What better way to fundraise for kids than to get out and play like one again! On October 3rd, Boston Partners in Education held its first annual Scavenger Hunt in downtown Boston to raise funds in support of our mentoring programs. Hosted by KPMG and Partner Edwige Sacco, the Scavenger Hunt introduced participants not only to our work but to parts of Boston they may not always frequent. The city is essential to our organization – our programs support students in all neighborhoods throughout Boston — so we were excited for an event that would bring teams into communities we serve.
With help from Amazing Chase SmartHunt®, Scavenger Hunt participants recruited teams of 4-8 friends or colleagues and competed in an evening of photo missions, video challenges, and trivia questions in a race to first place!
How did it work?
The Scavenger Hunt began at KPMG’s offices and transitioned to the city streets. Five teams traveled around Boston collecting photo and video evidence of historic monuments, famous restaurants, tricky handstands, and silly group shots. For big points, groups had to engage in more daring public displays downtown, which included showing off embarrassing dance moves and even proposing to a stranger!
Each team received an iPad Mini and the SmartHunts app, which used GPS tracking with a one-way messaging system that allowed facilitators to stay connected with teams throughout the hunt. While teams explored the city, their photos were sent back to the home base at KPMG and presented in a slideshow during the awards ceremony. Despite a late push from team All4Cheese, team OMP from KMPG were crowned the champions with a total score of 25,350 points!
Why did we do it?
It’s always about the students! Boston Partners is only able to support local students because of the volunteers and mentors who make a commitment to visit classrooms each week — and the first annual scavenger hunt was a perfect way to remind participants that some time away from their desks is both fun and rewarding.
A mentor is a valuable resource for students, teachers, and the community. As Executive Director Erin McGrath explains, “Anyone, from any walk of life, can make a meaningful impact in a child’s life.” Just like mentoring, the scavenger hunt was about creating opportunities for people to come together and bond — and hopefully, discover the value of mentoring along the way.
Scavenger Hunt participants raised over $5,000 for Boston Partners’ mentoring programs — and probably a few eyebrows — during the fun-filled evening. Thank you to all of the supporters and participants who helped make the first annual Scavenger Hunt event a success.