Eighteen local competitors met in the Wetlander parking lot last month in a bid to outwit, outplay and outlast each other in a Bonnyville version of Survivor, an effort that raised an estimated $35,000 for the Boys and Girls Club.
Starting on July 24, the castaways spent four days and four nights stranded in the Wetlander parking lot, split into two teams and spending their days competing in challenges that ranged from water relays to cracking raw eggs over their heads.
"It was 24/7," said Rob Bush, manager of the Wetlander who organized the event with the help of Susan Turner and Caitlyn Thompson, as well as the help and support from many others in the community.
"There were no toothbrushes, no showers, no food. They had to build their own shelter, they had to build their own fire," said Bush. "Basically all they got was a flint, some materials to build a shelter. They had a fire pit, they had wood and a pot with rice."
He explained the competition was inspired by his love of reality television with influences drawn from many shows, including Big Brother and The Amazing Race, not just Survivor. It started off as an idea for a Wetlander staff function that went "viral," becoming much bigger as the community heard about it and wanted to get involved.
The original goal to raise $20,000 was surpassed due to the overwhelming community support.
"It just snowballed," said Bush, who admitted he had never organized something of this magnitude, but that it went smoothly, with minimal glitches.
One major glitch occurred on the first day during a water relay race, when Robb Hunter, local radio personality, wiped out and ended up with a minor concussion and two stitches on his face. Despite the setback, Hunter returned to the game following his trip to the hospital.
Hunter said the decision to return to the game despite an injury that would probably have convinced most people to give the game up for lost was an easy one.
"The doctor told me that someone needed to wake me up every two hours," Hunter said, whose wife Cheryl was also competing in the game. "With Cheryl in the competition, if I'd gone home, I wouldn't have had anyone to wake me up. I thought I might as well go back and hang out and do the best I could and keep plugging away at it. It's just a couple stitches and a concussion, I can battle through it, no big deal."
As Hunter is also the on-air voice of the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs, battling through the injury was essential to keeping his credibility with the team.
"If I didn't go back, I never would have heard the end of it come hockey season," he said. "Hockey season is now right around the corner and I look forward to telling the boys the story of how I battled through a couple of stitches and a concussion."
Hunter said the entire experience was "incredible" and "unbelievable," despite being voted out of the game somewhere "in the middle of the pack." He said remembering when exactly he was kicked out of the game was impossible due to the concussion.
He added the entire competition would not have been possible without the support of the community, above and beyond the fundraising effort.
"We all know what the workforce situation is like in this area and to have 18 different groups volunteer employees and give them the time off work and give them the opportunity to come out and do it is tremendous," he said.
Kendra McLeod, who tied for first place in a "photo finish" with Jeena Schlegal, said the entire experience was one of the best times of her life.
"I met a whole bunch of new people and the castaway group, all 18 of us, were awesome people. There was not one bad seed in all of us, we all played the game just to have fun," she said. "There were some strategic moves and a little backstabbing sometimes, but to win, I think that's what you needed to do a little bit."
The ending was decided by an obstacle course rather than the traditional Survivor vote, a move explained by Bush to avoid the competition turning into a popularity contest.
McLeod said the final challenge was "brutal," consisting of an obstacle course that lasted 10 minutes in a sweltering 35 degrees.
"It was one of the hardest things ever," she said. "Just to try to stay motivated. I ended up coming from behind to tie for the win."
To compete, each castaway had to fundraise a minimum of $1,000 and Bush and his organizational team fundraised extra cash to cover supplies needed from the camp and the prize money -- $5,000 that ended up being split equally between the two winners.
"The support in this community was absolutely outstanding," Turner said.
Bush agreed. "I think the response was very positive, I think everybody enjoyed it and to surpass our goal of $20,000 to $35,000 is un-freakin'-believable. It's amazing."
The decision to donate the money to the Boys and Girls Club was an easy one.
"We wanted to keep it local, keep it in the community," said Bush. "Nothing against anywhere else, but this way it helps everybody."
Theresa Ouellette, president of the Bonnyville Boys and Girls Club, said the club was grateful for the large donation, using it to fund the program's summer camp.
"Any amount of money, we're grateful for, but with this substantial amount, we're able to run our summer program for the first time, to have an affordable camp for the families of Bonnyville," she said. "They had a fantastic time and we're just so very fortunate to have people like Rob and the Wetlander step up and support us."
Bush said the substantial amount was made possible after many castaways surpassed their required $1,000 in fundraising.
Chad Colbourne was one of those contestants, raising $4,500.
"I was able to raise around $4,500 on a personal level, that's why I wanted to be a part of it," he said. "I just really wanted to work for (the Boys and Girls Club.) I think they're a great little organization and they do a lot for the boys and girls in the community."
Bush said next year, the funds will probably be given to a different local organization, to "spread the wealth."
Plans for a repeat performance of the competition are already underway, Bush said, saying next year, the competition will be even bigger and better.
Bush hopes to move the competition to the rodeo grounds, which will give him more space to think up diabolical challenge ideas, as well as ensuring the teams are kept separated by more than just a fence.
"A guy can definitely let his mind wander and create some way better challenges and have the tribes half a mile apart," he said.
With tentative dates set for July 24 - 29 of next year, one major change Bush hopes to see is in the weather. This year, all four days were sunny and warm.
"The weather was very, very accommodating," Bush said. "We were hoping for a little bit of rain to make it tough on them."
This year's castaways are already signing up for the chance to compete again. Colbourne, the first voted off this year, has already committed to the competition.
Hunter intends to follow suit.
"If I have to kneel out in front of the Wetlander every Wednesday night from now until next year," he promised, "I will be there for the opportunity to do it again. I would love to be back in next year."
As for Bush, he is already counting down the weeks to go. Forty-eight to go.
