Rock Paper Scissors tournament brings in $30,000

Hundreds of people turned out at the University of Illinois' South Quad on Sunday evening to play Rock Paper Scissors.

Some of them were there to have fun. Others were hoping to win the top prize: a trip to Acapulco, Mexico.

But many of them said they joined in to help pay for underprivileged Champaign-Urbana children to go to summer camp.

Organizer Scott Wolf, a first-year UI College of Law student, said a record 2,000 people paid $10 an entry to take part in the third annual Illini Summer Opportunity Organization's Rock Paper Scissors tournament.

The entry fee money, combined with a matching grant from a UI alumnus, netted just over $30,000 on Sunday, according to Wolf.

That's enough to pay for 300 one-week summer camp scholarships for underprivileged children with the Champaign and Urbana park districts.

"Until I got involved with this organization, I didn't know how much poverty there was in Champaign-Urbana," Wolf said. "We feel it is important to give every child in the Champaign-Urbana community the opportunity to attend summer camp."

The participants each received a T-shirt and coupons valued at $30 from local merchants. They competed in 48 small groups around the South Quad. The 48 winners then advanced to a championship bracket, playing Rock Paper Scissors on stage with Wolf as the whistle-blowing referee and organization President Josh Gross serving as the master of ceremonies.

Wolf estimated that 1,000 of the 2,000 people who paid the entry fee actually showed up for Sunday's event.

"Some people didn't come because they wanted to watch the Chicago Bears game," Wolf said.

Annalise Heuser of Blue Mound said she decided to play because she wanted to do something to help Champaign-Urbana children.

"It seemed like a cool idea for a good cause," she said.

Nick Ernst of Wheaton said he was there to have fun.

"My fraternity told me about this event, and I thought I would have a good time," he said.

Another participant, Jaclyn Burke of Niles, sold 30 tickets for Sunday's tournament.

"It's a good cause, and there are lots of prizes people can win," she said.

Matt Drabik of Wheaton said strategy is important in playing Rock Paper Scissors.

"It's a psychological game; you have to read the other person," he said. "A lot of people go Rock first because they think they are being tricky, so you have to counter that. Scissors is for the cunning, smart people go Paper, and Rock is always a solid choice."

Sunday's champion, Jake Dubravec, 20, of Bourbonnais, said he didn't have any strategy.

"I just went with my impulse every time, and left a lot to chance," Dubravec said. "I'm really looking forward to going to Acapulco."

Wolf said he believes the tourney was a success.

"It all comes down to helping the kids," he said. "They are the real winners of today's competition."

For more information on the Illini Summer Opportunity Organization, go to www.isooonline.org.

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