Who schedules a Zoom call at 6 p.m. on a Wednesday, and why are they wearing costumes? Answer: The Edmonds Senior/Waterfront Center staff and Trivia volunteers. It is prep time to set the table for the nearly 50 visitors who will be joining the call at 6:30.

The new Human Resources Director Robin Ullman is a pirate. The new Facilities Manager Eric Moss (with help from his girlfriend in the picture) appears to be a cross between a leprechaun and the Jolly Green Giant. Edmonds-Woodway graduate and University of Washington student Dara Stotland is Miss Piggy. There is much laughter before they quickly jump into the evening logistics: breakout rooms, lightning round questions, and of course, prizes. Program Support Specialist Angel Malidore is the Zoom Master, efficiently pulling the levers. It is time to let people in from the waiting room.

New to the game was Libby, who was having trouble logging in because she did not know the password. Others needed help with the mic or camera. Many more wanted assistance with their virtual costumes, provided by filters. The young participants patiently helped participants new to Zoom.

You hear the familiar pinging sound as faces rapidly pop onto the screen – young and old, some familiar and some new. Geographically they are far-flung. Board member Bob Gould and his wife Pati are joining from their ranch in Oregon. The trivia facilitator Karen Barnes is participating from Lake Chelan. Others are joining in from as far away as California and Indiana. Imagine a Thanksgiving dinner table with 60 people – family, neighbors, and soon-to-be friends.

Teams are formed with an effort to have different generations represented. A local Rotary Club brings their trivia team intact, and young participants are distributed throughout the groups. Creative and sometimes descriptive team names are selected, like “The Old Hats,” a group of mostly seniors all wearing hats. Then it is on to what everyone has been waiting for – the questions.

What is Washington’s favorite candy? In space, there is not sound, but is there a smell? (The answer is yes, a slightly burnt smell.) How many total electoral votes are there? When the first iPhone was rolled out, was the touch screen glass or plastic? Wrong – it was glass.

If you are joining an online trivia game, you are a competitive person by nature. Yes, you like to be right and are willing to fight for your answer (just ask the attorneys in the mix), but it is also about the prizes. The silly prizes from the Seattle gag shop received much laughter and applause. Much more serious is the attention given to the highly coveted red mugs donated by the long-time Intergenerational Trivia sponsor The Red Twig Café.

One contender for the Scariest Costume award was trivia co-host Elaine (my wife), who came as a murder hornet. The costume was elevated when Tess (my daughter, visiting from Oregon) added generous quantities of stage blood to her face. Less creative was the “costume” worn by Tess, who came dressed as me, wearing my signature blue jacket and holding my many cameras (and drone), and adding, “Now imagine me moving very quickly.” I was the only one who did not get the humor.

The evening wrapped up after 9 p.m. when energy levels began to fade. Younger participants wanted to go for another round. All agreed they could not wait for the next Trivia Night coming up in December.

— By Daniel Johnson, CEO
Edmonds Senior/Waterfront Center