The Arnold Back the Blue Trivia Night is sold out. The last of the 40 tables to be set up for the March 26 event was sold Tuesday (Feb. 15).
The event, to be held at the Meramec Arnold Elks, 1515 Miller Road, in Imperial, is sponsored by the Arnold Police Officers Association and Leader Publications and will raise funds for the association’s Shop with a Hero program and BackStoppers.
Shop with a Hero is an event held in December that provides area children in need with the opportunity to shop with local first responders for Christmas gifts. BackStoppers is a nonprofit group that helps families of firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel who are killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.
Eight of the 40 tables were claimed by sponsors who paid $600 to have a 10-person table for the trivia contest, as well as another table to showcase their business. The remaining 32 tables that seat up to 10 people were purchased for $200 each.
“I’m a little surprised,” said Arnold Police Officer Kevin Wilson, vice president of the Arnold Police Officers Association. “I never realized how many people are wanting to support us. I know there is a bunch out there, but it is a little surprising we sold out this soon. I figured it would take at least up to the day of the trivia night to sell out or get close to it. It is a little bit of a surprise for us.”
Even though no more tables are available, those wishing to support the Shop with a Hero program and BackStoppers may donate items to be raffled off throughout the trivia night. Those interested in donating prizes may contact the Arnold Police Officers Association by email at APOAMO.org.
“We are still looking for baskets, gift cards or anything we can raffle off to continue to raise money,” Wilson said.
Doors for the event open at 6 p.m., and the trivia contest is slated to begin at 7 p.m.
Those competing in the trivia night will be invited to play a bonus game for $10 per table. The game is called “I want my MTV,” and participants will be asked to identify a music video from a picture. Answers will be turned in following the sixth round of the 10-round trivia contest.
There also will be a 50/50 drawing, with tickets costing $2 each, six for $10 or an arm-length's worth of tickets for $25. A special game asking people to identify real or fake band names also will be played, with half of the participant fees going to the winner and the other half to the Arnold Police Officers Association.
Mulligans will be available for purchase and will cost $5 each or three for $10.
“We are anticipating a fun evening with challenging trivia questions that will include audio and visual rounds,” Leader assistant publisher Peggy Scott said. “The Leader is thrilled to partner with the Arnold Police Officers Association to help support two tremendous causes in Shop with a Hero and BackStoppers.”
Wilson said he is excited for the trivia night and believes the event will help the Arnold Police Officers Association complete more community outreach events and bolster its Shop with a Hero program, which gave 73 children $100 on Dec. 8 to purchase whatever they wanted from the Walmart in Arnold.
“The planning of this has been a lot of in partnering with the Leader,” Wilson said. “It has opened a lot of new opportunities for us, and I feel more confident that we will be able to help more people. That is a positive thing that I am excited about.”