The Race to Erase fundraiser for Sarnia-area charities returned Saturday following a two-year break because of pandemic restrictions.
“We’re just excited to get it back up and running,” said Scott McKay, one of the organizers.
The 29 teams in Saturday’s event were expected to raise more than $27,000 for about nine local charities.
Race to Erase events have also been held in past years in London and Cambridge.
Co-organizer Rich Bouchard said more than $750,000 had been raised in total at all of the events held since 2006.
“We’re a bit unique in that you choose what charity,” the money each team raises goes to, McKay said.
The four-member teams were sent out Saturday morning to 11 locations around the community where they completed timed events.
“They work together on all kinds of wacky things where they can have fun, and also learn a bit about that organization,” McKay said.
At Grace United Church, about 20 members of the 32nd Sarnia Girl Guides, Pathfinders and Rangers arranged three tasks for the teams.
Teams were timed saying the Guiding Promise before playing “chubby bunny,” said Kaley Holder, a Girl Guides leader.
“You put a bunch of marshmallows in your mouth” and read a list of words connected to Guiding while team members try to guess what they are, she said.
“And then they are going to be making bedrolls to go to camp.”
Having an event where the different age groups of the Girl Guides program work together is something that wasn’t able to happen earlier in the pandemic because of public health rules.
“And it’s a way for us to do some community service,” she said.
McKay said he wasn’t worried teams wouldn’t return after the two-year break.
“I think we’ve got a good group of people who really love doing this type of activity,” he said.
“It has always been a great way to raise money for the community, to learn about what’s going on. . . and I think it really resonates with a lot of people.”