Groton — Tammy and Joe de la Cruz were on their new Smile Live Facebook show one evening, when someone had a question: where was the baby Minion that is typically outside the Hillery Company?

The Minions outside the Hillery Company sport costumes for holidays and are an attraction for many people who stop by to take selfies with them.

The baby Minion just happened to be in the shop that day, but the question sparked an idea to hold a scavenger hunt to find the Minion — and brighten people's moods who are home during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Tammy de la Cruz. She and Joe de la Cruz, who are co-founders of Community Speaks Out, had started the new Facebook Live show to share news about COVID-19 and the community, as well as to keep positivity going during this time, she said.

So Tammy and Joe de la Cruz, who is vice president of the Hillery Company and state representative for Groton and New London, organized the first Minion scavenger hunt last Saturday.

Ashley Shaw-Giordano, who found the Minion during the first scavenger hunt and works with Joe and Tammy de la Cruz through Community Speaks Out, is now organizing a second scavenger hunt for this Saturday, with multiple clues and locations.

The “Stewy Scavenger Hunt” will begin at noon Saturday in Groton. The clue for the first location where the scavenger hunt starts is: “We used to roll forwards, backwards if skilled. On any given weekend this place would be filled. Children and music filled the crowd, but it’s been shut down for a few years now.”

People will follow clues to go from location to location across town during the scavenger hunt. At each spot, they will pick up a sticker to put on cards that Shaw-Giordano made for the event.

When people find the Minion at the end, they will take a selfie and text it to the number on the back of the card, Shaw-Giordano said. The first person to find the Minion will receive a gift card to a local business, and everyone after that person will get entered into a gift card raffle.

She said the idea is that people will all be doing the same fun activity while keeping a safe distance from one another. It's also a way to give back and support local businesses.

Tammy de la Cruz said people are encouraged to social distance and wear a mask, while having a fun activity to do outside of their house.

“We encourage social distancing,” she said. “We’re not encouraging people getting together, but this is a way to get people out of the house, make them feel a little better, and we can see each other from each other’s cars. At the same time, we’re supporting local business.”

Shaw-Giordano said it’s fun for both kids and adults.

“It was just that cool thing to get out and do because a lot of us don’t have much to do right now, or you’re sick of sitting around the house,” she said.

Tammy de la Cruz said the plan is to hold the scavenger hunts on a weekly basis.

“This is something bright to look forward to, and that’s the whole goal: to make people have something to look forward to,” she said.

k.drelich@theday.com