Search Request
Message and comments: At my house, I have 2 springs. After my wife died in 2006, I had commemorative bronze plaques made, naming one spring after her and the other, using our last name. Duly recorded with City of Austin.
Plaques are approximately 2" x 6" x 1/2" size. Cast bronze. One of the plaques had come a bit loose from a horizontal rock it was mounted on, right at the spring in my front yard where it feeds into a shallow pond. Neighborhood children over for a neighborhood gathering about a week ago apparently picked up the plaque and either threw it into the pond or dropped it in the greenery nearby. These were 4 year olds, so they likely just dropped ihe plaque over the edge of the pond. I have drained it down so that you can walk on the bottom around the edges. And "fished" for the plaque in the mud covering the bottom using a rake. But to no avail.
I was thinking a metal detector might be able to locate it, even being able to reach out over the water a bit. And a quick search of the surrounding greenery where they might also have dropped it. Except for the lettering, the plaque is dark brown and so, visually, would be hard to find. And if in the pond, probably under a bit of mud.
Is this something your group can help with? My thanks for your consideration.
Search team leader announcement: April #2
The request pretty much says it all. Access around the pond is a gravel path (we will not be expected to get into the pond and mud). Anyone interested please reply-all. Lee is 78 and available most of the time (except tomorrow), email is first method of contact, home phone second.
Search team: Mitch London
Result: Found!
After a short description of the lost plaque and a tour of the grounds and a visit from the dog I searched the banks with no luck.
I then got into the mostly drained pond, and searched the shore. After a few minutes I found the plaque a couple inches into the silt.
After a quick rinse, it was ready to go back into place. He made a donation to the club.
Mitch
Thank you note:
Scott ---
Thanks so much for getting me in touch with Mitch. After several false starts in properly draining the pond, I was finally able to get it to drain (and stay drained) last Friday evening.
After a day or so to let it dry out a bit, I gave Mitch a call. He was able to come on out this afternoon and, after probably less than 15 minutes of searching, located the plaque in the pond bottom about 3 feet from where it was attached.
To have a service like yours available to the citizens of Austin is remarkable. Thanks for the good work and professionalism.
Gratefully,
Lee Sloan
Proudly re-united with the memorial plaque
