Time in a bottle: Bend family hopes for return of a lost half-century of memories at Dillon Falls

Every year, they've dug up a buried bottle at Dillon Falls - but this year, it's gone

BEND Ore. (KTVZ) -- Every anniversary, Randy and Jo Partipilo reflect on the past year, preserving memories for their children and grandchildren with a hike and a tradition.

They return to the spot where they were married at Dillon Falls, leaving notes with positive memories from the past year.

But this year, a key piece is missing. The bottle is nowhere to be found.

Every year, the couple buries the bottle in the same spot, unearthing it only to put the new notes in.

On their 50th anniversary, which they celebrated earlier this month, the Partipilos made their annual trek to the disappointing discovery.

"We've told the kids every year, we come up and do this -- and then the one year we come up after 50 years  and bring up the bottle, it's not there," Jo Partipilo said Monday. "It was a disappointment for sure. So that's why the girls are trying to find the bottle for us, which is really sweet."

"Either way, it's fine, and we'll start another one," Randy Partipilo said. "With new memories."

They started the tradition just a year after they married, with memories written in the hopes they would outlive them, and be passed down through the family.

 If you find the bottle, which was lost near Dillon Falls, call us here at NewsChannel 21 and we'll make sure it gets back to them.