SOAR Game Show Night
Who knew game show night would turn out to be such a blast! Was I expecting fun? Yes. But this much fun? Not even close.
When I plan SOAR events, I dream them up vividly. Sometimes the real-life version doesn’t quite match my imagination (to be fair, my imagination is very vivid). But this time? Last night’s Game Show Night exceeded every expectation.
The SOAR assistant, Jazzy, and I came in early to prep: Taco Bar, tables and chairs, decorations, and prize baskets. Before that, Jazzy even assembled the surprise goodie bags for every participant. By the time doors opened, the room was ready, and so were we.
We kicked things off with a team battle of Giant Tetris Tumble, generously lent to us by Blue Mountain Church. It was such a hit that it immediately went onto the SOAR wish list.
Then came the big reveal. I opened the partition to unveil the full Game Show set-up: lights glowing on the ceiling, two team stations (Team Black and Team Red), a Jeopardy board, blank Wheel of Fortune “tiles,” and a real spinning wheel. From the moment participants saw it, the excitement was electric.
I played Pat Sajak while David made a fantastic “Vanna.” Teams solved Walla Walla–themed puzzles, such as Sweet Lou (the mascot), Adam West (a famous actor), and Balloon Stampede (an event).
With buzzers in hand, participants leaned forward in anticipation, eager to answer categories like sports, Marvel, candy, Pokémon, and “name that tune.”
This game was pure joy. Participants picked from six mystery “cases,” and I tried to tempt them into trading with absurd “deals”: a spicy pickle, chapstick, an old paper, a ball pit ball, my sunglasses, even the shoes off my feet! The laughter was contagious. And while the prizes were fun (socks, gift cards, Funko Pops, baskets), the real win was the shared silliness and joy.
We closed the evening with a final Jeopardy round and plenty of cheers. Winners got first pick of prizes, but everyone went home with something special, including parting treat bags filled with popcorn, glow-in-the-dark Swedish Fish, and sparkling water.
This night reminded me why I love creating experiences for our SOAR community. Game shows work so well because they mix competition with laughter, teamwork with silliness, and give everyone a chance to shine, whether on stage or cheering from the sidelines.
Events like these don’t just fill an evening; they build memories, friendships, and confidence. And sometimes, they even exceed my wild imagination.
