Nearly 250 participants showed up to The Joule for the Great Adventure Hunt benefiting ChildCareGroup. They said to heck with a traditional gala, opting instead for a little friendly competition to raise money for a great cause.
This year's co-chairs — Diane and Daryl Johnston, Amanda and Byron Neuhoff, and Kit and Kemp Sawers — tapped Kellie Rasberry, co-host of the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning show, to serve as emcee. Rasberry even joined in the fun by hunting with friends, as other teams of six went head-to-head solving puzzles and clues in an attempt to emerge victorious.
This year’s puzzle master was Tom Shroder, an award-winning journalist, best-selling author and former editor of the Washington Post Magazine. Along with humorists Dave Barry and Gene Weingarten, Shroder is also known for the creation of the Herald Hunt in Miami and the Post Hunt in Washington, attended by thousands each year.
So now for the good stuff. Who won? The 2014 overall champion was the Baker Botts LLP team, led by Bart and Elizabeth Showalter. The JPMorgan team, led by Dotti Reeder, won the “Whodunnit!” end clue, which solved the murder mystery of the clue-themed evening. Teams also won fun prizes for Best Team Name and Last Place.
Hunters — including Mayor Mike Rawlings, Erin and Brad Struck, Sharon Morrison, Emmitt Smith, and Ronelle and Pete Lanace — celebrated their victory or lamented their defeat at the first-ever after-party hosted by The Joule in the hotel’s all-glass terrace room overlooking downtown.
The 2014 Great Adventure Hunt raised more than $200,000, and the raffle and live auction sales raised more than $25,000, to support ChildCareGroup’s early childhood education programs.
Daryl Johnson, Diane Johnston, Kellie Rasberry, Amanda Neuhoff, Byron Neuhoff, Kemp Sawers, Kit Sawers, Tori Mannes
Blood Cancer United executive director Leah Swanson, Spirit of Tom Landry Award recipient Vivian Haddad, Lara Haddad and emcee Clarice Tinsley.Photo by Tamytha Cameron and Celeste Cass
