GeoWhiz
November 2nd, 2019, 1-3:30 pm
Varna Community Center, 943 Dryden Road, Ithaca
November 2nd, 2019, 1-3:30 pm
Varna Community Center, 943 Dryden Road, Ithaca
This program is made possible in part by a Community Celebrations grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Bureau. We are delighted to have the help of the The History Center in Tompkins County on local questions.
Create a team of up to three people, ages 13 or older. Give your team a name and register online. The team registration fee is $100, whether the team has one, two or three members.
Registration Deadline: October 28th, 2019
Registration fee: $100 per team
Before GeoWhiz, team members work on finding sponsors and collecting donations to be turned in on November 2nd. Teams are encouraged to find sponsors to support them with financial donations. Sponsors can be individuals, groups or businesses. There will be a prize for the team with the most sponsors. There will also be a prize for the team bringing in the most money from sponsors. Studying is good too!
Donations in support of GeoWhiz are welcome! For more information, please email GeoWhiz@VarnaCommunityAssociation.org.
GeoWhiz is a fundraiser that supports all the programs and resources of the Varna Community Association, a 501c3 organization.
Teams will be quizzed on the geography of Tompkins County (~20%), New York State (~25%), other US states and territories (~30%) and the rest of the world (~25%).
Questions are based on physical features (rivers, mountains, etc.), political jurisdictions, historical features, or cultural and economic forces that have resulted in changes to the landscape.
On November 2, each team will sit together at a table and may talk quietly. After a question is presented, teams have 40 seconds to confer before time is called and answers are revealed. Questions are leveled, with harder questions worth more points than easier questions. Teams may choose to pass on any question during regular play but not during the elimination round.
Prizes awarded for:
Most points earned for correct answers
Last team standing in the elimination round
Best team name (audience votes!)
Most money raised from sponsors/donors
Greatest number of sponsors/donors
Most creative wrong answer (audience votes!)
You can get a sense of the questions from the points questions and (harder) elimination questions used at the last event.
Audience members can play along while supporting the teams.
In what state was the golden spike hammered in to complete the US trans-continental railroad?
What geological features of the local landscape have contributed to a popular bumper sticker slogan for Ithaca?
The Port of NY and NJ is the third busiest port in the US. Which port is busiest?
What is the name of the Central American country formerly known as British Honduras?
Many thanks to our 2018 sponsors:
And many thanks to our 2018 prize donors:
Six teams competed in the GeoWhiz pilot event held at the Varna Community Center.
"I am happy that this next GeoWhiz will be even bigger and better. The first quiz was so much fun for both the teams and the audience. Great questions about local and regional geography tested everyone's memory, and sharpened our knowledge about this wonderful place we live in. I am really looking forward to the second edition of this well-organized and enjoyable event." - Michael Lane, Tompkins County Legislator
"Thanks for doing this! It was great!"
"Would come again."
"Harder than expected but very fun."
"...This was a fabulous event, with terrific organization, a well-thought-out plan for the game, a great opportunity for audience participation, and a very good mix of interesting and challenging questions." (David, audience member)
Varna Community Association
943 Dryden Road, Ithaca NY 14850
EIN 16-6052986
Serving the community since 1951
Non-profit, 501c3 organization
Located in the Town of Dryden
Registered school-age child care provider
Community Center building and outdoor recreation area
United Way member agency
Overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors
All residents and businesses in Varna are members, no dues
We Provide:
Varna After School Program (VASP)
Jobs for child-care workers and work-study students
Professionally-designed, community-built playground
Intergenerational programs and events
Free annual Thanksgiving dinner open to the public
Commercial kitchen available to rent
Community meeting space
We Rely On:
Volunteers who donate their time and talents time
Financial donations from businesses and individuals
Grants from local foundations
Fundraising events - pancake breakfasts, GeoWhiz, etc.
Utah
Port of Los Angeles
Gorges
Belize
Need more information? Call 607-272-2658 and leave a message.