Will you get the winning key? The Okmulgee Times Treasure Hunt returns next Wednesday and you could be the winner of a trove of prizes from local merchants, including a $500 cash from Able Roofing & Construction, $250 gift card from Windy Chevrolet and many more prizes.

Beginning Wednesday, July 23, participants can visit and shop local participating businesses and, while there, collect keys that are in specially marked packages.

Merchant’s advertisements in the Times newspaper will be marked with a special key symbol. You can also travel to Morris and Beggs and find keys at participating businesses.

Then, you can try your key on the treasure chest lock located at the Okmulgee Times, 320 W. 6th Street, beginning Wednesday, Aug. 6.

The first person to open the chest will win the cash and prizes donated by the local retailers.

Participants may also stop by the Times office and receive one key per day. Keys for Able Roofing and Construction will also be given out from the Okmulgee Times office. Participating businesses will distribute keys based on their own individual promotions.

Key attempts beginning Aug. 6 can only be made during regular business hours Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Only one key can be attempted at a time. In addition, the package seal must be unbroken. The package must be opened inside the office in view of a staff member before trying the keys.

If there is a line and you have multiple keys, you may only try one key and then move to the back of the line to attempt your additional keys.

If the lock has not been opened by the deadline (Aug. 22), a drawing will take place the next day from a list of non-winning key holders.

Contestants must be 18 years or older to play. Chances of winning depend on the total number of keys distributed.

A winner is guaranteed, because if the lock is not opened by a winning key during the promotion, a winner will be drawn from the second-chance drawing entries. Okmulgee Times employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to win. Participating sponsors may go to another participating business and get keys to play.

See next Wednesday’s edition of the Okmulgee Times for a list of participating businesses.