May 19, 2025

Amazing FundRacer sends competitors on city-wide scavenger hunt for charity

DES MOINES, IOWA  -- 150 racers, 36 teams, seven challenges, two giant toothbrushes, and a doggie obstacle course for humans.  Add it all up and you get $61,000 raised for children and families in Iowa.  This is the Amazing FundRacer 2025!

Modeled after CBS' hit reality show 'The Amazing Race', the Amazing FundRacer sent teams scrambling across Des Moines on Thursday, May 15th in a race for prizes, personal pride and - most importantly - charity.  

The event started and finished at Confluence Brewing Company on the southside of Des Moines.  Before the race even started, the charitable giving began.  Racers arrived bearing gifts to join the post-race raffle by donating 224 items - including diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, laundry detergent and more - to stock the community pantry shelves at EveryStep.

From there, the first challenge cards were handed out and contestants began scrambling across the city of Des Moines in a race to score the fastest time in seven different challenges:

  • At EveryStep's Bright Kavanaugh offices racers met our therapy dog in-training, Louie, then took on one of two challenges: a game of 'toss and fetch' or a doggie agility course - including a crawl-through tunnel - all while dressed as a dog
  • Pete Crivaro Park was the setting for a giant-size ring toss game featuring hula hoops (where some racers found a loophole in the rules and tossed five rings at once)
  • Paws & Pints on the west side of the city saw the return of the giant toothbrushes to test competitors' ability to balance
  • At MacRae Park racers found out if the "Price is Right" by matching the correct prices to a list of common household items
  • What is a suitcase nurse?  Racers found out what its like to be a traveling healthcare provider at Greenwood-Ashworth Park where they had to dress for the part then perform some basic nursing tasks
  • Our friends at Flynn Wright were kind enough to lend us their parking lot for a maternity themed challenge that made racers prove how quickly they can change, clothe and secure a baby in a vehicle
  • The plaza outside the Science Center of Iowa was transformed into a giant gameboard of a childhood favorite - The Memory Game

All along the route, racers were educated about EveryStep's wide array of public health and well-being programs.  When they arrived at the finish line their knowledge was put to the test in a final challenge- a quiz that earned them bonus time off their final score.  After adding it all up, the final standings were:

  1.  F&G Team 1 
  2. Farm Bureau Financial Services Team 1 (declined their award)
  3. Sammons Financial Team 1
  4. Krause Group Team 2
  5. R&R Realty

But the biggest winners were the people of central Iowa who are served by EveryStep.  More than $61,000 was raised (including winning racers donating some of their prizes back to the cause) and 224 personal care items were donated to our community pantry.  

Thank you to all our sponsors, racers and the dozens of volunteers who made it all happen!  We'll see you all again next year the finish line.

Check Out Even More Photos Here!