Are you missing the wonderful sense of community that Topanga is known for? Are you ready to get outside and away from screens in a safe and fun way? Two of Topanga’s unsung heroes, Topanga Community Center (TCC) president Kelly Rockwell and Fuji Whittenburg Topanga Enrichment Programs (TEP) president, have come together to give you that opportunity. Join in the very first Great Topanga Scavenger Hunt! According to Rockwell, “We know it’s challenging for everyone to be cooped up, even in our beautiful canyon. It’s tough for all ages right now, so we tried to make the hunt easy for anyone with a camera phone to do.�  Whittenberg said “I was particularly drained from fundraising and wanted to shift my focus to finding fun and engaging ways to connect families and members of our community,� Whittenburg. “Truth be told, it was just after Christmas, and I was missing some of our normal events and social activities, and worried about how disconnected we all felt. I wanted to get our warm and fuzzy Topanga feelings back and shared this with Kelly.�    Taking a break from their volunteer duties, the two friends started a socially distant brainstorming session, talking about ways to bring the community together across all ages and groups, highlighting local businesses, families, the TCC, Topanga Elementary, etc. They wanted to get everyone motivated and excited about the New Year.  “While we were discussing ideas, Kelly mentioned this scavenger hunt they do in Maine, and I was immediately intrigued,� Whittenburg said. “How perfect! In an online world, we wanted to do something fun that would get people outside, exploring, and enjoying all of the great places and all of the things that make Topanga so special. A real community event to remind everyone to get outside and appreciate all things Topanga,� Rockwell said that the TCC leadership had discussed doing something like this earlier in the fall, but the all-volunteer board was managing a lot and the timing wasn’t right. The idea of collaborating with the TEP Board brought the idea to reality. The Great Topanga Scavenger Hunt is something you can do until January 31, while social distancing and following LA County protocols and it won’t cost you more than a stamp unless you want it to. The TCC Board and TEP Board are hoping it will help people get outside, but also support Topanga’s small businesses. “In a matter of days, in true Kelly Rockwell form, she came up with the activities, both TCC and TEP Boards were notified, a flyer was made, and here we are! Our very first Great Topanga Scavenger Hunt! If everything goes well, we can start a new New Year’s tradition in the community,� Whittenburg said. Rockwell says they are already planning additional activities for those who complete this in a single day. “So much of what our organizations have had to focus on this year revolve around fundraising efforts. It’s nice to do something just for fun and is about appreciating our canyon,� she said.  There are three fun prizes to lucky winners who complete at least 10 0f 15 tasks and send in their selfies by January 31 and https://forms.gle/dW88HBsuwJkRXM1t7. Winners will be chosen at random from all qualifying entries. Details and tasks can be found at topangacommunitycenter.org. So, stay safe, masked, socially distanced and take a little time outdoors reconnecting with our amazing community and happy exploring!