THE HUNT runs April 19th-May 12th. Registration is $25 for adults, $15 for Bigs, and kids are free. Once you register, grab some teammates and then use GooseChase (scavenger hunt app) to get HUNTing! You and your team will work together to complete as many Missions as possible and earn points for your team. Team members will submit photos, videos, and check-ins, with more points for harder Missions. The more Missions you complete, the more points you’ll earn, and the more prizes you can win!
What kind of Scavenger Hunt Missions can I expect?
THE HUNT is full of fun and engaging Missions that will get you out and exploring all over Dane County. Before THE HUNT begins, there will be Practice Missions on GooseChase to get you familiar with the app. Then on April 19th, dozens of Missions will appear, with more Missions dropping each week! Missions will highlight Madison area landmarks and local businesses, but will also include fun challenges to do at home. Some may require you to take a selfie, record a video, check-in at a specific location, or answer a trivia question. No matter the format, it's guaranteed to be a blast. (Don't forget to check-out our Scheduled Missions Calendar so you don't miss out on the Missions with a set date/time!)
Why does this event use "Golden Pins" and have other references to bowling?
For more than 40 years, Bowl for Kids’ Sake has been our signature peer-to-peer fundraising event. Similar to THE HUNT, folks formed teams and fundraised, and then joined together for a fun night of bowling to celebrate their success. Since the pandemic limited our in person events we switched to THE HUNT as our signature spring fundraiser. Now we still hold a few bowling events each spring and these events happen in tandem with THE HUNT. While THE HUNT is a different type of event, we still like to nod to our Bowl for Kids' Sake roots. :)
TEAM QUESTIONS
Can I have team members that aren't local to Dane County/Can we participate in THE HUNT event if we’re not physically together?
At least one team member should be in Dane County. The bulk of the HUNT Missions are geographic so having someone local is key to completing most of the Missions. If friends and family in other places want to participate and join in the fun they are welcome to do so. Many of the non-geographic Missions including fundraising can be done from anywhere. The scavenger hunt app lets you easily see your team’s points, completed Missions, and remaining Missions, so you can keep track of your progress even if you’re not together.
How many people can be on a team?
Teams can have up to 6 adult registrants who will work together to fundraise and complete Missions during THE HUNT. Kids are free to register, so go ahead and sign up the whole family, and no worries if your kid count pushes you over the limit. If that happens, just remember that if your team earns a prize for each HUNTer, your team would receive a maximum of 6 prizes--not one per person.
One of my teammates already registered and created our team. How do I join?
To join a team that is already registered, click here to see all teams and type in the team name that you would like to join. If you don't see your team registered, double check with your teammate to make sure they have registered.
Can people who aren’t on my team still help me complete Missions?
THE HUNT is designed to be competitive, but more important, it’s designed to be FUN and accessible for all! In the spirit of good sportsmanship, please try to rely on your teammates to help complete Missions. If friends or colleagues want to get involved, they can join your team (or create their own!) by signing up on our OneCause fundraising website. That being said, don’t worry about some extra hands if you want to have a fun outing with the family, get help with a particularly hard Mission, or cross off a Mission while you’re out on a date with a non-HUNTer! Use your best judgment and kindly respect the other teams.
Why is fundraising part of THE HUNT? How do I get started?
While we hope THE HUNT will be a fun and engaging experience, the ultimate goal is to use this event to raise $100,000+ to support the mentoring Matches in our program. While some of this revenue is sponsorship from generous local businesses, the majority of these funds come from participants who fundraise before and during the event.
After registering, a fundraising page is created for you with built-in tools to ask for donations via social media, email, and text. We encourage everyone involved to ask their friends, family, and colleagues to make a gift. Average event donations are just $20, so with hundreds of people getting their networks involved, we’re able to make a BIG IMPACT. Check out Our Impact page on our website for more information.
Do I need to personalize my donation page?
Yes! People who personalize their fundraising pages are typically able to raise much more than those who don't, so take advantage of the opportunity to share why you're involved with THE HUNT and why mentoring matters to you.
Can I receive a donations even if they're not made through my OneCause fundraising page (cash, Venmo, etc.)?
Yes! All donations received outside your fundraising page are considered "offline donations." The most common types are:
-Cash, check, or Venmo from a friend
-Donations raised through a social media fundraiser, like Instagram (NOTE: Facebook Fundraisers sync with our software and do not have to be entered as "offline donations." Make sure to link your Facebook account so your donations will be automatically added to your fundraising page.)
-Gifts made through your company’s preferred giving portal
While these donations may not come to us right away, they can still be counted on your fundraising page, but you MUST manually enter them. To enter your offline donation, login to your OneCause fundraising page, click the drop down menu in the top right corner and click "Manage My Page". On the left hand side of this page, select the option that says "Raise at least $ (whatever your goal is)." At the top, there will be a tab that says "Enter Cash/Checks" and this is where you can enter information. Please make a note about the source of your offline donation (Venmo, mailed check, etc.). If you have any questions about submitting offline donations, please contact Bethany Ordaz at bordaz@bbbsmadison.org.
If I receive a Venmo donation, how do I pass it along to BBBS?
If folks donate to your team via Venmo, you can easily send it directly to our BBBS Venmo account (@BBBSDC). Make sure to include a note with your team name so we can match it up with your offline donation.
If I have a donor who wants to give via check, who should they make it out to?
All checks can be made out to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County and sent to our office:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County
2059 Atwood Ave. #2
Madison, WI 53704
I’m on a team with my coworkers. How can we incorporate fundraising in the workplace?
Teams can get creative with their fundraising--the sky is the limit! Maybe everyone in the office pays to participate in a Cutest Pet Contest, with bragging rights at stake. Perhaps you set-up a friendly competition between team members to see who can raise the most, and the winner gets treats from a favorite bakery. Maybe your company will match your gifts up to a certain level. No matter how you fundraise, what matters is that everyone does their part.
Any suggestions on how to fundraise?
Use social media: post often on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Ask for donations, let your friends know how far you are from hitting your goal and thank your donors publicly.
Ask about company matches: many companies will match an employee's contribution to a charity. Ask your HR director or supervisor if your company will make a donation to your team or match your personal contribution.
Plan a small fundraiser: host an online fundraiser and invite your friends, family and coworkers. Examples include bake sale deliveries, jeans day at work, or virtual trivia nights. Get creative!
TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS
What’s the difference between OneCause and GooseChase?
OneCause is a peer-to-peer fundraising website, and is the primary home for all the event info (it’s where you’re looking at this FAQ page right now!). Participants register through this website, join/create a team, and are given a personalized page to fundraise for BBBS before and during the scavenger hunt.
GooseChase is a scavenger hunt app that is used during THE HUNT. The same team name and team members you are connected to on OneCause will show up in the GooseChase app. You’ll use GooseChase to see the Missions, submit responses, and earn points. You will not fundraise through GooseChase--it’s just a tool to help us run the scavenger hunt.
Once THE HUNT gets going and you start using GooseChase, don’t forget about your fundraising page on OneCause! Keep the donations coming throughout, and you’ll be able to earn more points for your team.
Do I have to download and use the GooseChase app to participate in THE HUNT?
The GooseChase app is the only way to complete Missions and earn points. There is no website/desktop version at this time. However, not all team members need to be actively using GooseChase. Your team can designate a Team Captain to collect responses from teammates and handle all submissions.
How do I download GooseChase and find THE HUNT?
Download the GooseChase app on the device you'll be using during THE HUNT. If you are on your phone now, these links will take you directly to download the app. You can choose to play as a guest or register for a personal account. You'll find THE HUNT by using game code Z86D93 or by searching for THE HUNT 2024. Then, follow the prompts to find your team, which will have the same name as the team you joined/created in OneCause.
I can't find my team name on the GooseChase app. Where is it?
When a participant registers on OneCause and creates a new team, we have to manually add that team name into the GooseChase app. We do this once a day, so it’s possible we haven’t put it in yet. Check back in 24 hours, and it should be there! If you’re still having issues, you can email us at bordaz@bbbsmadison.org and we’ll get it sorted out.