$10 Queenstown Challenge

EY is sponsoring four people to compete in the $10 Queenstown Challenge benefiting Cure Kids.  The $10 Queenstown Challenge is a 3 day, Amazing Race type competition whereby teams of two have to travel from Auckland to Queenstown completing challenges along the way with only $10 each.  Only one person from each of the four EY service lines will be entered in the challenge.  Interested individuals submitted responses to a few different questions as part of a screening process and two individuals from each service line were announced as finalists.  

Polina and I were announced as the two tax finalists and had to compete against each other to win a spot in the challenge.  We had three requirements to complete and then the tax group would vote on the winner.  We had to organize a prize for the charity silent auction EY held a few weeks ago, organize a ten minute fundraiser, and submit a picture of the fancy dress costume we plan on wearing if chosen for the challenge.  I had no problem getting a prize for the auction and designed my costume around the EY beam logo.

Polina and I posing on the beanbags in front of our office (yes, I am wearing my new red jeans)

My outfit for the challenge!

The real challenge was devising a ten minute fundraiser that would raise more money than Polina's fundraiser.  My fundraiser was the Race to the Top Challenge.  I recruited an audit and tax partner to agree to race up and down the internal staircase for ten minutes.  Employees could place wagers for a donation on the winning partner and the number of steps he climbed to win.  The twist was that employees could also donate in either the tax or audit bucket without placing a wager.  All donations would be subtracted from the opposing partner's steps total.  The staircase in the Auckland office is open to the floor and painted bright yellow.  Everyone gathered around the staircase and cheered the competitors on.  I got the spectators to do a 10 second count down to the finish. The competing partners were drenched in sweat and just sat down on the staircase when the ten minutes were up!   Everyone had a great time and we raised $382 for Cure Kids.  As one of the other partners noted, "this was a great occasion, a race that stopped the entire office"!

Paul, the tax partner, chasing Brent, the audit partner, down the stairs. 

These guys were really moving!  You can see some of the crowd on the right.

My competitor, Polina, withdrew from the competition today so I officially get to compete in the $10 Queenstown Challenge no matter the results of the contest!  I'm so excited for this adventure!  I'm not sure many people know this about me but I have always dreamed of being on Amazing Race and this is at least a taste of that adventure!