Alphabetically Battling Coronavirus: Crown Heights launches ABC scavenger hunt
Cooped up and bored with our new pandemic lifestyle, one Wichita neighborhood decided to have a little fun.
Residents of Crown Heights, north and east of Douglas and Oliver, this week launched an alphabet scavenger hunt.
A post on the neighborhood’s Facebook page solicited volunteers to display a letter on their front door or window, decorated however they’d like.
Then it encouraged people of all ages to go for a walk or bike ride — getting outside is still safe, according to health officials — and try to spot the entire alphabet.
“It’s a great example of just helping each other and having a little fun during this time,” said Shane Pullman, who lives near Third and Old Manor.
“Everyone’s kind of getting together and rallying around the ability for children to seek different opportunities, to get outside and increase their learning.”
Pullman, 23, signed up for the letter F on the neighborhood page and fashioned his in rainbow colors.
One nearby house posted a J in candy-corn-colored stripes. Another decorated a capital T like a tiger. Others created letters out of Post-it notes or erected alphabet yard signs.
Pullman said he has seen families on walks trying to find the letters, some walking dogs or pushing babies in strollers.
“My favorite was a group of kids on bikes with scratch pads, and they were writing down each of the letters they found,” he said.
More than 26 people signed up to participate, so some letters are duplicated. Pullman said he suggested adding punctuation marks such as commas or semi-colons.
Even amid the fear and isolation coronavirus has caused, several Wichita neighborhoods are finding ways to put the “social” in social distancing.
“It’s really nice to see a neighborhood coming together like this,” Pullman said.
This story was originally published March 21, 2020 at 9:55 AM.
