Trivia night to benefit Special Olympics

DESLOGE — Break out the thinking caps. The Eastern Missouri Reception and Diagnostic Center (ERDCC) is having a trivia night on Saturday at the Mineral Area Elks Lodge to benefit Special Olympics. Registration will be at 6:30 p.m. with the trivia starting at 7 p.m.

Dan Bryan, the Special Olympics coordinator at ERDCC, said drinks and snacks will be provided and participants are allowed to bring their own.

“This is going to be an alcohol free event,” he said. “It’s going to be a fun night of trivia.”

Bryan said door prizes will be given away. The cost is $100 per 8-10 person team. Gary Ross will serve as the master of ceremonies.

In 2009 Bryan said ERDCC raised $2,050 for the Special Olympics. He hopes to surpass that amount this year.

“To my knowledge this is the first time we have had a trivia night,” Bryan said. “We have had chili cook-offs, T-shirt sales, and bake sales to raise money in the past.”

He said the ERDCC helps sponsor the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run. This year’s torch run will be held May 24-26. The torch run covers more than 1,000 miles throughout Missouri. Locally, members of law enforcement and the department of corrections take turns carrying the torch along Highway 67 from the Madison County line to the Jefferson County line.

“This will actually be the 25th anniversary of the event,” Bryan said. “Last year Missouri raised $1.4 million for Special Olympics. Missouri is ranked number seven in the world for funds raised. There are 15,000 athletes that participate in the Special Olympics in Missouri.”

St. Francois County is included with St. Louis in Region 8. Of the $1.4 million raised last year, Region 8 contributed $610,000.

In 1986, the first year for the torch run, Missouri raised just $15,000 for Special Olympics.

Chris Cline is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at ccline@dailyjournalonline.com.