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Gamers Raise More Than $10,000 for Children's Hospital Foundation

Over 24 hours, Oklahoma City tabletop gamers completely smashed their $7,000 fundraising goal by raising $10,441 for Children’s Hospital Foundation through Extra Life. 

Extra Life is a Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals fundraising program created by and for gamers. The goal is to play 24 hours of video games or tabletop games while raising money for local children’s hospitals. The Extra Life OKC group has been fundraising for Children’s Hospital Foundation annually since 2013 at Oklahoma City game store Game HQ. 

The event kicked off at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 and continued until 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. Activities included a variety of board games, card games, and role-playing. Pillars of the event are Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder, fantasy role-playing games that allow players to create their own characters as they follow along in a story coordinated by a game master. 

“This event started six years ago with a group of friends playing Dungeons & Dragons,” said Amber Hanneken, Extra Life OKC lead coordinator and Corporate Partners/Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals board member. “That first fundraiser was so much fun, we decided to grow it by adding more members of the tabletop gaming community and providing a variety of tournaments and activities for everyone to enjoy while raising money for the kids.”

New this year, organizers added miniature figure painting as well as tournaments and gameplay overnight for card game Magic: The Gathering and war games Warhammer 40,000 and BattleTech. Longtime supporter Oklahoma Tabletop Gaming Club provided board gaming tournaments and open play and Loot & XP: The Game Hub of Norman provided social games. 

Funds were raised through raffles, game entry, meals and T-shirt sales. The group hit their $7,000 goal about 19 hours into the 24-hour fundraiser. They then pushed passed the $10,000 mark in the final five hours of fundraising. 

“We would not be where we are today without our amazing volunteer committee, local business sponsors and the staff of Game HQ who give us their space for a full 24 hours each year,” Hanneken said. “I’m blown away by our game and collectible store community who donate thousands of dollars of merchandise to make our giveaways possible. We would not raise the funds we raise without them.”

This year’s sponsors included Edmond Unplugged, Loot and XP: The Game Hub of Norman, Deadlift Collectibles, Domino’s Pizza, The Game Lounge, Got Games, Oklahoma Shirt Company, Oklahoma Tabletop Gaming Club, PB&J Games, SoonerCon, Storm Brew Games, Stranger Games, Wizard’s Asylum Comics and Games Norman, Anthem Brewing Company, Atomik Pop, Cactus Jack’s Family Fun Center, Cool Beans Coffee, COOP Ale Works, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, OKC D&D Adventurers League, One Stop Anime, Pathfinder Society OKC, Reaper Miniatures, Sam’s Club and Ted’s Café Escondido.

The funds from this year’s event will be allocated to the Adolescent Medicine Program through Children’s Hospital Foundation. To date, the group has raised more than $25,700 for Children’s Hospital Foundation. Their next event will occur in the fall of 2020 at Game HQ. Follow Extra Life for Children’s Hospital Foundation – Oklahoma on Facebook for more information. Visit www.extra-life.org to learn more about Extra Life and start a fundraiser.