2024 statewide Hidden Bottle Hunt complete with six winning finders

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The 2024 Hidden Bottle Hunt, hosted by the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, parent organization of the BottleDrop network, was a resounding success as Oregonians across the state decoded clues and visited parks to find six commemorative bottles between July 3-7.

The annual summer event celebrated the 53rd anniversary of Oregon’s Bottle Bill, which has helped keep Oregon litter free for decades. 

“We were thrilled to celebrate our iconic Bottle Bill and the impact it continues to have on millions of Oregonians with the Bottle Hunt this year,” said Devon Morales, vice president of external affairs for OBRC. “Congratulations to the lucky finders! For the first time in Hidden Bottle Hunt history, all six bottles were found on the same day and three of our winners were repeat finders! Thank you to everyone who participated, from our volunteer clue writers to everyone who came out to search for the bottles, and to those who followed along on social media.”

The 2024 Hidden Bottle Hunt included six separate, simultaneous hunts that were geographically dispersed in parks and on trails across Oregon. Each of the lucky winners kept their commemorative bottle and selected a BottleDrop Give nonprofit partner to receive a $1,000 donation through the BottleDrop Containers for Change program. In addition, the six clue writers were also able to direct $500 donations to the nonprofits of their choosing. Thousands of nonprofits across Oregon collectively raise more than $5 million for their organizations through the BottleDrop Give program each year.

The lucky bottle finders for each zone are:

• Zone 1E: Beth Simpson-Flem of Hood River found the bottle on The Dalles’ Riverfront Trail with her husband, Jesse, and granddaughter, Jessie Mae, and they are directing the $1,000 donation to The Youth Drop-In Center in The Dalles, a program operated by The Next Door.
• Zone 1W: Heather Self of Tualatin found the bottle in Forest Grove’s Fernhill Wetlands and is directing the $1,000 donation to The Edwards Center.
• Zone 2: Family of Amber Kaney, including Vina, Edie, and Tommy Hefflinger of Oregon City, (two-time winners) found the bottle in Corvallis’ Bruce Starker Arts Park, and they are, directing the $1,000 donation to the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.
• Zone 3: Caitlin Fernandez of Medford found the bottle in Ashland’s Lithia Park with her mother, Bonnie, (two-time winners), and they are directing the $1,000 donation to Shriners Children’s Hospital.
• Zone 4: A.D. of Bend found the bottle in Prineville’s Crooked River Park and is directing the $1,000 donation to Humane Society of Central Oregon.
• Zone 5: Jason Stride of Portland (two-time winner) found the bottle in La Grande’s Riverside Park and is directing the $1,000 donation to the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.

The volunteer clue writers for each zone are:

• Zone 1E: Joe Gantt, who is directing $250 to the Portland Rose Festival Foundation and $250 to the Portland Urban Debate League.
• Zone 1W: John Dutt, who is directing $500 to the Architectural Heritage Center.
• Zone 2: Kelly Luzania, who is directing $500 to the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.
• Zone 3: Devon Morales, who is directing $250 to the Palisades World Language School PTO and $250 to the Oregon Natural Desert Association.
• Zone 4: Glorie Totten Gary, who is directing $250 to the Portland Rose Festival Foundation and $250 to Crook County Spurs Basketball.
• Zone 5: Neal Dietz and Sue Peterson, who are directing $500 to the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.

Photos of the finders can be found here.

The history of the Hidden Bottle Hunt, information about previous winners and an explanation of previous clues (including this year) can be found on the BottleDrop website.

What is the Bottle Bill?

On July 2, 1971, Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass a Bottle Bill – a system that provides a redemption value for beverage containers to Oregonians, incentivizing recycling by keeping bottles and cans out of our natural areas. In its 53rd year, it remains a groundbreaking approach to addressing the issue of litter in our forests, rivers, beaches, scenic byways and other natural areas. Over time, Oregon’s system has grown and innovated, and has become a national model of beverage container redemption and recycling, inspiring national and international delegations to visit Oregon to learn about its unique and effective system. Learn more about the Bottle Bill here.

About BottleDrop and the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative

The Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative is the industry steward of Oregon’s nationally recognized

beverage container redemption system and the operator of the BottleDrop network. On behalf of the

beverage industry, OBRC helps Oregonians conveniently redeem and recycle more than 2 billion containers every year, dramatically reducing litter in Oregon’s special places and boosting the state’s recycling outcomes. To learn more, visit BottleDrop.com or OBRC.com.