Benefit: Geeks In Bushes For The Alvarado School

Those nerdy kids with iPhones poking around your front yard this weekend? Not the usual clipboard brigade. They're likely part of a scavenger hunt designed for the 21st century. From the over-the-top chirpy PR email: "Get your geek on! ... Smart phone scavenger hunts are all the rage these days, but I’m not aware of any like this, and all the money raised goes directly to Alvarado." All four district 8 supervisor candidates are (of course) supporting the event, and competing against each other in an early test of their electability. Annoying, yes, but at least it's for a good cause.

It works like this:

Arrive early! At 6:00 pm sharp participants will leave Alvarado Elementary School’s auditorium and be given a map with some clues to decipher. Solving those clues will lead you to various locations in Noe Valley. When you arrive at the mystery location, you'll take a photo of the answer with their phone and email it back to an address provided at the beginning of the event. The first team to solve all clues is the winner. Simple, no?

Why: For fun, mostly. And for prizes (from Geeknet, EA Games, Bon Jovi tickets, and more). And also because all the money raised goes toward improving technology for students at Alvarado Elementary. That means ticket price is tax-deductible.

Cost: The fee is $50 for a team of up to 4 and $75 for a team of up to 6. A bargain for memories that will last a lifetime. All of the money raised from this event goes directly toward improving the quality of computers at the school.

Rules: All you need is a phone that can take a picture and send email. Be on time, or you’ll be behind your fellow competitors. Teams have to stick together and stay on foot. Bring a flashlight (or flashlight app). Charge up your phone batteries. Respect the neighborhood.

[Official Site: Tech Search Party]