Gaming can be a great way to have fun and relieve stress after a long day, but pairing up this overwhelmingly popular hobby with a great cause seems like the ultimate no-brainer. It was that idea that created the annual Extra Life charity event in 2008.
Britany Gibbs
Rochester Hills’ Britany Gibbs recently discovered Extra Life and decided to do her part by joining up.
“I found out about Extra Life through my gaming clan, PMS (Pandora’s Mighty Soldiers),” Gibbs said. “It inspired me because not only does it involve something I love doing but it’s also for a good cause. It was amazing to see how something so easy can make such a huge impact.”
Extra Life challenges gamers of all varieties, be it PC, console, tabletop, or even lawn sports, to endure a 25-hour gaming session in an effort to raise money from their sponsors. Last year, participants raised an astounding $2,300,000.
Gibbs explains that the money raised by the gaming community goes toward helping kids in their battle against life-threatening diseases. Extra Life works alongside the Children’s Miracle Network, which is comprised of 170 children’s hospitals around North America.
Gibbs aspires to raise at least $500 for Beaumont Children’s Hospital, right in her home state of Michigan, when the event begins on November 2nd.
“My main game will be Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2, but I know I’ll end up throwing in some Minecraft as well,” she said. “One can only play so many rounds of Team Deathmatch for so long!”
Even with such a worthy endeavor to support, it’s inevitable that the competitive spirit within each and every gamer will show through at some point. It’s in the nature of the hobby, but it’s all for fun in the end. There are no prizes for placement. So divert that competitive fire towards out-raising friends and generating a truly spectacular grand total. It’s all for the kids.
Although gamers are often an obsessive and sleepless bunch, the 25-hour marathon is still a daunting task. Gibbs hopes to devise a solid plan of action before the day of the event comes.
“I’LL DRINK ALL OF THE COFFEE!,” Gibbs exclaims. “Honestly, I might do a trial run before the actual event. So far, my longest streak is around 11 hours. Just have to stay hydrated and can’t forget to eat between matches I suppose. I’m sure a diet of Red Bull and pizza will work per usual.”
Britany Gibbs will surely do gamer-kind proud.
Visit Britany Gibbs’ fund-raising page if you’d like to donate or if you’re up for the challenge yourself, visit Extra Life and see how you can get involved. Her clan can be found by visiting pmsclan.com.
