Adults in Williams Lake will have the opportunity to be like kids again when the Boys and Girls Club hosts its first annual Capital One Race for Kids May 23, 2015.
It’s the first time the club is bringing the popular event to Williams Lake and organizers say it will be a great opportunity for the community.
“Boys and Girls Clubs have been doing this in Canada for three years,” said Stefanie Hendrickson, operations co-ordinator. “It’s done in the style of the Amazing Race.”
In hopes that it will become an annual event, the club will replace its Shifting Gears mountain bike race with the race.
In the Race for Kids, participants compete in teams made up of four adults, 18 years and older.
During the race the teams are asked to solve clues to take them to the next check point and to complete small challenges.
Three staff members from the Williams Lake Boys and Girls club participated in the Kamloops race in 2014 and had a great time.
“In other cities some teams race to win while others choose to participate just to have fun, “ Hendrickson said.
The challenges are physical, but have more to do with team building or co-ordination, she added.
An example of a team building challenge would see teams using straws, paper clips and tape to make a fishing rod to catch fish out of a wading pool.
Or they might have a scenario where three of the team members are blindfolded and the fourth leads them through an obstacle course.
“It’s a chance to play like a kid and is designed for all fitness levels,” she said. “It takes place within a five kilometre radius.”
So far seven teams have signed up, but the club is hoping for 20 teams.
Registration can be done online at www.raceforkids.ca/williamslake or by visiting the Boys and Girls Club where Hendrickson can sign people up.
Team members also collect pledges, which are entered online. West Jet has donated a voucher for two flights for the top fundraiser.
As a registered charity, the club can issue receipts for income tax purposes.
Registration for teams begins at 9 a.m., the race begins at 10 a.m. and the event will culminate with a Rotary Club barbecue in the city hall parking lot.
There are limited spaces available for childcare for participants on the day of the race.
“The KidZone (our after school child care program) will provide activities for 10 children if their parents are participating in or volunteering to help at the race,” Hendrickson said.
Anyone interested in volunteering is also encouraged to contact Hendrickson.