On the chase!

A treasure hunt crafted around riddles and puzzles benefits HonoluluMommies.com

Are you in the mood to play detective?

'The Mother of All Chases' Place: The Waikiki starting location will be disclosed in a clue prior to the event Time: 10 a.m. Saturday Cost: $35; children under 15 free. Proceeds benefit HonoluluMommies.com Call: 203-8963 or visit ravenchase.com and click on "public hunts" Also: Ravenchase offers weekly nighttime Great Illuminati Races, with clues invisible to the naked eye. Visit the Web site for a list of events.

HonoluluMommies.com is holding a fundraiser, "The Mother of All Chases" -- a "Da Vinci Code"-style treasure hunt to raise funds for charities that focus on local mothers and children.

Ravenchase Adventures is providing riddles, anagrams, puzzles and actors to lead participants to various landmarks. "We craft an adventure that includes different types of locations so that the experience as a whole offers a peek into some of what makes Hawaii unique, enjoyable and intriguing," said Josh Czarda, president and founder of Ravenchase.

Clues eventually lead the players back to a secret location where winning teams are awarded "fabulously tacky prizes," Czarda added.

"HonoluluMommies was looking for a fundraiser that would stand out among others," said Jennifer Brantley, HonoluluMommies fundraising manager. "It allows moms to have a chance to be someone else for a day, like a great detective."

HonoluluMommies, the Oahu chapter of the Mommies Network, was founded in February 2006 to give moms a free place to network, seek support and find encouragement. Regular outings include play dates, beach days, moms' nights out and charity events.

The organization hosts annual fundraisers like last year's baby shower that honored members who were pregnant. "Members and their families came to celebrate the baby shower, but instead of bringing gifts for the moms, members brought unwrapped new or gently used items that were donated to Child and Family Services," Brantley said.

The group is excited about "The Mother of All Chases" and if it turns out to be successful, it could become an annual fundraiser, Brantley said.

Czarda said hunts can be geared to any group, from children to retirees. He said a hunt emphasizes the positive aspects of competition and adventure seen on reality television shows, "but without having to eat bugs or having to be cruelly calculating ... and no one gets voted off the island in Ravenchase."