SouthCoast Facebook Group Spreads Happiness Through Playful Scavenger Hunt

In an effort to spread positive energy during the beginning of the pandemic, two SouthCoast locals created a Facebook group called SouthCoast Stash and Dash, creating a lighthearted, artistic scavenger hunt for the members of the group.

Three years later, SouthCoast Stash and Dash has close to 5,000 members who continue to participate in the stashing and dashing.

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What is SouthCoast Stash and Dash?

We spoke to the creators, Ian Francis and Brandin DeSousa, when the group was first launched in 2020, and their main goal was to put smiles on people’s faces and give a spotlight to the artistic members of the community.

Basically, you “stash” a piece of art somewhere around the SouthCoast, provide a few clues on the group page, and hope that someone “dashes” to go find it.

SouthCoast Stash and Dash Continues to Grow

In 2020, Stash and Dash was a safe way to get outside and bond with community members. Nowadays, members of the Facebook group just enjoy the fun of it.

Lynn Baker of Freetown has been a member since 2020 and looked at the group as a way to meet other crafters and artists, but it turned into more than that.

“I absolutely love sharing my work with people who may or may not have the opportunity to purchase handmade gifts for themselves or loved ones,” she said. “I love to give my sea glass art locally because it's sea glass I have collected from the local beaches."

She recently stashed this work of art:

Her sea glass creation ended up in the hands of a woman who lost her mother. The two of them used to collect beach glass together and the woman viewed her find as a gift from her late mother.

Tyson Chance Andrade from New Bedford has been a member since the very beginning when his girlfriend invited him to join.

“My son loves creating crafts to stash and it began to be a (family) thing for us,” he said. “I honestly love creating art and giving it away. The joy I see in the community keeps me going.”

I love to hear complete strangers coming together for the sake of spreading happiness. This Facebook group was one of the few good things to come from the pandemic, and I love to see how it continues to grow.