A friend of mine from Twitter, @AMentalFracture is taking part in a fun and awesome fundraiser. It’s called Extra Life. Here’s the 411:
Extra Life began in 2008 as a way of honoring a young lady named Victoria Enmon. Tori’s battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia inspired the Sarcastic Gamer Community in a way that is difficult to describe. Members sent in video games and bought gifts to keep Tori’s spirits up despite numerous hospital stays and three bouts with the deadly disease.
Tragically, we lost Tori to cancer in January 2008. Later that year, I asked my partners at Sarcastic Gamer if they would be interested in Extra Life, a 24-hour video game marathon to raise money for the hospital that treated and fought beside Tori. In 2008 and 2009 Extra Life raised a combined $302,000, 100 percent of which went directly to help kids like Tori at my local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital (Texas Children’s Hospital).
While thousands of gamers, more than 100 websites and more than 12,000 donors were happy to support Extra Life, many expressed their desire to raise money to help kids closer to home. In what I can only consider destiny, in 2009 I left behind my radio career and went to work full-time for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as a Radiothon Director. This life-changing event gave me unique insight into an incredible non-profit organization that helps kids all over the United States and Canada.
I quickly realized that Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals would be the perfect solution to expand Extra Life into more communities.
This year, when you sign up to play video games for 24 hours on Oct. 15, 2011, you won’t just be raising money for kids. You’ll be supporting LOCAL kids and their families. Kids right in your own backyard.
All the money you raise for Extra Life 2011 will go directly to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital of your choice.
How awesome is this? I mean, if you already love gaming why not help out others while doing it! My friend is raising money for John’s Hopkins Children’s Center here in Baltimore. His goal is $500 and you can help support him here. His 24 hour gaming marathon will take place on October 15th which means you have plenty of time to donate.
If you want to take part yourself, you can still sign up!
