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Photo provided by Ultimate Scavenger Games
Teams participate in the first Downtown Alton Scavenger Hunt through Ultimate Scavenger Games. Founder Lisa Unverzagt says organizing events through her business fosters fun, community involvement and opportunities for networking.
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Photo provided by Ultimate Scavenger Games
Teams participate in the first Downtown Alton Scavenger Hunt through Ultimate Scavenger Games. Founder Lisa Unverzagt says organizing events through her business fosters fun, community involvement and opportunities for networking.
You are walking through downtown Alton and see a giggling horde dancing in front of the fountain. Suddenly someone come up and asks if you have a paper clip they can borrow. Someone down the street yells, “Marco!”
It appears Ultimate Scavenger Games has invaded the area.
“We bring the favorite childhood game, scavenger hunt, into the modern world of smartphone technology, and provide a great alternative to just a night on the town,” founder Lisa Unverzagt says. “Every time you do one of our events, it is a different experience.”
“Different” is an ideal way to describe Unverzagt’s vision. From the beginning, she saw the business as a way to stand out and bring the community together at the same time.
“What is great about this for local business is that it drives people into their establishments during certain times. It is great exposure and can boost business during slower times.”
The idea came about after Unverzagt put together a scavenger hunt for her husband’s birthday.
“We really had a lot of fun with it,” she said. “We talked about it, and thought this would be a great thing for adults. We forget to have fun as we get older.”
Unverzagt researched similar events in Chicago and New York, and officially launched Ultimate Scavenger Games locally in January with the first Downtown Alton Scavenger Hunt. With more than 100 in attendance, the event took teams to Bossanova, Mac’s Time Out, Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, Lincoln-Douglas Square, Alton Amphitheater and more. Activities included creating a mob scene (acting out Michael Jackson’s video, “Thriller”) and finding someone with red lipstick in their purse to borrow and apply … whether you were a man or woman was irrelevant.
“We also recreated the opening of ‘Friends’ in front of the fountain,” Unverzagt said, laughing. “This is just something that is fun and creative.”
Upcoming events include the Hollywood Nights premier party for the Community Hope Center on April 11, an Autism Speaks bike ride at Ted’s Motorcycle World in Alton on May 25, and a boating event at Grafton Harbor on June 27.
“This is something we can do by foot, by car, on water,” Unverzagt says.
Corporate events can be put together in as little as a month, with personal events able to be organized within a two-week window. Along with PR rep Beth Slagel and marketing and event coordinator Matt Haynes, Unverzagt is hands-on and oversees the preparations and scheduling to ensure the experience is as special as possible for her clients.
“It is all about giving back to the community,” she says. “People are looking for something different, and we can provide that. This is designed as a bigger picture to bring people together. It is also a great chance for families to bond.”
Ultimate Scavenger Games also offers 48-hour social media scavenger hunts online for those who may not be able to attend events, and an all-new affiliate program is in the works (“You can get paid to play with us,” Unverzagt says. “How cool is that?”).
For more information, call (314) 874-7529 or visit www.ultimatescavengergames.com.