By Jan Schultz
IMPERIAL - The first of its kind in the area in recent memory, “Trivia Night” drew 15 teams for a night of head-scratching questions, fellowship, food and fundraising that will help area families in need.
The fundraiser for Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska and St. Isidore’s Gift & Thrift was held Nov. 11 in Imperial at the Nutrien Event Center on the Chase County Fairgrounds.
Bill Sullivan, St. Isidore’s store manager, said they’ve had a lot of comments asking if Trivia Night will be held next year.
“We hope for it to be an annual event,” he said.
“So many people came up to us and commented that they loved the event—it was something different—and asked if we’ll do it again,” he said.
Teams of six went through seven rounds of 10 questions in each round.
Categories touched on sports, Nebraska history, well-known pairs, board games, historic events/dates and more. Teams were given a little over a minute to give written answers to each question, with scores tallied after each round.
The winning team with the highest point total was “Deuteronomy.” Team members were Cale and Ashley Holscher, Carl Zuege, Jake and Marissa McDaniel and Jerel Fortkamp.
Second place went to “Charley’s Gang,” comprised of Charley Colton, Sister Rochelle, Ann Strand, Becky Fisher, Emmitt Zuege and Trey Milner.
The teams were awarded $200 and $120, respectively. Both groups donated the winnings back to CSS, Sullivan said.
Team entry fees, donations ahead of the event, door admissions and silent auction proceeds will also be figured into the totals, which are not yet finalized.
Twelve items were on the silent auction table, with the day of golf and night lodging for two at Arbor Links in Nebraska City the top dollar item purchased. Other silent auction items included a fire pit, internet service, a framed wall hanging and more.
Sullivan said one important aspect of Trivia Night was that it helped educate people “on what we do.”
All of the proceeds from sales at St. Isidore’s Gift & Thrift are used for CSS outreach to people in need in southwest Nebraska.
The Trivia Night fundraiser will help extend that outreach even more, he said.
Five people from the CSS diocesan office in Lincoln attended, including Katie Patrick, executive director of CSS; Bill Meduna, CSS operations manager; and John Soukup, CSS development office director.
Soukup and Josh Fries of Imperial served as co-hosts and emcees for the evening.
Sullivan said the event wouldn’t have come off without a lot of help from others.
“It came together so well. The volunteers and donors—that’s what it requires to put on something like this,” he said.
