Guests who attend the New Iceland Heritage Museum’s upcoming annual fundraiser won’t have to bring their sneakers to the museum’s take on The Amazing Race, but they’ll definitely need to bring their appetites, sleuthing skills and strategic savvy.
The NIHM’s annual fundraiser will feature a prime rib dinner, veggies, greens and dessert and a chance to earn a few prizes.
“Our volunteers have been working hard on this fundraiser and they’ve had so much fun organizing it and finding challenging activities for the race teams, which will be made up of the tables where our guests will be sitting. They’ll have to complete activities to earn points from the judges,” said NIHM executive director Julianna Roberts. “There’s no running involved. We’ve had people ask us how much running they’ll have to do; they just stay at their table. And the team/table with the most points will win a prize.”
NIHM focuses on preserving the heritage and culture of the Icelandic community. It tells the story of the New Iceland colony that was established in 1875 with the help of Indigenous peoples in the area and the Icelandic experience in North America. It also hosts travelling exhibits, showcases local artists and oversees the Lake Winnipeg Visitor Centre exhibit on commercial fishing.
There’s no end to NIHM’s creativity when it come to its annual fundraising party. The museum has held trivia competitions, an entertaining cabaret and even enticed its guests to enter in to an avowed affair with chocolate. NIHM’s take on The Amazing Race – a reality television show where teams race across a country or countries where they have to complete physical and mental challenges in order to win a substantial cash prize – is bound to get pulses racing, as well as entertain dinner guests.
“We have brainstorming sessions with the whole fundraising committee to come up with new ideas every year,” said Roberts. “Chris Brooks is the chair of our fundraising committee. She’s so dedicated and worked so hard to get this all organized. She works tirelessly, walking the streets asking businesses for prizes or sponsorship.”
The event’s major sponsors are Access Credit Union, Sobeys, H.P. Tergesen & Sons general store and Pharmasave. The event’s silent auction prizes are on display at Access.
“We received nice prizes from donors. Each prize is valued at over $150. We also have three grand prizes that are worth over $300, some worth $500, as well as prizes that people can bid on,” said Roberts. “One of the grand prizes is an all-access pass to the Gimli International Film Festival and two sweatshirts. The second grand prize is tickets to a Blue Bombers’ game plus branded items. And the third grand prize was donated from Kast King consisting of a cooler and a variety of fishing gear.”
In addition to the silent auction prizes and Amazing Race prizes, there will be door prizes for dinner guests.
The museum relies on its annual fall fundraiser to help it with operating expenses, Roberts said.
Tickets for the event are $80 (people will receive a $50 tax receipt) and available until Oct. 18. Call the museum at (204) 642-4001. People with dietary restrictions are asked to let staff know what they are at the time of ticket purchase.
The dinner and NIHM’s version of the Amazing Race will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26 in Johnson Hall at the Waterfront Centre, 94 First Ave. Cocktails at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m.
