A weekly trivia night at a bar in Clinton has raised $10,000 for local nonprofits.

Bailey’s Corner Store has been hosting trivia nights every Thursday for about five years, but it wasn’t until last December that owner Ken Stange thought to use it as a way to raise money for the South Whidbey community. He didn’t want to start charging people because so many people already participated in the free event, but he put out a jar for people to donate as much money as they wanted.

“It started out kind of small,” he said.

The trivia nights went from raising $500 in the first month to a record-breaking $1,500 last month. Oct. 6 was the first time people donated over $500 in a single night.

Each month a different nonprofit is chosen. In the past, money has been raised for the Whidbey Homeless Coalition, Citizens Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse, Friends of Friends Medical Support Fund and Whidbey Island Angels, among others.

For the month of October, all of the trivia night proceeds will go to the Brandon Graham Foundation, a nonprofit named in honor of a 2007 Coupeville High School graduate and a former student of Stange’s who committed suicide. The foundation provides Oak Harbor and Coupeville schools with resources to prevent youth suicide. For more information visit thebrandongrahamfoundation.com.

“I imagine that if we could raise $1,500 for them they might be able to do a complete program in South Whidbey,” Stange said.

This past week’s trivia night included a special celebration for everyone who has attended the trivia nights and made donations. Stange said he wanted to thank everyone who has given money, no matter how small the amount.

“Ten thousand is a pretty significant number for people who just come out and play a game every week,” he said.

Stange takes pride in Bailey’s brand of trivia that creates a unique experience for the players.

“I wanted to make it a little more challenging and add a little more competition to it,” he said.

It involves a strategic point system. People write their answers on whiteboards and all submit their answers at the same time.

Stange said the trivia nights have become a big part of the South Whidbey community.

“It’s one of those times where I see people coming together,” he said. “People from their 20s to their 70s, people that vote red, people that vote blue – none of that stuff matters. Everyone just comes together and they have a good time. There isn’t a lot left in our world that’s like that.”

There are usually around 10-12 teams and 50-60 people who participate each week. Trivia runs about two hours, starting at 7 p.m. but people are encouraged to come early to grab a table, as the teams are first come, first serve. Bailey’s Corner is located at 7695 Cultus Bay Road in Clinton.

Photo provided Trivia night at Bailey’s Corner Store typically attracts around 50 people every Thursday.