CHALLENGES

#1: Galena has over one million visitors each year, but that doesn’t include those that never left and continue to haunt this town. Ghost stories and tales of haunted buildings have been whispered here for generations, and year-round ghost-hunting expeditions sell out frequently. To appease these spirits, wrap any one member of your team from head to toe in toilet paper (or multiple team members if they want to get in on the fun) leaving as few gaps as possible except around their nose/mouth so they can breathe easily. Then take a fun team picture with your new "ghostly” co-worker!

#2: In 1856 the worst Galena fire ever devastated many Main Street buildings. Because of this, ordinances now prohibit buildings constructed of wood in the downtown area. To honor the brave firefighters that protect this town, take a video of your team completing "Stop, Drop, and Roll" while any regulation/operable fire extinguisher is visible in the background, or you are standing in front of an actual fire station. Be sure to yell each step of the fire safety technique as you all do it together and make sure the fire extinguisher or fire station is clearly visible at some point in your video.

#3: Get your team to the Galena Canning Company here on Main Street. Once there, find the hot sauce sampling area they have set up. Then take a video of your team members all at the same time consuming separate spoonfuls of their “Fire In The Hole” hot sauce. Make sure to take a long enough video to capture everyone’s reaction. Disclaimer, this will likely not be pleasant, which is exactly the point. Because a team that suffers together, grows together.

#4: In order to become Galena’s most beloved citizen and have multiple statues built in his honor all Ulysses S. Grant had to do was lead the Union army to victory in the Civil War, and become president of the US. Find any of the life-size statues of this hometown hero and take a fun team picture with it, reacting wildly as if you’ve just met your longtime icon. Then after this event, live each day in a way that will make people want to build a statue of you in the future.

#5: Find any two youth (or more) around the area and take a video of them teaching your team members how to “Floss”. And no, it has nothing to do with your teeth (but they will show you what to do with your arms and your hips).

#6: Get every team member a large (16 ounces or so) open-top paper, plastic, or foam cup and fill it with water. Then somewhere outdoors, line up shoulder to shoulder and have each team member balance a full cup on their head. Once everyone’s cups are balanced, hold hands with the team members on either side of you and take a video of your team working together to all take 10 steps forward without anyone touching their own cup (or another team member’s cup) or having it spill. If someone’s cup spills make sure to encourage them and then refill any spilled cups and start again as a team. After your team successfully travels 10 steps together dump the cups to prove they were full, and celebrate!

#7: Tomorrow is Earth Day! Anywhere around the area find a canister of some sort that has the triangular recycling symbol on it. You are looking for an actual recycling disposal can, where someone would get rid of recyclable materials, and not just any product that has the recycling symbol on it such as a plastic bottle. Once you’ve found one, take a picture of your entire team all completing any variation of the "Tree Pose" while the canister with the recycling symbol on it is clearly visible in the background. To view a picture of someone properly performing a variation of the Tree Pose click HERE.

#8: Find the local establishment whose namesake is shown HERE. They say the food she makes is the best in town, but if you get too close to her you might need a shower afterwards. Once there, head inside and let the staff know you are there for the scavenger hunt. Then take a fun team picture with “her and her friends” using the large cut-out portrait found in the dining area, while your team members are all pursing their lips in her honor.

#9: Yesterday was National Look-A-Like Day! Get to any clothing or apparel store and find two different items with enough in stock that every team member can be wearing the same two items in their own sizes. Then take a fun team picture with everyone wearing those items. For example it may be a wacky shirt, and a pair of shorts. Or maybe some cozy slippers and a large sun hat. As long as everyone is wearing the same exact two items but in their own sizes.

#10: Find someone 80 years old or older around the area. Take some time to chat with them, listen to a story they may have about the local area, or just ask them about their life. Then at some point tell them you work to give people beautiful smiles and take a video asking them the question “What moment in your life made you smile the most?”.

#11: Incredibly, Galena was the home of nine Civil War generals, one of the first ever Medal Of Honor recipients, and a long list of veterans throughout other wars. Anywhere around the area find an active military person or a veteran. They could be wearing some form of military or veteran attire, have a military ID, or they could simply describe their military background while you’re completing your challenge. Then take a video of them watching your entire team doing 10 push-ups, sit-ups, or jumping jacks to honor their strength and courage. After you’ve finished recording, spend a few minutes learning more about their time in the service as a small gesture of appreciation.

#12: The NFL Draft is only six days away and with the Bears having a Top Ten pick there is excitement around the upcoming season. To get your team excited too, find a logo of the Chicago Bears anywhere around town being proudly displayed, worn, flown, etc. Then take a video of your group pretending to spike an imaginary football and immediately breaking into your very best celebratory touchdown dance while the logo is clearly visible in the background. If you need some inspiration for your performance you can click HERE.

#13: Yesterday was National High Five Day! Anywhere along the way, have someone take a picture of your team all jumping in the air at the same time and high fiving each other while any pick-up truck is actively driving by in the background. As anyone knows, in order to pull off the perfect high five you need to have great communication and timing. So work with the kind stranger taking the picture in order to capture your team attempting to jump and high five, while the pick up truck is clearly visible in the background and driving past (not parked).

#14: This town is filled with Civil War history and the heroes that protected each other, and the future of this great nation. Anywhere around the area, find one of the life size battlefield cannons on display. Once you’ve found one, designate one of your teammates as an “injured soldier”. Then take a picture with the cannon in the background, while demonstrating the “correct way to carry an injured soldier”, as referenced in the picture found HERE by soldiers from the 1800’s. If you have a lot of people on your team you can divide up and carry multiple “victims” if you want. Or if you have a small team you can recruit strangers to help out if needed.

#15: “Thank You For Libraries Day” is celebrated annually on April 21 to appreciate the contribution of libraries to society and their roles in transforming lives. Anywhere around the area find one of the “Little Free Libraries” that are a part of the program described HERE. Once there, have each team member pull out one book and then take a fun team picture all reading your separate books and reacting to the content inside, while the Little Free Library is visible in the background.

#16: A few weeks ago was National Letter To An Elder Day. Find a postcard that features this area in some way, or a fun greeting card, and purchase it. Then click HERE to go to the Love For Our Elders project, which is focused on fighting loneliness with love, one letter at a time. As a team, choose someone from their list whose story or background resonates with you. Then on your card include a fun or uplifting message and sign it. Stamp your card and take a picture with it to show you've completed your Act Of Kindness and then drop it in the mail along the way or after your event ends.