Standing alone in the pre-dawn darkness July 10, Mark Winkler thought he would never see his wedding band again. At the corner of Willow and Byron streets in Point Loma, Winkler dropped the cherished jewelry as he prepared for an early gym workout and heard a “ping, ping, ping” as it bounced invisibly down Willow Street towards Cañon Street before the sound stopped. The head of Winkler & Associates realty firm on Rosecrans Street told his wife of his misfortune and later mentioned it to business partner Chris Mannerino. Winkler and Mannerino spent an unsuccessful half hour looking for the band later in the day when Mannerino had an idea. “Point Loma Connections (Facebook group) has thousands of members (more than 8,100),” he thought. “Someone might have found it and reported it there.” Nobody reported finding the gold band but Patty Katashima of Ocean Beach offered to lend her metal detector to the search. “Now just have to make sure my husband (Tom) doesn’t mind a late dinner!” Katashima posted to the group. Katashima said she prayed she could help find the ring “in less than 30 minutes.” Winkler, Mannerino and Katashima began searching. Ironically, Katashima spotted the elusive ring in 10 minutes before she even turned on the metal detector. “The ring had gone down Willow Street about 120 yards,” Mannerino said. “It had jumped a curb and was resting in a front yard that was covered with bark.” “The look on Mark’s face was priceless,” Mannerino said. “Utter shock and joy!” Point Loma Connections readers were delighted by the cooperation shown. “What a great story,” wrote member Corrine Correia Hill. “Patty Katashima, you rock!”