Senator Paula Simons🇨🇦Back in 2013 - in response to some ugly public debates in #Edmonton about community safety - I created #yegquest, a sort of digital scavenger hunt that challenged #Edmontonians to solve clues & chase a papier mâché chicken named #Henday to 12 mystery spots around #yeg, and take and post photos of themselves where Henday the Hen had been. It was a huge hit - and even won a national award for the Edmonton Journal. https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/yegquest-thats-a-wrap-a-chicken-wrap
In December of 2020, that hard and isolated #Covid #Christmas, I resurrected #Henday and #yegquest, to get people out and to showcase the beauty of #Edmonton in #winter. I called it the 12 Days of Henday, and it ran over the traditional 12 Days of Christmas. People really responded, with such creativity and enthusiasm. We even made a little movie about it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4AfT0W7wis #yeg #yegwx
Celebrating the 12 Days of Henday and the Yegquest
Why am I telling you all this? Because...I'm bringing back #yegquest! Because #Hanukkah falls so late this year, and because I wanted to celebrate my own #Jewish roots, and the deep history of Edmonton's Jewish community, I'm calling this one The Eight Days of #Henukkah (plus one.) [Get the joke? Hanukkah? Henukkah? Just wanted to be sure you were still with me.) The hunt won't launch until Sunday, December 18, but I'm so excited, I wanted to prime the pump a bit. #yeg #Edmonton
I was asked if this #Hanukkah timed #yegquest is about fighting back against #antisemitism and hate - and I suppose you could see it that way. But really, Hanukkah (or #chanukah) is such a fun festival, a celebration of light overcoming darkness, of hope overcoming despair. And I figure we could all use a little more Hanukkah in our lives this December. Also? This year's quest is a bit of a celebration of #yegdt - downtown #Edmonton, which needs a bonus shot of joy and activity this year.
Finally - in the past I relied primarily on Facebook and the Other Place to drop my clues. Who knows what shape the bird site will be in by mid-December, or how comfortable I will be using it? So - I want to do what I can to build some excitement in this delightful new space. I hope you will follow the clues here, and post your own photos in response, and enjoy the fun, even if you aren't in #Edmonton to play in person. #yegquest #yeg #yegdt 🐔
David Mitchell 
We in #yeg are so fortunate that our excellent Senator @Paulatics Simons has done this for us! It is such a fun way to explore new parts of your city/town and spend time with loved ones. For anyone who is not fortunately enough to live in Edmonton, I challenge you to make a quest of your own and share with the rest of @mstdn.ca so we can see how unique and interesting your corner of Canada is.
#yegquest #henday #mstdn.ca
#yegquest #henday #mstdn.ca
@DavidM_yeg If I remember correctly, you and your whole family embraced #yegquest like champions last time! I especially loved the photo of all of your playing cards with Frank Spinelli in the snow.
@Paulatics Good times
@DavidM_yeg I had so much fun myself, planning the clues, and watching all the photos come in. I hope you and your team will enjoy this year’s #yegquest too.