Community Corner

Santee Blue Thong Society Amazing Race Benefits Santee Santas

A mad dash scavenger hunt around Balboa Park raises funds for the local nonprofit that helps familie during the holidays.

By Denise Wall

The Santee Chapter of the Blue Thong Society presented 'The Amazing Race' as a fund raising event on Saturday, February 23, to benefit the Santee Santas Foundation. Like TV's Amazing Race, the teams of two made their way around Balboa Park solving cryptic clues and completing challenges. At the end of the race, everyone met up at the finish line where teams were awarded prizes, received free refreshments and re-lived the day's exciting events.  Event organizer Cheri Hissong spent hours organizing the event, arranging clues, challenges and volunteers.

Susan Godwin, Owner of Superior Ear Works in Santee said, "I had a great time in Balboa Park looking for clues. I hope more teams sign up next year, I would definitely do this again."

Santee Blue Thong Society raised nearly $400 for the Santee Santas Foundation, an organization that provides food, toys and essentials to help support families during the holiday season.

Niki Steel, Owner of Nanna Niki Face Painting and member of Santee BTS volunteered as the "Christmas Elf" who walked around Balboa Park (dressed as an elf) and challenged teams to answer questions in order to receive more clues.

"We received a more descriptive clue from the elf for one of the items worth 40 points," said Katy Dambrino, BTS and member of "Vicious and Delicious" Team,  "I hope that helps us win."

Amazing Race Winners
1st place:  Kim and Aimee Benz of "Team Benz" who won the Sea World package that included admission tickets to Sea World, 2 rounds of golf at Cottonwood, 2 night stay, 2 rounds of golf and 2 dinners at Sycuan and a $200 gift certificate to Jean Claude Salon.
Second place: John Plant and Sandi Ingrahm of team "Beauty and the Beast"
Third Place:  "The Honeymoon's Over" team of Heather and Joe Wolzen won third place.

Costume contest winners:  "Challenge Accepted" were Karen Kaye & Courtney Newnam who were dressed as the Blue's Brothers

Sponsors of the Santee BTS Amazing Race were: Bath and Body Works, Cookies by Design, Cottonwood Golf Course, the Cup Cake Store, Filippi's Pizza Grotto, Food 4 Less, Gumball Graphics, Hometown Buffet, Edgardo Rivera of Jean Claude Salon, Moceri Produce, Nanna Niki Face Painting, Nelson Moore Clothing, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Company, Penguin Yogurt Factory, RoadID, Rubio's, SeaWorld, Sonic, Sprouts, Sycuan Casino, Vons and the Santee Blue Thong Society.

For more information or to become a member of the Santee Blue Thong Society, please visit: www.bluethongsociety.com or santee.patch.com/articles/kathy-st-onge-of-blue-thong-society-voted-santee-person-of-the-year

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