“Car rally” creates exposure for everyone

The Fort Frances Public Library held it’s first “car rally” last Wednesday night to help create some added awareness for its “Building for the Future fundraising campaign.
“We wanted to hold an activity that would be fun for everyone and get people hyped up about the library campaign and its fundraising,” Librarian, Margaret Sedgwick said.
Seventeen teams signed up for the challenge, three business’ lent their venues as check-stops, and several volunteers helped out at each stop.
The idea was to get local business’ involved in the teams adventures and get them some exposure as well.
Global Gaming owner, John Racioppi, was happy to be able to provide a check-spot for teams to stop at and compete for a clue.
“Everyone that came in here looked like they were having a lot of fun–it was great because I saw a lot of new faces come through the doors,” Racioppi said.
“They looked like they were having so much fun that I want to participate myself in the next one,” he added.
Participants decoded clues and partook in challenges that led them to a number of locations around town, as well as east and west of here.
Teams began their adventure at 7 p.m. at the Fort Frances Public Library, where they were given their first clue.
During the quest teams had to go to various locations, such as Kitchen Creek golf course for a hole in one, Energy Fitness (where a team member had to run a championship lap), Global Gaming (to compete in a legal speed race), and even a tower at the Causeway, where their knowledge of the area was tested.
They had to have their thinking caps on at all times because at each location they were given a clue as to where they would find their next task.
Members also were sent into the bush north of Eighth Street to gather a bit of the wilderness in order to collect their final clue, which would lead them to the finish line at the La Place Rendez-Vous.
In the forest, teams were sent on a little scavenger hunt to collect six of eight items on their list before they could receive their next clue. Some of the items were a fern, stick, yellow leaf, pine cone, and bark.
But en route, teams had to be careful because the OPP and Treaty #3 Police out in full force.
In fact, police were called to the Eighth Street ski trails because of a report from residents who live nearby that they saw a lot of activity in the bush behind their homes.
At the “Vous,” teams signed in and tried their luck at a poker hand.
Afterwards, everyone enjoyed refreshments in the banquet hall upstairs.
B•93 fm’s Team #2 “Rednecks,” (Jay Desrosiers, “Gilmore,” and Sara Marusyk) ended up tying for first place with the Fort High Leo Club (Annelise Hawrylak, Trevor Barker, and Darcy Jones).
“Hayden + two” (Rochelle Bird, Ray Allen, and their daughter, Hayden) had the best poker hand.
“It was really successful and we are really happy about the attention [it] got,” said children’s librarian Andrea Avis.
“Everyone had a lot of fun, and I think more people will wish that they would have participated after hearing about it from others,” she added.
Avis, really worked hard to get people to sign-up for the friendly fundraiser, as she phoned around to many local business and tried to strike up a friendly rivalry between owners and their competition around town.
For example, she called Times reporter, Melanie Bechard and asked her if we would challenge B•93 fm in the race.
Of course, the Times did just that–and also helped to promote the event around town.
Avis and Sedgwick also noted they plan to hold the event again in the fall.
“We are definitely doing this again,” she enthused.
“We are already thinking about new clues and ideas of how to improve the adventure.”
The “rally” raised about $350 for the new library, which is going to be built at the corner of Reid Avenue and Second Street East.
“We are just really excited about the attention the ‘Building for the future’ campaign is getting,” Sedgwick said.
“The community is really offering it’s support to us,” she added. “Its been great and we hope everyone had as much fun as we did and hopefully more teams will sign-up for the next one”.