8th annual trick-or-trivia night raises more than $6,000
The 8th Annual Friends of Matheson Memorial Library Trick-or-Trivia event, held Oct. 23, at Sperino’s Monte Carlo Room in Elkhorn was a record-breaking success, according to organizers.
The event raised more than $6,100 for next year’s adult and children’s library programs and services. Supporting the library was the primary reason nearly 175 players attended, but the love of costumes and trivia certainly helped the evening along, too, co-chair Katie James said.
James, along with co-chair Shelly Robinson, said 19 “scary-smart” teams vied for the evening’s top prize. General knowledge questions ranged from cartoon sitcoms to sports MVPs to chemical compounds, they said.
Adding to the fun this year, fourth place The Masked Revengers (a crew from Geneva Laboratories in Elkhorn) emerged as the surprise winner when they were the only team to correctly answer the final question about historical newspapers.
Bob Kordus of America’s Pub Quiz served as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies. The fundraiser sold out in just four weeks, and James said she continues to be grateful for the community’s support of the event.
“We weren’t sure how many people would remember us after taking a year off – due to COVID – but were so happy to find people had actually been assembling teams and planning costumes with the hope we would return,” James said. “Shelly and I were so humbled to find the community loves and missed the event as much as we did.”
The event feature more action than just the trivia. Along with the usual 50/50 raffles and donated raffle prizes, James and Robinson added a “Best Table” theme prize this year, to recognize those who were particularly inventive with their friends.
“There are teams that go all out with amazing ideas. This year was tough to judge because there were so many creative tables,” James said.
Among the standout teams were “By George,” with players dressed as famous Georges and their companions, “We Are BOARD” (who at the previous event dressed as characters from the Clue board game) and went all out this year with a Monopoly theme, and the “Deutsches Trinkteam” in full Bavarian regalia.
The first team “Best Table” award went this year to the tongue-in-cheek “Titanic Swim Team” for what James described as their elaborate period costumes, hairstyles and life preservers.
The exclusivity of the event continues to rise with the demand: This year, three teams never made it off the waiting list to play after the “Sold Out” signs were posted around town, according to James.
“We could probably sell 30 tables and raise more money, but we’re really happy at the Monte Carlo Room and don’t have plans to go any bigger,” she said. “People have to sign up as soon as they see the signs around town if they want to play because we usually sell 75 percent of the spots in the first 48 hours.”
