2006 Trivia Challenge Winners Paul Tidwell, John Joyce and Vince Kieffer

The Master of Ceremonies was Jack O'Neill; Host was Sharon Cohen, Library Director; Judges were Todd Campbell, Vice-Mayor, Mary Alvord, City Manager, Mitchell Thomas, CFO of Providence St. Joseph Medical Center.

Boys & Girls Club "Burbank Brainiacs" - Kevin Bulone, Albert Hernandez, Shanna Vaughan
Burbank Chamber of Commerce - Barry Burnett, Don St. Clair, Lee Wochner
Burbank City Employees Association (Sterling Sponsor) - John Joyce Vincent Kieffer, Paul Tidwell
Burbank Noon Kiwanis - Tom Cotrel, Sam Engel, Sr., Alvin Choi, BHS
Burbank Public Library "Dewey & the Decimals" - Tina Larsen, Louise Paziak, David Peterson
Burbank Sertoma Club - Joanne Bailey, Nino Corradi, Bob Tomer
Burbank Sunrise Rotary - Dave Carietta, Gary Guenther, Greg Simay
Burbank Water & Power - Oliver Kruaprasert, Kerry McAloon, Todd Wilson
Cartoon Network Studios - Bo Benigo, Lori Lane, Jeff Mednikow
Community Development Dept. (Sterling Sponsor) - Melissa Vasquez, Ryan Mills, Arlene Roldan
Friends of the Burbank Public Library - Eileen Cobos, Julie Gomez, Mort Sollod
Jeopardy Rejects - Ceasar Milch, Albert Vaca, Cameron Ward
Leadership Burbank Class of 2006 - Win Leraci, Susan Langford, Chris Rodriguez
Magnolia Park Optimist - Janet Fortune, Gene Gardner, Scott Rife
National Notary Association - Rahsaan Dean, Larry Israelson, David Thun
Providence High School "Power House Scholars" - Jennifer Bello, Adine Bonitz, Devon Boyd
Providence High School "The Oxymorons" - Chuck Amrheim, Dennis Bullock, Gabriel Gonzalez
Shakespeare at Play - Gary Lamb, Tony Potter, Jim Schendel
The 3 R's - Rolf Danner, Howard Rothenbach, Jeff Rothenback
Tula's California Cafe at Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn - Beverly Garland, Jack Knight, Gene Walsh
Walt Disney Company "Urban Achiev-EARS" - Ben Malbrough, Katae McCreary, Dan Soulsby
Warner Brothers Entertainment "Burbank Tutors" - Fred Ferguson, Lee Nelson, Bill Stafford
Woodbury University Faculty (Sterling Sponsor) - Dr. Phil Pack, Dr. Bob Schulz, Dr. Joye Swan
Zonta Club of Burbank - Nikki Bonner, Grace Farenbaugh, Anne MacLeod

Platinum Sponsor of the event was NBC-Universal; Silver Sponsors were Burbank Fire Fighters, Local 778, Burbank Water and Power, Assembly Majority Leader Dario Frommer, and Senator Jack Scott; Sterling Sponsors were Community Development Department of the City of Burbank; Burbank City Employees Association; The Walt Disney Company; Warner Brothers Entertainment, and Woodbury University.

Silent Auction & Door Prizes were donated by: Aquarium of the Pacific; Burbank Sertoma Club; Cartoon Network Studios; Center Theatre Group; DreamWorks; Frank Simmons Wooden Tractor; Golden State Gymnastics; Harrah's Rincon Casino; Hilton Burbank Airport/Convention Center; Hollywood Bowl; Hollywood Wax Museum; House of Blues; Ice House Comedy Club; Improv Comedy Club; In-N-Out Burgers; Jakes Billiards; Jillian's Hi-Life Lanes; John Anson Ford Theatre; Los Angeles Avengers; Los Angeles Dodgers; Los Angeles Lakers; Los Angeles Sparks; Long Beach Ice Dogs; Pasadena Playhouse; Priscilla's Gourmet Coffee, Tea & Gifts; Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas; Santa Anita Park; Six Flags Magic Mountain; The Smokehouse Restaurant; Universal Studios Hollywood.

The annual Trivial Challenge hosted by the Burbank Public Library does not discriminate. It aims to stump actors, artists, businessmen and librarian alike.

"I thought it was a trivial contest," joke Gary Lamb of Burbank's Shakespeare at Play. "I know lots of trivial things."

Soon Lamb would sweat it out with the rest of the contestants onstage, his team losing their first point by mispronouncing the Garfield character 'Odie' as 'Obie'.

The contest pitted groups of three against each other - each team is asked one question each round and two wrong answers are enough to eliminate you from the competition.

"It's nerve-racking," admitted Shauna Vaughn, a member of the Boys and Girls Club. "I still remember the question I got out on last year."

Questions throughout the night included, "What kind of animal is the Cheetos mascot?" and "What kind of meat is used in Moussaka?"

"I watched quiz shows to prepare myself", said Jim Schendel, also of Shakespeare at Play.

The event, which drew 24 teams from organizations across Burbank, is in it's 10th year. Each year the library funnels the money from ticket purchases, team registration fees and a concurrent silent auction into their literacy program.

"This is not only to raise money, but to help get the word out," explained Sharon Cohen, library services director. "We have a really successful literacy program - but it's something you can't really put out flier or posters for because you're looking for people who can't read."

The program, which started in 1992, provides one-on-one tutoring to adults who for one reason or another never learned to read.

"It's something that, if you can read, you take for granted," Cohen said. "Admitting that you don't read is not an easy thing either."

One of the students in the program, Jerry Washington, attested to the program's effectiveness.

"When I first arrived I was having trouble reading the daily newspapers and handling my own affairs," he said. "I know a lot of people who can't read."

Washington has spent a year in the program and is now working toward getting his GED.

By the end of the night, the Burbank City Employees Association took home the trophy for their trivia knowledge, unseating last year's champions, the Burbank Noon Kiwanis.

Cohen hoped everyone involved in the vent left a little smarter.

"It's not just a fundraising event, it's educational," she laughed. "You learn lots of trivial information."

Those interested in becoming a volunteer tutor at the Burbank Public Library's literacy program can call (818) 238-5577.