This Sunday, Renton will experience its first-ever “Big Dig” event — part of a campaign to thank local residents for doing their part to prevent more than 350,000 tons of food and yard waste from entering landfills in 2012.

The Big Dig is part of Compost Days, a region-wide program offering free and deeply discounted compost to residents and community gardens for the spring gardening season.

At the Big Dig, participants will dig through a 15-yard pile of compost for more than $1,000 in buried treasures donated by Fred Meyer and McLendon Hardware, including a $500 shopping spree.

To participate in the contest, the public is invited to join a region-wide scavenger hunt to find the mascot, Corey, The Compostable Apple Core. Corey and his secret codes will appear on posters at 45 retail locations in Seattle, King and Snohomish Counties, detailed on a map at www.compostdays.com.

Those who find Corey and enter the code will instantly win a free bag of compost and a chance to participate in one of three Big Dig events. Compost coupons will also be available at compostdays.com and participating retailers.

The Big Dig event is put together by the Seattle Public Utilities, King County Solid Waste, Cedar Grove Composting, Seattle Tilth and will feature gardener and TV personality Ciscoe Morris.

It is scheduled for 11 a.m. Sunday, April 14, at McLendon Hardware, 440 Rainier Ave. S.,

It is free and open to the public.

VISUALS: Contestants digging through a pile of compost the size of a school bus in the McLendon Hardware parking lot, Corey the Compostable Apple Core mascot.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!