AID — The community is invited to take part in a scavenger hunt, set for Aug. 31, with its starting point in Aid.

“We wanted to do something to give people something to do out in the county,” organizer Mike Martin said.

The Lawrence County Back 40 Great Buckeye Scavenger Hunt will start at the canoe launch site in Aid on State Route 141 at 10:45 a.m., where those taking part will get start packets.

From there, they will be given a list of items in the Symmes Valley area to gather or photograph. Participants will need either a cell phone or digital camera to take part.

The game will end at either 2:30 p.m., or when the first person or team arrives at C & C’s in Arabia with everything on the list.

Pam Beacham, another organizer, said she and Martin see the event as a way to promote business out in the county, to introduce people to the area and to encourage them to explore the back roads.

“They need promotion,” she said of local businesses.

“There are a lot of small businesses in the county people don’t know about,” Martin said. “Whether they’re start-ups or places that have always been there.”

“And we thought, while we’re doing it, we could help people,” she said, adding that proceeds from the event will toward the backpack program at Symmes Valley schools, which helps to feed needy children on weekends and holidays by sending food home with them.

The cost to enter is $5 per individual and $25 per car load.

The first place prize for the hunt is $100, while second place will get a gift basket and third place will receive a gift certificate.

They said the first 25 entrants will receive a gift bag, and the event is open to as many as possible and who are interested.

Martin and Beacham said there will be driving between destinations in the game, but all locations are within a reasonable distance and will be on easy-to-access roads.

The two operate Wild Ginger Homestead in Waterloo, which specializes in non-timber forest products, native plants and herbs, nature and wild crafting and educational opportunities.

They said, through word of mouth, they have garnered a lot of interest in the hunt and it is open to anyone who want to come.

More information can be found on Wild Ginger’s Facebook page.

Beacham said no registration is required in advance.

“All they need to do is show up at the canoe launch site that morning,” she said.