By Kelly A. Shue
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Twice a month, members of Riderwood’s Trivia Trail club enjoy challenging each other with little-known facts and other trivia tidbits.

Wondering how well you do at one of these popular meetings? Take this quick test and find out.

Fact-finding mission
When former teacher Gwendolyn Chaires moved to Riderwood from New Jersey in 2002, she hoped her new neighbors would share her love of trivia. Within months of settling in her new home, she started the Trivia Trail club.

“Initially about six to eight people attended the meetings,” Chaires says. “However, we now have at least 12 to 15 people, divided into four or five  teams at every meeting.”

The art of teaching trivia
Although a big undertaking, Chaires enjoys preparing the questions for each meeting. “As a former teacher, I enjoy seeing my ‘students’ do well,” she says. “It’s well worth all the work when they tell me that they enjoyed the session or had fun that day.”

Chaires looks to a variety of sources to compile her challenging questions including books of trivia questions, quiz questions in Reader’s Digest, and on Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. “Members also suggest questions as do other members of the Riderwood community who are aware of what I do,” she says.

“I’ve learned all manner of new things as a member of the club,” says Mary  Ann Smith. “I’ve even learned things I didn’t know I didn’t know. The subjects are always changing, and we always have a lot of fun.”

Working as a team
“One of the best parts about the Trivia Trail club is that we work in teams,”  says long-time member Helen Hawkins. “We provide each other support. If you don’t know the answer, someone else on your team might. It’s comforting knowing that you will never be put on the spot.”