Grab your running shoes, stretch those hamstrings and warm up your brain for the College of Eastern Idaho’s Great Race for Education.
On July 18 at 10 a.m., 20 teams will participate in CEI’s Great Race for Education at the waterfront at Snake River Landing.
Dave Facer, the executive director for the CEI Foundation, says the race shouldn’t be confused with a 5k, but rather a scavenger hunt throughout Snake River Landing.
“It really ends up being really competitive because we have this auction where you can buy advantages for your team or disadvantages that you give to other teams,” Facer said. “There are alliances created; it’s real severe competition.”
Advantages can also be won for teams that have the best on-themed decorations. This year’s theme is Mount Olympus and will focus on Greek mythology for the challenges.
The challenges are similar to Minute-to-Win-It-style games, or games that Facer says you may see at a family reunion.
“If you’ve ever been to a family reunion and you play these competition games, it’s kind of like that, but it’s also like the Amazing Race,” Facer said. “The only difference is that on the Amazing Race you go from continent to continent, and we’re not making people do that.”
The Great Race for Education is a fundraiser for the CEI Foundation, and Facer says the funds raised during the race will go to scholarships.
“Our goal is to raise money for scholarships and program support here at CEI and capital projects. So, it really helps us in our effort to achieve our mission,” Facer said.
The event has seen most of their teams come from Idaho Falls, but Facer says he would love to see some teams come from Rexburg and other surrounding areas. He says it’s a great event for networking.
“I’ve seen people going from tent to tent, pop-up to pop-up and team to team, introducing themselves talking about like, ‘What do you do?’ ‘Well tell me about your business.’ Doing that, the networking things where you have a very captive audience,” Facer said. “And if you don’t know people, it’s a great way to meet people.
Team registration is open until June 15, and the fee is $250. A clue package is optional but recommended and will cost $500.
For more information, visit the CEI Foundation CEI Foundation.