For nearly 40 years, Bowl for Kids’ Sake has been a central part of our fundraising strategy, crucial to our ability to carry forward our mission. Historically, our signature peer-to-peer fundraiser happens in the spring. It serves as a great way for supporters, families, and companies to come together and raise money for our organization, and then celebrate their success with a night of bowling, prizes, and friendly competition. But with COVID restrictions still in place, we have reimagined Bowl for Kids’ Sake in 2021 into THE HUNT. We’ve tried to keep the spirit of Bowl for Kids’ Sake by incorporating teamwork, peer-to-peer fundraising, fun prizes, etc. We’re also supporting our local bowling alley partners by providing each participant a voucher for free bowling during THE HUNT.
How does THE HUNT work? When and where will THE HUNT take place?
THE HUNT will run May 3-28. Using GooseChase (scavenger hunt app), 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-in’s, with more points for harder Missions. The more missions you complete, the more points you’ll earn, and the more prizes you can win.
In order to best meet local health guidelines, we’ve made it possible to do THE HUNT anywhere! Missions will incorporate Dane County landmarks and local businesses, so individuals or teams can head out on a weekend to explore and earn points. And for those staying in, there will be plenty of Missions you can complete from home. Missions will be live May 3-28, but you can start earning points for your team right away by asking for donations from your friends and family.
What kind of Scavenger Hunt Missions can I expect?
THE HUNT is full of fun and engaging Missions. Missions will highlight Madison area landmarks and local businesses, but will also include fun challenges to do at home. Team members will submit photos, videos and GPS check ins to earn points for Missions.
Can my team participate in THE HUNT event if we’re not physically together?
We’ve designed THE HUNT to fit all shapes and sizes during the pandemic, so each team can decide how it works for them. Teams already spending time in-person can work together to complete Missions. And for teams with individuals keeping their distance, you can divide up Missions and get going on your own. 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 registrants who will work together to fundraise and complete Missions during THE HUNT.
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 while respecting 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. In addition to generous sponsorship from local businesses, these funds come from participants who fundraise before and during the event.
Once you register through OneCause (fundraising website), a fundraising page is created for you with built-in tools to fundraise 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 the About Our Impact page on our website for more information.
How do I submit offline donations (donations that don’t come through the OneCause website)?
It is common for individuals to receive offline donations, meaning a gift that doesn’t come directly through our OneCause website. The most common types are:
Cash, check or Venmo from a friend
Donations coming through a Facebook fundraiser
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 need to 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 enter that information. If you have any questions about submitting offline donations, please contact Bethany Ordaz at bordaz@bbbsmadison.org.
If a supporter wants to make a gift with a check, who should it be made out to?
All checks can be made out to “Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County”. They can be mailed to our office:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County
2059 Atwood Avenue, #2
Madison, WI 53704
If you know a check is being sent on behalf of your team, please reach out to Bethany at bordaz@bbbsmadison.org and let us know so we can properly attribute it to your team when it arrives.
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.
What’s the difference between OneCause and GooseChase?
OneCause is a peer-to-peer fundraising website, and is the primary place to go for 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 May 3-28. 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 in May 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. Team members not using GooseChase can click here to view a Google Sheet that will list all active Missions (won’t be visible until May 3rd).
Is there a place to see the Missions without logging into the GooseChase app?
If you want to view the Missions without using GooseChase, you can click here for a Google Sheet that will be updated once THE HUNT starts on May 3rd. It will be updated with any new Missions throughout THE HUNT. Remember, this is a view-only document and you can’t submit responses here
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.