How an Austin scavenger hunt pays it forward to decades-old local nonprofit

AUSTIN (KXAN) — For more than 20 years, the Austin-based nonprofit Wonders & Worries have aided children whose parents have been diagnosed with a serious illness or injury. This weekend, an urban scavenger hunt in downtown Austin will bring a little extra shimmer to participants' days, all while supporting the nonprofit's continued mission.

Wonders & Worries created a multi-session curriculum centered around illness education and coping skills for children ages two to 18. The free services — available in English and Spanish — help explain to children at an age-appropriate level their parent's diagnosis, their treatments, any possible side effects and coping skills kids can use to deal with it.

"If there was such a thing as a magic wand, I think Wonders & Worries brings that to these families," said Nicole Halder, Wonder & Worries' senior director of development and outreach in Central Texas.

This Saturday is one of Wonders & Worries' three main events each year: an urban scavenger hunt. Check-in for nonprofit clients and general participants begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday with an after-party running until 2 p.m. at Zilker Lodge.

Participants will download the Goosechase app, with clues running live from 10 a.m. to noon. Users will venture around downtown, gathering clues to answer questions or complete either prompts or good deeds. Afterwards, there'll be a party at Zilker Lodge with raffles, food, music, prizes and swag bags.

And don't sleep on the prizes, said Leslie Schlutze, the nonprofit's Central Texas event manager. This year's top prize for the winning team is ACL wristbands. The event also awards people who are the most creative in their event day costumes.

"We had a family come out and participate last year and they were dressed as a taco, so each person in the family was a different component," she said, smiling. "And of course, the cutest one was the infant that had on an avocado costume."

While this event is a great way to expose the nonprofit's work to the greater Austin community, it's also a personal mission for many of Wonders & Worries' volunteers and board members, who are former clients themselves. Halder is an example of a past client who's used her experience to fuel her continued work with the organization.

"For me, personally, it's part of the healing process," she said. "It's paying it forward to the next family that needs support and help."

Those interested in learning more about the nonprofit's work can find more details online, including information on future events in different cities. Halder said anyone with questions about the organization — whether as a prospective client or volunteer — can email her at nicole@wondersandworries.org.

In addition to its in-person services, Wonders & Worries also offers virtual resources in 31 counties within Central Texas as well as in the greater Houston area. The nonprofit also has a resource list of books and articles online, webinars, a podcast and a national helpline.

"Whether or not someone needs the help themselves, they may know someone who needs the help," Halder said. "And we love to raise awareness for Wonders & Worries."