Very few people would likely consider two chaotic, unpredictable days of eating bugs, zip lining across the Elora Gorge and struggling to complete gruelling physical challenges a great time.
And yet each year dozens of teams of two from across the province clamour for one of the 20 spaces in the Southern Ontario Amazing Race (SOAR) held each year over the first weekend in June.
Guelph-area residents Matt Steffler, Glenna Banda and Paul Pengelly founded the event in 2004 as something fun for their friends and family members to do.
“For whatever reason, I guess we had extra time on our hands, so we decided to try it,” said Steffler.
Banda, a big fan of the TV show The Amazing Race, adds with a laugh, “None of us had ever done anything like that before; we just ran with it.”
Fourteen teams of two took part in the inaugural race, which was organized solely by Steffler, Banda and Pengelly and run by a team of just eight volunteers.
Since then, the event has grown to include 20 teams each year, with 11 race directors and a team of over 100 volunteers helping to ensure things run smoothly.
But even when that is not the case – such as the time the race was stopped due to lightning during a canoeing challenge in Guelph – participants don’t seem to mind.
“People just take it in stride,” said Steffler. “It’s impossible to kill their spirit when they’re in the middle of it.”
The race’s 20 challenges are completed over two days on a secret course across southern Ontario (this year’s race is June 2 and 3). The tasks can range from tedious to grotesque and from gruelling to exhilarating.
Organizers have described them as a mix of those seen in The Amazing Race and Survivor.
“It basically packs 20 completely random things into one weekend,” Banda said of the race. “It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Interest from prospective teams grows each year, but for now race officials are happy capping the number of teams at 20.
“We like the quality of challenges we put together,” said Steffler, adding a big increase would mean changing the type of challenges to ensure there are no back-ups during the race.
Plus, limiting the number of participants to 40 in total allows the teams to get to know one another.
“There’s a community feel … That’s one of the things we like best about it. We don’t want to dilute that,” Steffler explained.
Whatever the reason, the decision not to make major format changes appears to be paying huge dividends.
Donations raised by race teams have increased each year, and in its eight-year history the SOAR has raised over $410,000 for the Children’s Foundation of Guelph Wellington.
Steffler said organizers realized very early on the event could be a much bigger success if it benefitted a local charity.
Banda said the Children’s Foundation was chosen as beneficiary to “carry on the legacy” of Steffler’s late father, who was heavily involved with Children’s Aid in Whitby.
The Children’s Foundation of Guelph Wellington was quick to jump on board, and yearly donations have grown from about $9,600 in 2004 to $74,000 in 2011.
Steffler said teams raise money through events, corporate donations, garage sales, door-to-door canvassing, and many other methods.
“The ingenuity of people never ceases to amaze me,” he said.
The SOAR has become the single most successful fundraiser for the Children’s Foundation each year.
“It makes a huge impact … it supports all of our programs,” said Banda, who is now the executive director of the foundation. “It has helped the foundation grow and make an even greater impact in the community.”
Money raised at the SOAR is annually dispersed as needed amongst the foundation’s five programs:
– grants for recreational activities, which helped about 720 kids last year;
– the Food and Friends program, which promotes better nutrition in schools and has grown to include over 84 locations and 12,000 students;
– the Adopt-a-Family program, which benefits over 600 families and more than 1,500 children around Christmas time; and
– two scholarship programs that helped 15 post-secondary students last year.
As an added bonus, Banda explained, the SOAR has helped the Children’s Foundation recruit volunteers and engage “a younger demographic” that otherwise might not be inclined to raise money for charity.
Thirty-six-year-old Chris Williston, who lives near Brucedale in Guelph-Eramosa Township, won the race last year with teammate and friend Dave Kelly of Guelph.
“This year we hope to repeat last year’s win, but really it’s just to have a good time and benefit the Children’s Foundation. It’s a great cause,” said Williston.
He decided to apply for SOAR after reading about the event online. When his wife didn’t express much interest in competing, it didn’t take long for Williston to turn to Kelly.
“We already had a moderate adventure base together,” said Williston, explaining the pair has previously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa and also to the base camp at Mount Everest.
“Dave’s pretty competitive … I’m there to have fun,” Williston said with a laugh. “Together we make a pretty good team.”
Kelly reiterated the goal this year is to repeat as champions. But results aside, he said the rush of the competition and helping the Children’s Foundation make the race a win-win situation for everyone involved.
“When you get in the race and the adrenaline gets going, it’s pretty fun,” said Kelly, adding he has always been a fan of the TV show Amazing Race. “Plus, it’s a great charity … and it’s really well run.”
In addition to winning a $3,000 travel voucher, as 2011 champs, Williston and Kelly were automatically granted a spot in this year’s race.
If they are able to repeat, they will be “retired,” as are all two-time SOAR winners, Steffler said. No team can compete more than three times, he added, which helps introduce “new blood” to the event.
“We have a really good mix of demographics this year,” Steffler said. He added participants range in age from 19 to over 60, and the relationship between teammates also varies from parent and child to friends to siblings to husband and wife.
SOAR applications start arriving in January and organizers have made a concerted effort to promote the event on the Internet and through social media websites like Twitter.
Yet the race’s popularity continues to grow largely due to word of mouth.
“People have a really good time,” said Steffler. “We put a lot of time and thought into the challenges … people are usually blown away.”
Race directors start preparing for the annual event in January, and by April are meeting at least once a week. Costs to put on the event – generally ranging from $15,000 to $20,000 – are covered almost exclusively by corporate sponsorships obtained by race directors.
“We’re all volunteers with full-time jobs,” Steffler said of the directors.
Hosting the event the first week of June often means the month of May – usually one of the busiest of the year for those with homes and/or families – is pretty much a blur for organizers.
Plus, they don’t get to fully enjoy the actual race like competitors, because they’re still working. But in the end, all the positive feedback makes the sacrifices worthwhile.
“It’s fantastic,” said Steffler. “It’s fun to listen to all the stories on Sunday. It’s so hard to capture everything that went on, but it’s great to share experiences at the end of the event.”
That’s when race teams often reflect on their accomplishments, some of which they thought were never possible.
“People actually say, ‘It changed my life’,” said Banda. “It really pushes people outside their comfort zones … Even the team that finishes in last place is celebrating and enjoying it.”
Williston agreed.
“Winning’s nice, but the whole thing is a great experience,” he said. “It’s high-energy, get-your-blood-pumping, full-intensity action for two whole days.”
He complimented race organizers on the quality and variation of the challenges, adding, “It’s just very exciting and such a good time.”
For more information about the race or to apply to compete or volunteer for future events, visit www.therace.ca.
