7960511273?profile=originalSons and moms compete with a fire hose during last year’s
Moms and Sons Challenge. Photo provided

By Shelley Gilken

    On Mother’s Day, breakfast in bed would be a nice treat for Mom. Perhaps a bouquet of flowers, a beautiful card or, hey, why not throw cheese curls at her head?
    That’s right. Cheese curls. The city of Delray Beach Parks and Recreation Department is hosting its fourth annual Moms and Sons Challenge on May 10, featuring about a dozen tasks for moms and sons.
    Participants work together doing stunts in a race against other teams in downtown Delray Beach. While the obstacles planned for this event are top secret, last year’s event included flying a kite for a minute, knocking down cones with a fire hose — and a cheese curl task.
    “That one was the most popular,” said Danielle Beardsley, marketing/special events coordinator for Delray Beach Parks and Recreation. Here’s how it worked: Each mom donned a shower cap and goggles. The son then covered the shower cap in shaving cream. He tossed cheese curls at his mom’s head until 10 stuck, thus completing the challenge.
    An official at the station confirmed they completed the task and they moved on to the next location in hopes of being the first to finish.
    “Teams of moms and sons travel around downtown on foot. We give them a list of locations they go to,” Beardsley said.
Each obstacle is determined by a parks department committee, and they are different every year.
    “I want to say it’s silly stuff. It’s not what you’d think of with mud-run obstacles,” Beardsley said. “They’re not climbing rock walls or running through mud. But they’re physical. … No eating challenge. We won’t do that to them.”
Beardsley said the reaction to the event the past three years has been overwhelmingly positive.
    “It gives a chance for moms and sons to work as a team and grow closer,” Beardsley said. “We even have adult sons doing (the challenge) with their moms, and they have a blast.”
    The event is capped at 60 teams with up to three sons per mom. The teams are sorted by the son’s age and there is a staggered start, with the first wave going at 9:15 a.m. The average time to finish all the tasks is about two hours. All participants get a T-shirt and medal, while winners in each age group get a trophy.
    The idea for the special Mother’s Day event came out of the desire to do something that mirrors Daddy-Daughter date night, which is a popular event to be held next month closer to Father’s Day.
    Mother-Son date night didn’t catch on, and Beardsley decided to put feelers out on Facebook, seeing if anyone had an idea for moms and sons. Someone suggested a scaled-down event based on the TV show Amazing Race.
    “It took off from there,” Beardsley said. 

If You Go
What: Fourth annual Amazing Mom and Son Challenge
When:  May 10
8:30 am:  Check-in begins
9:15 am:  5-6-years old
9:30 am:  7-9 and 10-13 years
9:45 am:  14-17 and 18+ years
Lunch and prizes following completion of the race.
Cost: $12 per adult (18 and up); $7 per child (17 and younger)
info: Registration form iavailable online at http://mydelraybeach.com/parks-and-recreation. Organizers are seeking volunteers, and will award community service hours.
Contact: Danielle Beardsley, (561) 243-7277 or beardsleyd@mydelraybeach.com.

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