Couple helping others one trivia question at a time
Zoom events raise money for Jewish General Hospital, N.D.G. food bank
What began as a lark nine months ago, coinciding with the start of the coronavirus pandemic, has become almost a full-time endeavour for Noah Sidel and his wife, Johanna Miller.
With Montreal bars shuttered a second time because of COVID-19, the Montreal couple, both 39, have been conducting regular online trivia nights through the Zoom video conferencing website. Not only does it bring people together in a social setting under safe conditions, it's also served as a fundraiser during challenging economic times.
Sidel and Miller have raised more than $6,000 for the Jewish General Hospital's COVID-19 fund, along with more than $1,000 for the N.D.G. food bank. Their events have become so popular, they've also started conducting corporate events and charity fundraisers devoted to not-for-profit organizations through their website.
“At the start, we thought maybe we'll get $1,000 out of it,” Miller said. “Whatever comes out of it will be wonderful. But now we've raised over $6,000 for the hospital. It's a realistic connection for people to say they can get behind this. These are front-line workers.
“It's just been really humbling to be a part of this,” she added. “It's fun from a trivia aspect, but it's also fun for a way for friends to see each other and reconnect.”
The couple's next trivia night will be held Tuesday, based on the theme tacos and tequila. They held theme nights around the recent U.S. election, and again over Hanukkah and Christmas.
Among those expected to participate this week is former Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who will be supported by his wife and two daughters, among others.
“It's going to be a combined effort,” said Calvillo, a first-time participant. “We do play a lot of games at home within our family. The girls and (his wife) Alexia love trivia night as well. We talked to Noah not long ago. We're home and it sounds like a lot of fun.
“It'll be fun to test your wits against people who aren't in your house,” added Calvillo, an assistant football coach at Université de Montréal. “We enjoy not just challenging one another but spending time together, especially now with everything that's been going on this year.”
Sidel and Miller held weekly trivia contests through the first lockdown last spring, only to slightly cut back as people returned to work and businesses began to reopen. Still, between events held on three levels — friends, corporations and not-for-profit organizations — they remain busy.
Since they launched the concept, Sidel said the couple have written about 1,200 original questions. Even Jackie, 9, the oldest of their three children, has become involved in the process.
“It's literally anything over the course of a day that inspires us,” said Sidel. “The mission is to have questions that are a little harder than Jeopardy!, but easier than Trivial Pursuit. If you have a group of six or seven on a team, most people come up with most of the answers.”
Some of their events have attracted more than 100 participants, divided into teams. The competition is conducted over three rounds, with 15 questions each period. Participants also receive ample time to socialize, with events generally lasting two hours.
While the couple don't charge their friends, they request donations. Corporations are charged a reasonable base rate along with an additional fee to the couple for their time and effort. Sidel, the vice-president of a facilities maintenance and real estate company, said they're not in this to make money or pay the bills.
And the couple has no plans of abandoning the concept once the pandemic ends.
“As long as there's demand,” Sidel explained. “Every time we think people are going to say `enough is enough', the next thing we know we get bigger. It depends on what people want.”
For more information, visit nojotrivia.com.