Fifteen teams competed in the Root Cellar's Amazing Race for Hunger on Saturday. The event raised $54,716.46 for the Emergency Food Pantry, and Team CREW won the event's $4,000 top prize.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
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The Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub held its second annual Amazing Race for Hunger event where 15 teams took on a variety of challenges in local businesses and organizations across Medicine Hat and Redcliff.
“It was an absolutely incredible day,” says Melissa Mullis, executive director of the Root Cellar.
“Watching how the community surrounded us and came together to fill our Emergency Food Pantry was incredibly heartwarming and we couldn’t be more grateful.”
A total of $54,716.46 was raised and it will all be spent on purchasing food for the Emergency Food Pantry to combat food insecurity across the community.
Chelsea and Austin Desharnais of Team CREW earned the first prize of $4,000 for the second year in a row. They were followed by the runner-up Badlands Bandits team, and the Kraddy’s team in third place. All the teams worked hard in their fundraising efforts in the months prior and on the day of the race, Mullis says.
“It’s surreal. It’s really, really cool and I think we’re really lucky to participate,” says Chelsea Desharnais, owner and coach of CREW Training. “It’s great to win but it’s more important to be part of such a community-focused event.”
Tickets were sold for the event’s 50/50 draw. The draw was announced live via Facebook live stream. The jackpot came out to an estimated $5,960 with the winner taking home $2,980. The rest of the proceeds were added to the funds for the Emergency Food Pantry.
“Everybody is very generous and they all come together,” says Desharnais.
