BEDFORD – The annual holiday contest hosted by Southern Indiana’s Classic Hits 105.5 WQRK and 102.5 Lite FM 102.5 concluded Monday when the limestone “Jingle Bell Rock” was found near the Williams Boat Ramp in Lawrence County, ending a three-year search for one determined local family.
The rock was discovered by David Booth, though the search was led by his father-in-law, Dave Sanders, a Williams resident who has pursued the prize for the past 3 years. Sanders said the 12th and final clue pointed him to the boat ramp in his hometown.
“Where fishermen stand with rods in hand, near a spot where boats kiss the land — your search is hedging toward the right plan,” read the clue that convinced Sanders the rock was hidden near the ramp.
Sanders contacted Booth and family on Monday to enlist help to search the area. Booth said he did not fully understand what he was searching for when he arrived.
“I didn’t know what I was looking for,” Booth said. “I didn’t know what the Jingle Bell Rock really was.”
The rock was hidden just inside a wooded area to the right of the boat ramp, tucked under a log. Booth said the phrase “hedging toward the right plan” led him to focus on the right side of the ramp. The group had been searching for about five minutes in that location when Booth located the rock.
Sanders, who is retired, followed the contest closely, collecting the clues from Sipes Body and Glass as they were released. Despite leading the search, Sanders was quick to deflect credit for the discovery.
“I would have never found it if you weren’t there,” Sanders said, referring to Booth and other family members who joined the search.
The contest prize package, valued at nearly $2000, will be shared among the family. Sanders said he was most excited about winning tickets to an upcoming Indianapolis Colts game, something he had hoped to attend for some time. Booth said the prize highlights for his family include tickets for ice skating in Indianapolis, an opportunity he said his children are especially excited about.
The prize package included:
- Pair of Colts Tickets (12/28) – $440.00
- Tickets to MJ: The Musical – $238.00
- Free Flowers for a Year – $200.00
- Auto Value Prize Pack – $194.83
- 50” Hisense UHD 4K TV – $178.00
- Ray-Ban New Wayfarer – $178.00
- Sipes Body & Glass Car Detail – $139.00
- Hand-Crafted Chime – $109.49
- Bender Gift Card – $100.00
- Family 4-pack of Ice Skating – $78
- Christmas Night Lights – $38.00
The Jingle Bell Rock contest, a longtime holiday tradition hosted by WQRK and Lite FM, draws searchers from across the region each year as clues are released leading to the hidden limestone prize. With the rock now found, the 2025 contest officially comes to a close.
The 2025 Jingle Bell Rock contest was made possible through sponsorship by:
- Auto Value Auto Parts
- Bender Lumber
- Smoot Eye Care
- Hoosier Door
- Mary M’s Walnut House
- Sipes Body and Glass
- May’s Greenhouse
