The brainiacs and puzzle-lovers were MIA around town on Saturday, January 23. The reason? They were hunkered down at the Perot Museum for the Great Adventure Hunt and to bring in a net total of $250,00 for ChildCareGroup. Under the supervision of Great Adventure maestro Tom Shroder and ChildCareGroup President/CEO Tori Mannes, this year’s event divvied players like Kit Sawers, Lisa Levy, Diane Colpack, Andrew Gregory, Nicki and Tom Nynas and Amy Tolleson into two divisions. But more about that and the winners of the night in this field report:
A night of raising funds to support ChildCareGroup’s early childhood care and education programs doesn’t involve a traditional black tie gala. Instead, on the night of Saturday, January 23, supporters of CCG gathered in teams of six at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science prepared to race through the museum’s 11 exhibit halls searching for clues and solving mind-bending puzzles as part of the nonprofit’s annual Great Adventure Hunt.
Before kicking off the puzzle competition, guests enjoyed a cocktail reception in the Lyda Hill Gems & Minerals Hall, where a Hunt Briefing Station and practice puzzles were available for those interested. This year, CCG introduced new rules for the Hunt that involved two levels of competition—Division 1: In It To Win It, and Division 2: Just For Fun—which were explained in detail during a seated dinner following the cocktail hour.
Leading guests throughout the evening as emcee was Amy Vanderoef, TV and radio personality best known from her role as a host on WFAA’s “Good Morning Texas.” As a single mother, Vanderoef’s passion for early childhood care and education made her the perfect match for CCG’s Great Adventure Hunt.
After each team received a bag of hints and the first clue was presented on stage, guests took off from their tables in pursuit of more clues and puzzle answers. The puzzles were designed by Tom Shroder, award-winning journalist and former editor of The Washington Post Magazine and author of “Acid Test: LSD Ecstasy and the Power to Heal.” Shroder is known for his creation, along with humorists Dave Barry and Gene Weingarten of the Herald Hunt in Miami and the Post Hunt in Washington.
At this year’s Great Adventure Hunt, Shroder’s puzzles involved unique items such as a large, inflatable globe and a ginormous pair of dice. Another clue at one of the puzzle sites involved volunteers acting out a scene from “Romeo and Juliet.” Nonetheless, there were teams that cracked the clues with ease and others that made use of their golden tickets and easy buttons, which are tools that can be used to receive extra hints in exchange for fees or small penalties.
Once the time was up and all answers had to be submitted, teams returned to their tables for dessert while anxiously awaiting for the winner to be revealed. After a few prizes were awarded for the most creative name, most uses of the easy button, etc., Baker Botts L.L.P was declared the winning team of the 2016 Great Adventure Hunt.
Having raised a net amount of more than $250,000 at the event, Co-Chairs Christy and Robby Berry, Tessa and Bob Mosteller and Barb and Mike Tonti deemed the Hunt a success. The event was made possible by presenting sponsor Alliance Data, puzzle master sponsor Lyda Hill and kick-off party sponsor Bank of Texas. Other major sponsors included: HFF, M.C. Smith Interests, Pegasus Bank, Springfield Consulting Services LLC, Tolleson Wealth Management and Tonti Properties.
* Photos provided by ChildCareGroup