Napier Libraries Amazing Race orange team and eventual winners Amanda McKenzie, Kaylee McKenzie, Alex McKenzie and (right) Steven McKenzie stand at the lights with neon team Darren, Diana, Lea and Ayla Shand. Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland
Napier Libraries Amazing Race orange team and eventual winners Amanda McKenzie, Kaylee McKenzie, Alex McKenzie and (right) Steven McKenzie stand at the lights with neon team Darren, Diana, Lea and Ayla Shand. Napier. Photo / Warren Buckland
Wrapping up the summer fun, Napier Libraries created it’s very own “Napier’s Amazing Race” as part of the school holiday programme that involved the whole family working together as a team.
By incorporating other Napier City Council facilities as well as us and a couple of small businesses, this event demonstrated the local services around for the community to enjoy.
Race organiser children’s librarian Kate Powis explained the event was also a great way to connect Napier Libraries in a fun and engaging way with our community while getting out and about to enjoy our beautiful city.
On the day, eight teams of four lined up at the Napier Library dressed up in their team colours and raring to go on an adventure around the city.
Competitors ready to go at the Napier Libraries Amazing Race. Photo / Warren Buckland
Each team of four had to have at least one adult, but no more than two, and the kids in the team were all 7 or older.
The teams were made up of several combinations — some teams had two adults and two kids, and other teams had one adult and three kids, with a family team also having teenagers joining the mix.
Race organiser Powis said this was the first time the Napier Libraries team had run such an event.
“I have loved popular show The Amazing Race ever since it started and have always thought about running a similar one since starting at the library,” she said.
The race was successful and all the teams and staff at the facilities/business had a great time.
One of the teams told organisers, “We all absolutely loved the Amazing Race.”
Powis said she would certainly look at hosting the race again.
“I will look at making the tasks a little more challenging, so they last longer and add in some more venues,” she said.
The teams were completing tasks so fast that the librarians who were placed at various sites had to also keep up with them. Powis explained the teams had the staff running to their next spot.
Napier Libraries' Amazing Race organiser Kate Powis setting up the last task. Photo / Warren Buckland
The orange team took out top spot, completing all the tasks the quickest. The orange team, made up of Amanda McKenzie, Steven McKenzie, Kaylee McKenzie and Alex McKenzie, didn’t come to play around and even had Amazing Race signs on their tops.
While Powis organised the event, she said, “I have had support from my team and definitely on the day it was a whole Community Engagement and Customer Service Team effort.”
“It was great to also have the support from the staff members at the facilities and small businesses who were also involved.”
List of all the tasks racers had to complete during the Napier Libraries Amazing Race:
Napier Library: Teams had to put a set of eight books into alphabetical order and then the oldest team member had to find a children’s fiction book about an animal to display. Hands up when the task was completed to receive their location card.
MTG: Teams headed around the outside of the building and into the MTG. They collected a clipboard from the front counter with pictures they had located throughout the exhibitions and answer questions about those pictures. This task also included an Art Deco selfie.
i-Site: Teams headed to the i-Site to take a photo of the logo, to then show it to the librarian at Par2
Par2 Mini Golf: Two members of the team had to collect one club and one ball and head to one of the hole 18s. They had to take turns to sink the ball to receive their next location and task.
Paxies Lane: Teams had to head down the lane and count the seagulls then tell this number to the librarian outside Stuffed in Hastings St.
Stuffed: Teams had to collect a menu from the librarian and look for a “pie”, “cookie”, “cake” and “biscuit” based milkshake. Once found, they had to tell their answer to the Stuffed staff member to receive their location card. (The staff member on duty said this event made her day!)
Mobile Library in Emerson St: We had our Mobile Library parked down Emerson St and teams had to locate it. Once there, teams had to pop inside and find a Board Book, Picture Book, Fiction and Large Print book. Head outside and using one word from each of those books had to make up a sentence to tell the librarian for their next location and task card.
Theatre Lane: Teams had to head to Lower Emerson St to find Theatre Lane. Once there, they had to look for the reading diver on a mural and get the title of the book he is reading (ironically it’s How to be a Detective). They then had to head to the Municipal Theatre to tell this book title to Karla (Municipal Theatre staff member) to receive their next task.
Municipal Theatre: Teams had to find jigsaw puzzle pieces with their team colour on that were hidden around the foyer. Putting together these pieces, they had to find out what show was coming in April and tell this answer to Karla to receive their next location and task card.
Vinci’s Pizza: Teams had to perform a rap to the staff at Vinci’s. Their rap had to include the words Vinci’s and pizza. Some really fun raps were put together!
Cathedral Fountain: Teams had to take a team selfie in front of the fountain and head back to the Napier Library to show their snapshot to the librarian.
Napier Library: Using our cheeky robot Dash, teams had to manoeuvre him around an obstacle course to “Dash” to the finish!
