Thursday, December 06, 2007

Online treasure hunt does triple duty, helps military families

A non-profit group is using a treasure hunt to get people interested in helping military families.

“We hope treasure-hunters, individuals and corporations will generously donate to the scholarship fund for the families of our brave men and women in uniform who protect our freedoms each and every day,” said Gayle Osterberg, a spokeswoman for the group, ThanksUSA. “More than 1,300 scholarships have been awarded to the kids and spouses of active-duty military personnel in all branches of the service.

This year’s theme is “Treasure our Troops.”

“(It’s) once again based on state history, but, this year, we also included the history about two military branches; the Coast
Guard and the Navy,” Osterberg said. “The ThanksUSA American history online treasure hunt excites Americans of all ages to learn about America’s history, culture and values, which the troops defend each and every day, while also raising donations for scholarships for the families of the troops.

The hunt is open to anyone, though players must register at the ThanksUSA Web site. One winner per chapter will be randomly selected from the pool of participants who answered all the questions correctly.

The drawings through May, however, are for schools and youth groups only. After that, anyone may participate.

“(Prizes) include bookstore gift certificates, iPods, and computers,” she said, adding that the grand prize will be announced Memorial Day. “The grand prize in the previous two years has included a treasure chest abounding with jewels and precious metals, … but you’ll have to wait until Memorial Day to find out what the grand prize will be for Treasure Hunt Three.”

The free treasure hunt includes more than 300 questions and concludes Aug. 15

Scholarships the group has awarded to date total nearly $4 million for post-secondary educational pursuits.

ThanksUSA was created in 2005 when Rachel Okun and her sister, Kelsi, were just 10 and 8, respectively. Looking for a way to
thank the troops, they were inspired by a book they’d read on summer vacation, Michael Stadther’s “A Treasure’s Trove,” which revealed clues to real “treasure” hidden around the country.

The online treasure hunt is the result of the girls’ combining their interest in treasure hunts with a desire to thank the troops.