OAKHURST – A full house turned out for the first-ever Lions Club Trivia Night at the Sierra Senior Center on Saturday, Nov. 14, for an evening of stimulating entertainment combined with effective fundraising.
Six tables-plus and a host of volunteers partipated in the event, laughingly dubbed “If I Only Had A Brain” trivia. Representing with strong teams were organizations and businesses including the Sierra Senior Center, Positive Living Center, Sierra Tel, Grocery Outlet, J. Carol Realty and Sierra News Online.
Participants were given ten pages with ten questions each in categories that ranged from comedy television shows to Madera County and beyond. Many of the questions were tough, but the determined crowd fought with valor to pluck the smallest fact from the netherworld of memory.
Question: In what state are Corvettes manufactured?*
Many of the questions were answered initially with groans, and hoarse whispers of “I have no idea!” until finally, after a generous 45 seconds to figure it out, the team captain wrote down an answer by consensus or default. There was plenty of fault!
Question: Who is the only president born in Illinois?*
“It was a fun, exciting evening with great live auction and raffle prizes thanks to generous community suppor,” says Trivia Night Chairperson Deborah Hall, aka Second Vice-President of the Sierra Lions Club. “As far as the amount of money made, I think it would be safe to say it was a financial success that will allow us to continue our community philanthropic activities.”
The Lions motto is “We Serve,” and they sure do: from scholarships for high school students, to eye glasses and hearing aids for low income people, the Sierra Lions Club is a busy bunch of philanthropic folks. The recently handed out American flags to first grade students in five schools for a total of 270 flags. They run the Lions Camp Pacifica located off Highway 49 between Oakhurst and Mariposa, with a summer program for deaf and hard of hearing youth in California and Nevada hosting 150 campers and 50 counselors this year alone. The Lions Canine for Independence Program centers around companion dogs and they co-sponsor the Leo Club for local high school students.
“The Senior Center was a perfect venue due to wonderful support from Manager Katie Davis,” adds Deborah Hall, offering “thanks to nonprofit organization Be the Power of One with Susan Madden for tending the no-host bar, as they use funds to promote education in developing countries. Outstanding efforts by Lions Club members and YHS Leo Victoria Bodine made the evening a success!”
Tom Wheeler was the evening’s distinguished emcee, and judges were community members John Reed, Cheryce Chartier and Wade Wheeler.
Hall introduced Lions Club President Don Kieffer and thanked the Trivia Committee to get the night off to a good start, and PLC’s Angelo Pizello offered a prayer for all those touched by the tragedy overseas just one day before. Vice President Peggy Henter-Potter was commended for having taken on roles for food, registration, and overall back-up. The well-organized night featured a baked potato and salad bar, with tasty cookies, cake and snacks throughout the competition. Noella Connal helped out at the bar. Gail Hawksworth and Wayanne Markley handled the auction and raffle with flair, and Grocery Outlet’s team captain Brandon Steele led the way in winning tickets.
Stella Pizello faithfully kept the time clock as the competition progressed.
Question: Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Prize, invented what product that caused him to build 93 factories worldwide that manufactured 66,500 tons per by 1896 when he died?*
“Congratulations to Sierra News Online and team captain Gina Clugston for winning the 1st annual If I Only Had a Brain trivia contest by one point in front of second place Positive Living Center team, with Tim Madden at the helm,” says Hall.
The Sierra News Online team was made up of Lisa Clark, Dave Briley, Kellie Flanagan, David Thome, Jeri West, Gina Clugston and Doug Clark.
“In third place was an open table of people who wanted to play and had just met,” Hall says. She then poses a burning question on the minds of all who sweated a little with the complexity of the questions that evening: “Will Sierra News Online be able to win again next year and retain the trophy?” We shall see…
*Answers: Kentucky, Ronald Reagan, Dynamite
