Retro Game Show Night draws hundreds for family-friendly fun, survey says

By Mr. Stephen Baack (IMCOM)May 12, 2014

Retro Game Show Night
1 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Department of Defense Education Activity team celebrates after winning a round of "Family Feud" during the second-annual Retro Game Show Night May 3 at Katterbach Fitness Center, hosted by the Ansbach Spouses' and Civilians' Club. Despite the cel... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Retro Game Show Night
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – The Better Opportunites for Single Soldiers team, left, faces off with the Department of Defense Education Activity team during a game of "Family Feud" May 3 at the second-annual Retro Game Show Night at Katterbach Fitness Center, hosted by the Ansba... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Retro Game Show Night
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Derek Hyde, right, school liaison officer, chooses a mystery prize May 3 at the second-annual Retro Game Show Night at Katterbach Fitness Center, hosted by the Ansbach Spouses' and Civilians' Club. Dana Mullins, left, hosted the first portion of Retr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Retro Game Show Night
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Retro Game Show Night
5 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ANSBACH, Germany (May 8, 2014) -- The Ansbach Spouses' and Civilians' Club hosted the second-annual Retro Game Show Night May 3 at Katterbach Fitness Center.

The more-than-two-hour event brought together Soldiers, Families and civilians in a spirit of team-building, friendly competition and giving back to the community.

A cross section of community members faced off in reproductions of classic game shows in the style of "Family Feud" and "The Newlywed Game," along with the more modern "Minute to Win It" and the more silly Men's Best Legs Contest.

Children also joined in on the fun with games like "Plinko," a bean-toss and raffles.

"It's very family-friendly," said Jill Drucker, ASCC president. "We encouraged the adults to bring their children. We encouraged Families to come together and to just make it a night for the kids and the Family."

The planning and setup was a community effort, bringing together volunteers from ASCC, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, the Terrace Playhouse and other organizations to build the sets, run the shows and plan the games -- all with a retro look and feel.

"We wanted to continue the tradition from last year," Drucker said. "It was a lot of fun to see everybody dressed up in costumes. We wanted to do that again. The games that we're doing -- actually most of the children here won't recognize most of the games that we're doing because they're from our generation."

ASCC members, who worked alongside Morale, Welfare and Recreation personnel, provided onsite food and refreshments. From concessions and ticket sales, the ASCC uses the proceeds from events like this to benefit the community in the form of welfare grants and scholarships.

Nevertheless, Drucker said the primary aim of Retro Game Show Night is to bring the community together, and it's just in time for Military Spouse Appreciation Month.

"We have just had a unit deploy, and we found it important to bring everyone together to show support to them, to show support as a community and to have fun," Drucker said.

Col. Christopher M. Benson, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach commander, agreed.

"Being able to provide for the community and to provide for them, particularly with the deployments coming on, is just absolutely fantastic," Benson said.

"Having these events is vitally important for the Family," Benson added. "We try to include Family members in as many events as possible, and having them participate in these types of events and being able to offer them in the community really gives them something to do and shows our togetherness."