Mind Challenge 2021 winners announced

In a display of trivia knowledge, Broadview Heights defeated Willoughby Hills to win the 2021 Mind Challenge tournament.

Both the Fact Finding Four and Championship events took place on Aug. 16 and 17 at the Solon Senior Center.

To reach the final game, Broadview Heights defeated Avon Lake in their Fact Finding Four match, while Willoughby Hills was victorious over Twinsburg.

For their efforts, Broadview Heights won $2,500 and Willoughby Hills won $1,500. Thirdplace finisher Twinsburg won $1,000, and fourth-place finisher Avon Lake won $500.

Twinsburg earned third place by having scored more points in their Fact Finding Four match than Avon Lake.

“I really enjoy watching the seniors play and collaborate together,” said Art Greenberg, co-founder of Mind Challenge for the New Majority. “It’s something that has blossomed bigger than we thought, and we’re excited about next year.”

Next year’s Mind Challenge tournament will start May 9 and will run for six weeks. This year, more than 52 teams with more than 300 participants began the tournament, which represented 30 Northeast Ohio cities. Greenberg predicts the majority, if not all, who played this year will return next year.

“We lost 14 cities last year because of (the coronavirus). Quite a few of those may come back,” Greenberg said.

“I predict 40 to 50 cities next year, and we’ll expand our horizons. For Willoughby Hills, this was their first time competing. Gloria Majeski (executive assistant to Mayor Andy Gardner) put together a great team. The mayor played, and he loves it.”

Although Willoughby Hills fell short in the final round, it still had a great run alongside Broadview Heights, said Phil Levine, fellow Mind Challenge cofounder.

“It was a very enthusiastic, exciting, final round. Once (senior centers) say, ‘This is fun,’ and they see it and enjoy it, it sells itself. ‘This is fun’ is all we need to hear,” he said.

Willoughby Hills looks forward to building on its experience by offering trivia night in the future, Levine said.

“Collaboration is the goal. We want to enhance the socialization of seniors,” he said. “They have a lot of fun, camaraderie and a good time with it.”

How far Levine and Greenberg can go with Mind Challenge is another question, Greenberg said.

“It’s basically Phil and I. The money we get from this to support this is from advertisers and sponsors,” he said. “Without the sponsors’ money, we can’t come up with the prize money.”

Lana Oriani, of Get Lucky Trivia, conducted the Mind Challenge tournament with challenging questions designed to encourage seniors to use their minds and collaborate in a team concept.

“Thanks to Art, Phil and Lana for their efforts on creating a fun, exciting tournament,” said Amy Jo Washabaugh, Broadview Heights’ human services director.

“During these trying times, it was great to see the seniors our of the house, socializing and using their minds. We look forward to next year’s tournament.”

Broadview Heights decided to give its winnings to Yuletide Hunger, an organization that provides food to families in need during the holiday season.

Greenberg and Levine will continue to embrace any and all senior centers that want to participate in Mind Challenge.

“It’s a free activity for the seniors, and the senior centers are the lifeblood,” Levine said.

“They embrace (seniors), and (seniors) look forward to going there to participate in activities. We’ll embrace them and help them.”

SUBMITTED Members of the Broadview Heights team, who participated in and won the 2021Mind Challenge for the New Majority trivia tournament, are shown.