For $25 and a tank of gas, Villa Park and Lombard families can spend a Wednesday evening solving riddles, hunting down local landmarks, and raising money for children's programs worldwide.
The Kiwanis Club of Villa Park-Lombard is hosting "Cruisin' for a Cause," a car scavenger hunt, on Wednesday, July 22, at Willowbrook High School, 1250 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park. Check-in opens at 5:30 p.m. and the hunt begins at 6 p.m.
Teams drive a route through Villa Park and Lombard, solving clues and visiting locations before racing back to the finish line. The $25 entry fee covers participation, refreshments afterward, and prize-drawing entries. Kids under 18 ride free.
Where the money goes
All proceeds support the Kiwanis Possibility Project, a five-year global campaign running through September 2028 that aims to raise $25 million for the Kiwanis Children's Fund. The fund focuses on health and nutrition, education and literacy, and youth leadership development. According to Kiwanis International, $2.25 through the Children's Fund addresses the needs of one child.
The Villa Park-Lombard club, chartered in 1977, also raises money year-round for DuPage Easterseals, which is headquartered in Villa Park, and funds college scholarships for local Key Club members. The club states that 100 percent of donations after direct expenses go to its charitable programs.
How to register
Interested participants can register through the club's website at k08659.site.kiwanis.org. Club director Karl Jurkonis can be reached through the site for registration questions. The club encourages families, friends, and coworkers to form teams.
Another way to help a neighbor
Villa Park residents looking for additional service opportunities have a second deadline approaching. The Christian Church of Villa Park is accepting homeowner applications for the 12th Annual Love Your Neighbor Day, scheduled for Saturday, September 19. Volunteer teams will provide free yard work and small exterior home repairs for approved homeowners, with all materials funded through grants and donations. Applications are due by August 16.
