A Cache Called Wanda Traditional Cache
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There is a Milford candy store that has been the delight of at least two generations of children. I often hear parents with their children in the store saying how they used to come here when they were children. I started coming in for the delicious homemade chocolate peanut clusters, and have become hooked.
This "sugar shack" is owned and operated by Wanda Hornacek. The story of Wanda and her store is a heart-breaking, but also inspirational story of overcoming multiple tragedies and going on with life no matter what. Her store has been described as "a Milford landmark" and “a wonderful town treasure” by Representative Rosa DeLauro.
Wanda is the daughter of a coal miner, and grew up in the Shenandoah Valley of Pennsylvania during the Depression. In her late teens, she moved to Manhattan, where she met and married her husband, Steve Hornacek, at age 19. She worked at a department store in Manhattan, and developed the passion to own her own store. A few years later, she and her husband moved to Milford where he got a job as a policeman, and she made her dream of owning her own store a reality.
However it was also in Milford that her misfortunes began. On Valentine’s Day 1980, she suffered the tragic loss of her 31-year-old daughter from flu complications. In 1982, her first store on River Street was ruined by a flood. In 1984, her husband of 47 years, died unexpectedly from an ulcer. On Valentine’s Day 1985, she barely escaped from a fire that nearly destroyed her house. A passing "guardian angel", she says, knocked on her door just in time. Her first store burned down in 1992, and she relocated it to Broad St., not far from the cache site. Then tragedy struck yet again on Valentine’s Day, this time in 2000 – her second store burned down along with two adjacent stores, and an apartment that housed a family of four. Fortunately no one was hurt.
Despite her misfortunes, Wanda has been involved in various charitable activities. In 1990, Wanda received Milford's Senior Citizen Humanitarian Award.
Wanda was quoted as saying after the last fire, “What are you going to do? You can sit in the corner and cry or you can bounce back.” Wanda has other wonderful quotes, including:
"I have no intention of retiring as long as my arms and legs are working.", and
"If I didn't have this store, I'd be up where they keep all the nuts.", and
"I’ll never get rich doing this, but I’m going to heaven."
Yes Wanda, I believe heaven has a place for you someday. But don’t go anytime soon, OK?
This cache is a nano so bring your tweezers and pen.
Congratulations to Buttercup606 and Banditlead for FTF!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Chg n yvq ba vg!