed in different clothes,
And one in an amazing coat of many colors.
Is it Santa? Or a different kind of giver?

Details

Area residents have a chance to win prizes if they can Find Folepi, an ornament hunt now in its 11th year. Each year, a 3-inch, round, clear, acrylic Folepi ornament is placed inside a clear plastic bag and hidden outside somewhere on public property within the East Peoria city limits. The hiding place is outside and in a non-dangerous location. Please respect property by putting things back the way you found them.

(The pictured ornament is indeed clear. It was sitting on a white surface when the photo was taken.)

Clues

Clues will be issued weekly on Wednesdays until the Folepi ornament is found. They will be on this webpage as well as on Facebook at East Peoria Festival of Lights and on Instagram at folepi_ep_festival_of_lights.

Prizes

The lucky finder will get to keep the ornament, and will also win:

•  A $250 VISA gift card
• Five passes to the Folepi’s Winter Wonderland drive-through display
• One 12-month EastSide Centre membership
• Two overnight hotel stays, one each from Embassy Suites and Holiday Inn & Suites.