It’s a challenge in this day and age to get a group of people off their phones and paying attention to the same thing. But it’s not impossible if what they’re focused on is a riveting game of trivia in their favorite neighborhood pub. That’s the kind of family-friendly, personable environment Chris Zoephel looked to create when he founded his trivia business, Game Night Live. Six years after he started the operation by going door-to-door around Boise, visiting venues like restaurants and breweries he wanted to partner with him, Game Night Live has a nationwide presence.

Whether in business or everyday life, Chris works to embody the idea of “it’s better to give than it is to receive,” a tenet he picked up from his parents. That’s why, from the moment he started Game Night Live, the goal of making a profit has come second to creating a healthy sense of community.

Sadly, it only took four days for the COVID-19 pandemic to shut down Game Night Live’s in-person operations once shelter-in-place orders began taking effect across the country. Fortunately, Chris saw the writing on the wall and had made preparations to move his games online. True to his character, Chris made his games free to play—only asking for donations to pay his staff—so that people could find a social outlet to bring them out of isolation.

Chris has been a client of Columbia Bank for several years now. In fact, his banker’s family has hopped online to play Game Night Live trivia during the pandemic. That’s how Columbia Bank knew they had an ideal partner in Chris for the Pass It On Project. With Columbia Bank picking up the tab, Game Night Live is passing it on by providing five free game nights for six venues. That way, people all across Boise have more reason to celebrate while putting their trivia skills to the test.