President John F. Kennedy once said, “Children are the world’s most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.” Psalm 127:3 reminds: “Children are a gift from the Lord …”
In 1991, KIDS Place was established as a Macon County nonprofit organization “that coordinates the efforts of child protection services, forensic interviewing, law enforcement, prosecutors, child advocates, medical and mental health experts, all under one roof.”
The Macon County community can support KIDS Place by participating in a unique activity set for Oct. 11 called 828 Treasure Quest. According to community event coordinator Kellie M. Burns, who oversaw the Sweet Carolina Music Festival in May, the event is “part scavenger hunt, part obstacle course, and all-out fun!”
828 Treasure Quest will kick off at 8 a.m. at the Macon County Recreation Park on Georgia Road with a field day competition involving teams of two that will compete in an array of physical and mental challenges to test intellectual and athletic prowess. The top five field day teams, along with the team that raises the most money for KIDS Place, will advance onto the Treasure Hunt for a chance to win the ultimate grand prize of $10,000.
Advancing teams will be taken to a specified location in Franklin to compete in an action-packed, team-based adventure, where participants will race against the clock to complete challenges, solve clues, and travel from checkpoint to checkpoint across a series of exciting locations. Teams must work together to strategize, navigate, and compete for the fastest time in order to make it to their final destination and claim the $10,000 treasure.
To make 828 Treasure Quest even more exciting, teams that do not advance onto the Treasure Hunt will get another shot at competing in the field day in order to win a host of different prizes. Team Entry Fee is a $250 non-refundable donation to KIDS Place. All proceeds from the event will benefit KIDS Place and will go toward paying off the mortgage on the organization’s new property.
“Having outgrown the beautiful old native stone home that housed KIDS Place for almost two decades, the KIDS Place board began looking at options for a larger facility,” relayed KIDS Place’s director, Alisa Ashe. “When the properties at 37 and 59 Georgia Road came on the market at about the same time, we knew it was a great opportunity. The new location more than doubles our square footage and provides space for future growth. We purchased the properties in February 2024, began renovations and moved into the new place the end of June 2024.”
She continued, “Through the sale of the old facility and properties we have been able to reduce mortgage debt significantly. How- ever, we still owe a little more than $600,000. None of our current grant funding sources can be used for mortgage payments. So, when Kellie Burns came along with this great idea, we knew this could be a big help in paying down the debt. The more quickly we can pay off the principal of this loan, the more money we save in the long-run and we can concentrate more of our efforts on the mission and purpose of KIDS Place.”
Those interested in participating in 828 Treasure Quest must be 18 years or older to compete. Potential participants are encouraged to visit local businesses, restaurants, and real estate offices to gain a possible advantage for the scavenger hunt portion of the competition.
Food trucks, vendors, music, and more will be available at the event. Burns is encouraging spectators to mark their calendars and plan to watch their favorite teams compete.
For more information and to register a team, visit 828treasurequest.com or call KIDS Place at (828)524-3199. Deadline for teams to register is Sept. 30.