PORT ANGELES — Over-the-top games and goofy antics raised $4,000 for the United Way campaign at the second annual Outrageous Olympics.
The games — ranging from text messaging to Lego building to tug-of-war — were all concocted to make it fun to raise money for the campaign, said Dan McKeen, Port Angeles Fire Department chief and organizer of the event.
Last year a donor vowed to match up to $1,000 of funds donated, but even without such a benefactor this year, the games raised the same amount, McKeen said.
“The event was highly successful,” he said.
“It provided an entertaining environment for participants and, most important, critical funding for United Way agencies.”
The city of Port Angeles team the City Slickers took first place in the events.
Points were awarded for each of the seven games.
Eleven teams from Sequim and Port Angeles competed for the top spot.
Winners
The city team will receive a room at the Red Lion Hotel, along with a wine and cheese basket on the Fourth of July, McKeen said.
Clallam County Crushers won second place, and the Clallam County Fire District No. 3 team — the Red Hot Dogs — won third place.
Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded to every member of the top three teams.
But even those who walked away without a prize still had a great time, said Jennifer Peterson, a United Way board member who was on the team for the organization.
Peterson took the top spot in the games’ newest competition — Go Geek — in which text messages were sent to the judges. The fastest, most accurate messager won.
“This is something I’m really excited to add to my resume of skills,” Peterson said with a laugh.
Although she attended the games last year, she had not participated until this year, she said.
“I think we’re getting better and better,” she said.
“We have a new game with the texting challenge, and I noticed we used a lot more technology and there was a lot more bribing of the judges this year.”
In order to get more money for the campaign, the judges solicited and accepted “bribes,” which went into the donations.
“I also thought it was really, really great to see the First Federal team [The Money Baggers] beat Clallam County Fire District No. 3 at tug-of-war,” Peterson said.
“The First Fed team was three girls and one guy, and then on the firefighters were these three huge guys, but those girls pulled the firefighters right over that line.”
Most of the $4,000 earned came from entry fees.
Each team had a $200 entry fee, raising $2,200.
United Way Executive Director Jody Moss said every donation was a big help.
The campaign’s goal is to reach $1 million in donations and pledges by the end of the campaign at the beginning of next year.
“That is just a little bit more than the actual amount we collected last year,” said Gary Cohn, who is co-chairman of the committee, with his wife, Sue.
Moss said the campaign has about $563,000 so far and expects to reach $600,000 this week — which is comparable to where the campaign was last year.
“We are just really hoping that in these hard economic times people don’t forget to make a donation,” Moss said.
“We would be thrilled with large or small donations. We are having a lot of discouraging news from our partner agencies such as the city [of Port Angeles], who has cut funding for the health and human services this year.”
The economy just adds more need, Moss said.
“When the economy is like this, we have more people than ever who are in need, and we really depend on the donations,” she said.
For more information, contact United Way at 360-457-3011 or visit www.unitedwayclallam.org.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
