Root Cellar’s Amazing Race for Hunger returns amid warehouse expansion plans in Medicine Hat

Mullis said the event has become a community-wide effort, involving more than 100 volunteers, over 20 local businesses serving as race stops, numerous sponsors and teams that spend weeks fundraising ahead of race day.

“The amount of people that it takes to put on this event is astronomical; they’re really putting a lot of time and effort into that,” Mullis said.

“A bunch of sponsors and people [who] are really just surrounding this race and supporting us. And then the racers who are out there fundraising and training for the day.”

Registration has closed with 20 teams ready to compete in challenges across Medicine Hat and Redcliff, with competitors unaware of where they’re headed until they receive each clue.

Mullis said race stops are gradually being revealed on the Root Cellar’s social media channels to recognize participating businesses without giving away the full route.

Community members who aren’t racing can still take part in several ways.

The race will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube, where viewers can support their favourite teams by making donations that can give them a competitive advantage, while spectators are also welcome at race stops.

“[Viewers] can phone in to our call center, make donations, and give their favourite team an opportunity to have a little bit of a leg up,” Mullis said.

Running alongside the event is the Amazing Race for Hunger 50-50 raffle, with tickets available through the Root Cellar’s website.

Although all racing spots have been filled, Mullis said the organization is still recruiting volunteers before Aug. 22.

“We’re actually pretty close; we need about 20 more volunteers,” Mullis said.

Volunteers are needed in a variety of roles, including drivers, camera operators, race stop attendants and kitchen helpers, as sponsorship opportunities also remain available.

The Amazing Race for Hunger comes as the Root Cellar works toward expanding its facility with a new 2,500-square-foot warehouse addition.

Mullis said when the Root Cellar first moved into its current building, the organization was serving just over 900 people each month, with that number reaching more than 4,000 today, creating significant storage challenges.

“As this building was amazing and appropriate for us in the beginning, we never anticipated how quickly and how high our numbers would get,” Mullis said.

The additional warehouse space would allow the Root Cellar to accept more donations, purchase food in bulk when prices are lower and avoid renting costly off-site storage during major food drives.

“It’s not a generosity problem that we have; it is a capacity problem,” Mullis said.

“We want to make sure that we are using our dollars appropriately and that we’re able to use every dollar that we get to feed the people that come to our door.”

The project is currently in the permitting process, with the organization hoping to break ground before winter.

To give the public a look at the expanded warehouse, the Root Cellar is continuing its annual Dinner in the Garden event.

Tickets are available for purchase online for this year’s dinners, taking place on Aug. 13, Sep. 3, Sep. 11 and Sep. 19.

by Jett Schwaier

Root Cellar’s Amazing Race for Hunger returns amid warehouse expansion plans in Medicine Hat

Our Community