The family of missing woman Madison Scott is hoping a fresh set of eyes will uncover new clues to her disappearance.
Monday will mark the one-year anniversary since the 20-year-old was last seen at the Hogsback Lake campground, 25 kilometres southeast of Vanderhoof. She was last seen at around 3 a.m. and police have located her tent and truck, but have not found her.
To help gather more information for police, Scott's family and supporters have organized the Let's Go All in For Madison Scott poker ride this Saturday.
The ride will cover the extensive trail network radiating from the place Scott was last seen. The trails have been divided into three groups - one for walkers, one for those on horseback and another for quad riders.
"The idea is that participants will bring fresh eyes and vast coverage of the trails in the area with the hope that someone will notice a clue that will lead to discovering where Maddy is," said Scott's aunt Sandra Kelly Klassen.
"Our team decided to have a poker ride in the immediate area around Hogsback Lake to have participants out on the trails in the area allowing for fresh eyes to survey the area and the trails around Hogsback Lake and to, hopefully, see something that maybe we have missed that leads us to Maddy," added Scott's cousin, Kane Kelly.
He also stressed that this was an awareness-raising activity only, not a fundraiser. There is a Madison Scott Search Fund but it was important for family to keep the focus on public knowledge and possibly clues to the missing 21-year-old.
"Our main purpose is to remind the public that she is still missing and to keep people aware that we need their ongoing help to find her," Kelly said.
Those heading out on horseback start at 10 a.m. and the starting point is at Jodi and Jewel Volts's property on Goodland Road, just off the Blackwater Road.
The quads take off at 11 a.m. at the Ramage property on the Blackwater Road.
Walkers start at noon at the Mapes Hall on Blackwater Road.
Scott's loved ones are hoping for a large turnout from the general public and part of their encouragement is a set of prizes to be won, including a grand mystery package for one lucky participant. There are three participation categories, so anyone who wants to come out can be part of the event: walkers, horseback riders, and quad riders.
"There are many signs posted for each trail group so just head out towards Hogsback Lake on the Blackwater Road and people will find the starting point they need," said Kelly. "There will be volunteers out there who can help direct people."
Participants wishing to be in the running for poker prizes can pay $25 for their first poker hand and they can buy one additional hand for $10 (lunch included for poker players). Those wishing to participate without playing the poker game can join the event free of charge (lunch available for $10 or bring your own).
The ride is expected to take between two and four hours, depending on the trail and the individual pace of the participants.
"All three trails have spectacular views and feature forested and open areas. Each trail is very well marked and there will be volunteers to help direct people," Kelly said. There will be stations along each trail where poker participants will stop to play their next hand. There will be a "count the Maddy sign challenge" and participants who find all the signs will be entered into a draw. The signs could be on a tree, a stump or other things.
"The overall idea is to encourage people to scour the area with the hopes of seeing something searchers might have missed this past year," Kelly explained. "I think people are really going to enjoy the trails and they are going to hit the trails with a great purpose - to help us find Maddy after what has been a long, difficult and painful year."
Anyone with information about Scott's whereabouts is asked to contact the Vanderhoof RCMP at 250-567-2222 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
For more information on the event and the ongoing search, visit www.madisonscott.ca, the Help Find Madison Scott Facebook page or call 250-567-0923.
