After the huge success of last year’s Chestermere Rotary Amazing Race, it came as no surprise that they would do it again. There were a few repeat participants, one being the team of Patrick Watson that came back to both help support the Rotary but also hang on to their first place title that they took in the 2014 race.
On September 19, 2015, sixteen teams met at John Peake Park for their instructions, rules and at the ringing of the bell took off through the streets of Chestermere. The teams, like last year, were made up of four members and at least one member had to have a driver’s license so that they could manoeuver from task to task safely…or at least legally.
Team ‘Last Past The Post’, which consisted of our MLA –Leela Aheer, Peter Tindall, Malkeet Aheer, Akesh Aheer and Seran Aheer – travelled through the streets from challenge to challenge by way of bike….all except Malkeet, Leela’s husband, who diligently followed his team in their truck with furry family member “Elvis”. This team participated for the sole purpose of raising money for the Rotary…and to have some fun… but stated in their team description that they would not be accepting any prizes or awards… they simply wanted to participate and support the Chestermere Rotary Club.
The challenges are kept under tight lock and key until the morning of the race when teams are provided their first clue, just like in the tv show, and when they get that first challenge completed, they are then provided their second clue and they take off to whatever awaits them at the next location. This year’s challenges were:
Vantage Integrative Health & Wellness – to give a polio shot (don’t worry it was just colored water given to team mates via an eye dropper)
Yacht Club hosted two events – one to rig up an Opti and the other was to perform paddleboard yoga
Hyperactive Water Sports – paddleboat course in which a rubber duck had to be rescued
Re/Max – teams had to guess the price of a house
Shelterbox – this was at John Peake Park where water was pulled from the lake and turned into drinkable water
Browns Social House – teams had to mix a drink
Anniversary Park – building a sandcastle
Lakeside Greens Golf Course – sink a 10′ putt
Sharp Edge – teams had to shave balloons
Century Flooring – teams wore pantyhose on their heads with a tennis ball in the end and had to swing their heads until the tennis ball knocked over a bottle of water
Lakeshore Spa – one team mate had to paint the nails of another team member while another team member made tea and the last team mate folded towels
No Frills – teams had to shop for the Food Bank and come within $0.10 of their budget.
Food Bank – check the receipt and donation of food that came from No Frills
Rainbow Falls Dental – this challenge was to remove plaque from your teeth
Public Works Yard – along the way teams were to be stopping at CUI lift stations to obtain items that should be recycled. Once they got to the public works yard, they were to recycle the items they picked up along the way.
At the end of it all, new winners were crowned! First place went to team ‘It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere’ who came in with a time of 1 hour and 54 minutes. Their team consisted of Krista Mainprize, Darrel Horn, Mark Rietveld, and Tammy Rietveld who were awarded the grand prize of $1000 which was donated by CUI. The team immediately decided to donate $500 of their winnings to the Chestermere Regional Food Bank and split the remaining $500 between them. This team was also awarded four Anytime Fitness memberships for raising the most money. Congratulations ‘Its Five O’Clock Somewhere’.
The second prize, $500 donated by Re/Max – Doug and Marjorie McKay, went to team ‘Along The Lake Landscaping’ with a time of 2 hours and 2 minutes. Their team consisted of Maury Quinney, Lucas Weber, Sam Weber, and Conor Seabrook
Third prize went to ‘The Posse’, made up of Jennifer Massig, Mel Porter, Tanya McLean, Alex Desplanque who came in with a time of 2 hours and 3 minutes. This prize of $250 was donated by Rainbow Falls Dental.
When it was all said and done, over $4600 was raised for the Chestermere Rotary Club. At the wrap up, MLA Leela Aheer emceed at the BBQ where teams were awarded their winnings and shared their stories with one another. With the winning team donating $500 of their winnings to the Chestermere Regional Food Bank and No Frills donating all items that were unacceptable in the challenge and also the $10 gift cards provided for the shopping challenge, it just proves once again that our community always steps up.
And what happened to the reining 2014 champions ‘The Crusades’? They finished a strong 5th place this year with a time of 2 hours and 16 minutes. Perhaps they’ll regain their title next year.
