WILKES-BARRE — It started out as a dream for Gerard Durling.
The founder of the Internet marketing company Coal Creative wanted to plan a game show. With the backing of the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, Durling’s dream is coming to fruition on Feb. 15.
“The Chamber Challenge” will held at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the THINK Center, below Barnes and Noble on the Square. The game pits two teams of five competing in four rounds of local trivia.
“It’s going to be a fully produced game show,” Durling said
Durling credits a live-streaming program Coal Creative owns for being the catalyst of the event.
Those watching at home, from the Chamber’s Facebook page, will be able to participate as well. Prizes will be given away for at-home participants. Some of the prizes, Durling said, are two club seats to a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins game and two snowtubing passes for Montage Mountain as well as gift cards.
Lindsay Bezick, director of Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, said the two teams of five, will consist of chamber board members, members of the chamber’s young ambassadors, area students and others associated with Wilkes-Barre.
During a phone call, Durling described the rounds. The first round will be multiple choice questions on area nonprofits “so people will learn about them.” The two teams will then be asked “Heyna or No” — true or false — questions about the area, followed by a local pop culture lightening round.
Finally, the show will be wrapped up with a fundraising planning round where the teams will have 15 minutes to develop a plan for an event project, donation, or the like for the nonprofit organization that they are playing for.
The teams will then present to a panel of judges, and the winning presentation will have their event brought to life, backed by the Chamber.
“That was our idea,” Bezieck said.
Will Beekman, executive director of the F.M. Kirby Center, will be host for the event. He said doing the announcing will be fun and he’s not considering it work.
“There are a lot of good people doing good things in our community, and I’m happy to play at least a small role in that,” he said via email.
Both Durling and Bezick encourage those who want to attend to pre-register. There will be a $10 charge, which includes food, drinks and a chance to network during the 6 p.m. hour.
