Treasure hunts are all the rage, from Disney’s hit film, “National Treasure,” to NBC’s new show, “Treasure Hunters.” This summer, everyone can participate in a treasure hunt and earn a chance to win prizes while donating to a cause: academic scholarships for the children and spouses of U.S. soldiers.
A desire to thank the troops motivated Rachel and Kelsi Okun, sisters from McLean, Va., to create ThanksUSA, a nationwide treasure hunt to benefit military families. Among the prizes are a Harley-Davidson motorcycle; a big-screen home theater system; and trips to the 2007 Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, London and Cairo, Egypt. All prizes were donated by sponsors.
The Okuns’ virtual treasure hunt contains 12 “chapters,” which are posted online in a clue book. Each chapter tests participants’ knowledge of American history, popular culture, geography and trivia pertaining to a certain state. Those who correctly answer the questions in each chapter are eligible to win a prize.
Players who successfully answer all 12 stages are eligible to win the $100,000 grand prize package including a Washington, D.C.,...