Get your team ready for Joliet District 204 foundation’s trivia event

Calling all trivia lovers: The Joliet Township High Schools Foundation will host its 18th annual Trivia Afternoon on March 10.

This year’s topic is “Also Known As,” foundation President Mark Turk said.

“The person putting it together promises me it’s going to be very challenging,” Turk said. “You don’t want to miss it.”

The event, which starts at 3 p.m. at the 176 West Banquet Facility on Frontage Road in Joliet, is a fundraiser for student scholarships and staff grants in Joliet Township High School District 204. Turk said this year’s goal is $10,000 in profit.

The trivia contest will include 10 rounds of 10 questions each, according to a news release from the foundation. Each team of 10 people maximum will provide answers as a team on written forms, according to the release.

“It just moves very quickly,” Turk said. “We start at 3 o’clock, and people can’t believe when it gets to be 5:30 and we’re almost through.”

Teams also must buy a $5 mulligan, one per round during the first eight rounds, when the team isn’t certain of the answer, according to the release

Turk said 400 people typically attend the fun, competitive event.

“We have people calling us before the first of the year, asking, ‘Will you make sure to reserve a table for us?’” Turk said.

So the event sells out?

“If not, we come close,” Turk said.

Not good at trivia? Come anyway.

“If one person at the table doesn’t know the answer, maybe another person does,” Turk said.

Don’t have a team? Register anyway. Some businesses buy tables so people who aren’t bringing entire teams can play, too, Turk said.

“So we make a new team,” Turk said, later adding, “Everyone should come.”

The person putting it together promises me it’s going to be very challenging. You don’t want to miss it.”

—  Mark Turk, president of the Joliet Township High School Foundation

Turk said the first- and second-place teams receive cash prizes, as do teams with the best costumes and table decorations.

Some teams get very elaborate with décor and costumes, too – such as the year the theme was “drive-in restaurant,” Turk said.

“The team came on roller skates and skated around the room,” Turk said, “which is a lot more guts than I would have.”

Nevertheless, that team also didn’t win first prize.

“But they came in second,” Turk said.

The 18th annual Trivia Afternoon also includes a bucket/silent auction raffle, wine raffle, 50/50 raffle and the opportunity to meet and socialize with new people.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 18th annual Trivia Afternoon

WHEN: 3 p.m. March 10

WHERE: 176 West Banquet Facility on Frontage Road, Joliet

COST: $200 for a team of 10. Buy tickets at jthsfoundation.org. Sponsorships also are available.

INFORMATION: Contact Mark Turk at mlturk05@comcast.net or 815-922-4065.