C.J. trivia night a success for the Saratoga Museum
People came from all across Wyoming and the country, from states such as South Carolina and Arizona, to attend the "Sleuthing with Joe Pickett" fundraising event.
Spirits were high and excited voices filled the Platte Valley Community Center Great Hall for the 8th annual C.J. Box Trivia event sponsored by the Saratoga Museum.
Baked potatoes with all the fixings and plenty of sweets were served before the contest.
Sadly, C.J. Box, author of the popular "Joe Pickett" series of books, couldn't attend this annual event due to an accident that left him injured and requiring surgery. He did however send his best wishes via video sent to Dana Davis, Saratoga Museum Director. It was played after dinner.
The Saratoga Museum was the first to sponsor a C.J. Box trivia event in 2014. There were approximately 50 people at that event. This year the number of participants was about the same with some people traveling from as far as South Carolina to participate.
Box has strong ties to Saratoga. His first job out of college was with the Saratoga Sun. He worked with the former owner, Dick Perue. Box's interview took place on a float trip down the North Platte River. Box said working at the Saratoga Sun was a great first newspaper job. He met many interesting people and this led to the inspiration for the characters in his books.
During the first C.J. Box trivia event, Box questioned whether this would become an annual event. It has and will continue to be a very popular event in the Valley for years to come.
As Davis read the questions during the trivia portion of the evening, whispers could be heard in the Great Hall. Eight teams were formed. One contestant that had traveled from South Carolina had hopes of winning the trivia contest and perhaps meeting C.J. Box. Three judges, Vicki Stolns, Mark Shipp and Virginia Parker waited patiently as the teams collaborated to find the best answer.
The Saddle String Four took first place with 13 correct answers and $400. Three teams were in a tie for 2nd and 3rd place. After the tie-breaker questions were read, second place went to The Falconers with a prize of $200 and 3rd place to the Kestrels with a prize of $100. Cash prizes were provided through a grant from the Carbon County Visitors Council.
The silent auction was a hit, prizes were donated by local businesses and residents. One lucky auction winner will have their name in the next C.J. Box book.
A 50/50 raffle was also held, netting the winner $90.
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