For Garth and Jennifer Paley, REALTORS® with RE/MAX in Niagara, riding motorcycles and supporting local charities is a way of life. Every summer, they looked forward to local motorcycle charity rides held across Niagara to help raise money for those in need.

Because of COVID-19, these large group rides were put on hold and the Paley’s were getting anxious. Not only did everyone look forward to these rides, but Niagara was really feeling the effects of the pandemic and the travel and tourism restrictions.

Combining their passions for motorcycles and supporting local charities, they developeda COVID-19-friendly event called the Hog Shed Scavenger Hunt. Traveling around Niagara, participants could independently complete a scavenger hunt by visiting 50 destinations including local restaurants, businesses, and historical sites.

Through the Hog Shed Scavenger Hunt, Garth and Jennifer raised nearly $20,000 in support of health centers in the region while showcasing the unique places that make Niagara special. This is Garth and Jennifer’s Real Heart story.

Q: Tell us, how did the Hog Shed Scavenger Hunt come to be?

Community involvement is an important part of our life here in Niagara. That’s why we are passionate about charities and their positive contribution to organizations in Niagara–it’s how we help each other, especially during tough times.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the charity events for our local health centers were in-person. From group motorcycle rides to galas, these events were our opportunity to put money back into the community and support the programs and services we all need.

However, this kind of fundraising was put on pause, and we really felt that we needed to do something. And so, the Hog Shed Scavenger Hunt was born.We felt a scavenger hunt that people could do independently on their motorcycles or their own cars would be a great way to safely support our local health centers.

Jennifer and I put together a list of 50 must-see destinations and businesses across Niagara. Participants would travel to these places and be tasked with searching for something under a rock, taking a selfie in front of a historical site, or purchasing a specific item from a restaurant.

The scavenger hunt became the perfect opportunity to showcase mom-and-pop shops, local points of interest, and other attractions that make our region special.

Q: How did you choose which businesses or locations to include in the scavenger hunt?

The beauty of the scavenger hunt is that everything is local. Businesses are family-owned, and the points of interest are unique to Niagara. That’s what makes our scavenger hunt special – it’s local, helping local.

We picked a variety of businesses including restaurants, wineries, small bakeries, museums and even fruit stands. Some of our favorite lesser-known destinations included historic sites like the Painted Ladies in Grimsby Beach and the location of the Battle of Ridgeway in 1866. Almost every participant pointed out one destination they had not previously known about.

Q: How did the community react to the first Hog Shed Scavenger Hunt?

We saw an overwhelmingly positive response in our first event in 2020. The scavenger hunt was fun, engaging and celebrated the people and places Niagara has to offer.

We had over 150 participants and we raised $4,200 for Pathstone Children’s Mental Health and Hotel Dieu Shaver Rehabilitation Centre in the first yearPart of the hunt was about sharing your experiences along the journey.

We created a Facebook group and asked participants to post about their favorite stops, the pictures they took and their best memories. This quickly blossomed into a thriving online community where people shared their favorite restaurants or hidden spots they discovered on their own.

Q: What’s been your favorite memory or story?

Seeing everyone’s journey on Facebook opened our eyes to how special this initiative is. We read a story about a daughter who took her mother to Fort Erie. As you may know, the Fort played an important role in the Underground Railroad for those looking to escape from the southern United States. Not many are aware, but there’s a cemetery at the Fort celebrating those who were brave enough to travel the Underground Railroad.

The daughter posted her mother’s reaction to visiting the cemetery and how important this location was to her family’s heritage. The scavenger hunt brought them closer together and she was thankful to have these memories with her mom.

Q: What are your future plans for the Hog Shed Scavenger Hunt?

In 2021, our scavenger hunt grew considerably with over 270 participants and an expected total of over $15,000 raised for the Women’s Place of South Niagara, a domestic violence shelter protecting those in our community.

Jennifer and I are going into high gear for next year’s event and can’t wait to share what’s coming for 2022. Our goal is to keep it in Niagara and keep finding those places that make our region special. We’ve already begun working on sites for next year.

We’d like to expand the initiative to include tourists as well as people who have recently moved to Niagara. We want people to see Niagara for more than just wineries and waterfalls

For more information about the Hog Shed Scavenger Hunt, please visit: https://www.hogshed.ca/