Playing games and building hospitals right here in Chattanooga
Gaming is losing the stigma of pointless life consuming diversion it used to be known for. Indeed, one only has to check out the popular gaming channels on YouTube to see how much of a positive culture is emerging by supporting gaming spectatorship and community interaction.
This interaction comes in many forms through platforms such as Twitch and Steam broadcasts. From any device you can sit and watch gamers getting down and comment during their gaming sessions.
Gaming itself seems to have become a vessel for social change because many gamers these days are jumping into raising money for local charities. I’m talking about doing some good all the while never leaving the Cheeto-encrusted sanctuary of your gaming Shangri-La.
Gamers just like you and me are becoming community champions outside of the spotlight and hidden just on the fringes of charitable fundraising through a little organization called Extra-Life.
It works like this: create an Extra-Life account on their website, join a pre-existing team or create your own, then pick the charity you want to game for. Then download a digital media kit and hit up your social media platforms to ask for sponsors to log on your page and donate money.
I joined the Extra-Life-TN team and play games for Children’s Hospital at Erlanger. Now don’t get me wrong here, I am highly suspicious of just about every not-for-profit charity organization that does or will exist. I am cynical and jaded and I measure these things with a healthy level of justified distrust.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around gaming for charity via online sources. I am more of an analog type of guy and prefer the tangible items and causes that I can go to or show up to help. But rather than write off Extra-Life as another waste of time, I decided to jump on and put together my own gaming team to start getting sponsorships.
Honestly, it’s not as easy as the site makes it sound, you are going to have to do some riding on the social media rollercoaster and it is very exhausting trying to schedule time for gaming sessions to draw viewership and sponsors. In short, it requires time and dedication, just like any other fundraising event.
I had to know how Extra-Life and their gamers actually get donations to the charities of choice so I reached out and found that the Extra-Lifers here in Chattanooga have raised over $23,000 for Phase One of the brand spanking new Children’s Hospital being constructed over on Third Street.
Let me tell you folks, the community conscious gamers are only a small part of a great collective team. Chattanooga never ceases to surprise me with how this city comes together under a unified goal for the greater good.
This new children’s hospital facility will have gardens, themed waiting rooms with half of a fire engine donated from the CFD, a tow-truck from the Towing museum, and a historically significant steam engine from the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum.
The new facility architecture will embrace the endearing characteristics of Chattanooga and in all honesty the hospital will look like High Point Climbing Gym and the Aquarium had a shiny sparkly baby.
The design firm is taking cues from major metropolitan children hospitals around the nation to create something fully functional and soothing for the young patients and parents who will be going there. From the look of the plans I would happily go to this hospital to get my flu shots every year, mostly to play in the fire engine and tow truck.
The fundraising to get through the phases of the children’s hospital is ongoing and after my meeting with Rebecca Brinkley, Director of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Erlanger Health System Foundation, I felt a lot better about how I too can do my part and help see this project to completion. The new children’s hospital will be an epic testament to the future of Chattanooga and the collective passion the city has for its kids. And honestly, it’s sorely needed in the community.
If you are interested in supporting the construction of this facility go to webelieve.build—or if you want to know how you to can game for a cause, visit extra-life.org or search for me on Extra-Life under the name Gameon!
Sponsor me and I will write about your favorite game in future Game On! columns.
When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, Brandon Watson is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.