Amazing race aids children of abuse
There was a leap off a tower. Axe throwing. Paintball target shooting. And foot golf where participants kick a soccer ball into a series of large holes.
These are just some of the activities from past Amazing Race Niagara events — a car rally, scavenger hunt and team competition adventure that raises funds for both The Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara and The Niagara Chapter – Native Women Inc.
This year’s event takes place on Sunday. Teams start and end at Polonia Park in Niagara-onthe-Lake, and new teams can still register online.
Styled after “The Amazing Race” television reality show, the Niagara event involves teams driving to locations across the region to complete activities while earning points. The winning team is named by a calculation of speed and points earned by performing activities well.
“It’s about being the best you can be and having fun,” said organizer Susanne McCarroll, resource development co-ordinator at the child advocacy centre.
Participants dress up in “everyday hero” costumes and decorate their vehicles.
Clues lead them to each of 10 locations and pit stops across Niagara where there are 15 different activities to complete.
Teams pay $25 to register, but also need to collect at least $400 in pledges in order to participate. Teams can choose to direct their donations to either organization or both. Last year, $21,000 was given to the child advocacy centre and $5,000 to the native women chapter, said McCarroll.
“They are supporting two organizations who are there for children to be the best they can be after trauma or abuse.”
Many of the past participants have embraced the event as a team skills builder and have gained a sense of personal empowerment from having completed the activities, she said.
Last year, teams journeyed to an adventure park where one member from each was suited up in safety gear, climbed a rope ladder and jumped off a tall platform, bungee style, while the others cheered. They travelled to another checkpoint where they shot at targets paintball style. They threw axes at targets. And they earned points by playing disc golf and foot golf.
The adventure race does not reuse events.
The event was started by Bethlehem Place, and the child advocacy centre joined with them in 2015. The following year, the centre picked it up as its own and joined with the native women chapter, and have run the race every year since.
Amazing Race Niagara. To register and for more information, visit http://amazingraceniagara.ca/