Scavenger hunters race through Greensburg for clues, puzzles at downtown businesses

Through bursts of rain Saturday, 18 teams competed in 60 Minute Missions Escape Room’s Greensburg Scavenger Race by hunting for clues and solving puzzles.

“We have 59 racers dashing through downtown Greensburg,” said Vandye Nelson, co-owner of the escape room. “They’re getting a list of clues that are pretty vague but (will get) them to where they’re going if they’re willing to do the work.”

The racers began at 11 a.m. at the Greensburg Amtrak Station before they dispersed.

“It’s a variety of physical activities as well as mind puzzles,” Nelson said. “We design our own games at the escape room, so we’re always thinking about different puzzles and different riddles and things like that.”

Megan Cheek and her team — all of whom wore purple clothes — started the race by kicking through martial arts boards in the rain on the back patio of restaurant Major Stokes.

“We decided to come out today just to spend time with coworkers and try to learn some new places in Greensburg,” Cheek said.

Cheek of Greensburg said members of her team all work at Excela Health.

The main focus of the scavenger race, which debuted four years ago, is on small businesses in the community, Nelson said.

“We designed the race to get the racers into various businesses that they might not always patronize,” said Brian McCollum, co-owner of the escape room.

Nelson said different businesses are featured in the race each year. This year, 15 business participated, including Unique Ink, Blue Orchid Floral, Green Beacon Gallery, Serenity Bead Shop and Studio, Henry’s Hoagies, Mr. Toad’s, Invisible Man Brewing and Main Street Sweets.

“It helps you want to support (local businesses) and come back,” participant Kerrie Pelliccione said.

Outside of one of Seton Hill University’s arts buildings, Morgan Conty ran a TikTok dance challenge.

“Once they learn the dance well enough, then I have to record it and they have to do it to my liking basically,” said Conty of Greensburg.

Conty, who works as an assistant manager at the escape room, said the race garnered a good turnout despite the weather.

“Even though it is pretty crappy weather, we still have a lot of teams out here… a lot of them wearing rain ponchos,” Conty said.

David Steffensen said the race is “challenging,” and some clues are easier than others.

“The more you know about Greensburg, the easier it is,” said Steffensen of Greensburg.

His wife, Jennifer, agreed, and said they were getting tired and hungry.

Racers had a chance to curb their hunger at the end of the first leg of the scavenger hunt, though.

At Mz. Jones’ Curiosities, McCollum offered participants a choice — “pick it or cricket.”

McCollum said racers could choose between eating one cricket to receive the next clue instantly or split a sleeve of crackers, a jar of pickles or a bag of marshmallows among the entire team in exchange for the clue.

Juliette Steffensen of Greensburg decided to eat a cricket for her team to move onto the next leg of the competition faster.

“It didn’t really taste like anything, surprisingly,” she said. “It was just really crunchy.”

Another large checkpoint area for the race was at the Greensburg Hempfield Area Library. Nelson hid clues for teams to find inside shelved books.

Overall, McCollum said there is a “big difference” between the first and last place teams.

On average, the race takes two and a half hours to complete, he said, but staff members stayed at the various local businesses until 3:30 p.m. to give racers a total of four and a half hours to “conquer” the scavenger hunt.

If teams got stuck, they were welcome to call or text McCollum, Nelson or other staff members for an additional clue at the cost of an extra five minutes added to teams’ final times.

“Ideally, everyone will be done within three and a half,” Nelson said. “Even the teams that end up coming in last — they’re always like, ‘Holy cow, that was great.’ ”

This year’s Greensburg Scavenger Race ended at The Rialto, where an after-party with food and prizes was waiting.

Pelliccione of Greensburg said the race required her and her team to work together.

“It helps us know that we all need each other,” Pelliccione said.