A massive scavenger hunt soon will wind through the streets of Liberty County to help raise funds for and boost Alzheimer’s awareness in the community while providing a day of fun for area families.
The Sistaz and Soljaz with Vizionz Social Club is organizing its first-ever “Seasonal Scavenger Hunt,” which is slated to begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at the LaQuinta Inn, 1740 E. Oglethorpe Highway in Hinesville. Teams should be in place by 2:30 p.m., however, because that’s when rules and regulations will be discussed.
Club Vice President Amanda Lawson, the event’s lead organizer, said this is a cause that’s near and dear to her heart.
“My mom is currently fighting Alzheimer’s, and my dad retired to be her caregiver. My parents also live in Hinesville,” she said. “I know firsthand how terrible this disease is and how much of an impact this disease can have on caregivers and other family members. We want to raise money by having this scavenger hunt, to help local families with daily obstacles they might face.”
Teams of four can register for the hunt, which will stay within the confines of Liberty County. Teams will need one vehicle to travel in, Lawson said, and will head to different destinations to complete each task on a list they’ll be given. The hunt will be about one to two hours.
Lawson said she and fellow club member Lissette Flores got the idea for the event when the visited a Jacksonville mall, where a scavenger hunt was taking place. They’d been thinking about staging a similar event in Liberty County for over a year when the official planning began.
The event has been in the works for several months now. The group created a promotional video about the hunt in June and posted it on Facebook, where it has drummed up some interest.
All proceeds will go to help local Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. The club vice president said she and her group want to assist families with their financial issues, of course, but also plan to tackle things that tend to fall by the wayside when a loved one is battling a form of dementia — things like household chores and errands.
(We’ll help with) “grocery shopping, house cleaning, lawn work, or maybe helping with gas to go back and forth to doctors appointments,” Lawson said. “We do take part in the national Alzheimer’s fundraisers, but we would like the money we raise to actually help local people.”
To help make the scavenger hunt a success, Sistaz and Soljaz with Vizionz is seeking sponsors and donors. They need businesses, organizations and other supporters to provide food, door prizes and money to help pay for trophies. The group is receiving assistance from Southland Knights Motorcycle Club, and Lawson hopes more helpers will sign on soon.
“We have created a donation letter and we are visiting different businesses and asking for help with our event. La Quinta Inn in Hinesville has graciously donated their meeting room free of charge for us to begin and end our scavenger hunt at,” she said. “After the scavenger hunt, we will have free food and drinks for team members.  Team member’s families and friends are welcome to join for a $5 per person donation. Winning teams will receive trophies, and all team members and those who give a donation will have the chance to win door prizes.”
Lawson said that any necessary items that aren’t donated will be paid for by her club and the Southland Knights.
To register for the scavenger hunt or for information, call Lawson at 912-980-6918 or Flores at 912-312-7258. Registration forms also can be found on the Coastal Courier’s Facebook page. The fee, payable by cash, check or money order, is $40, but late registrations will be accepted after Aug. 10 for $50. No refunds will be given, but team-member substitutions are allowed. The hunt will take place rain or shine.