Gaming to raise $$ for Texas Children's Hospital

[Liz Danforth]

While researching gaming-related charities for an upcoming Library
Journal column, I came across the Extra Life initiative. (http://
extralife.sarcasticgamer.com/) For the second year, they are holding a
24 hour gaming marathon to fund pediatric cancer research and
treatment at the Texas Children’s Hospital.

As the Extra Life website itself says, cancer kills a classroom full
of kids every day worldwide. It takes kids from all walks of life, and
respects no borders. Cancer doesn’t care about ethnicity or religion.
It doesn’t care if a child is from privilege or poverty.

I decided to get into the game -- and I'm doing it with a library
flavor.

I know some of you are aware of the Libraries and Librarians guild on
the Aerie Peak server in World of Warcraft. I intend to play WoW for
as much of 24hr as I can, running on that server and in that guild.
While he's not available to play that day, Michael Porter (GM of the
guild, Libraryman, Mover & Shaker) is supportive of this effort and
the guild will play host to my effort and that of the Extra Life team.
Read more here: http://wowlibraryguild.com/2009/10/extra-life-2009. If
you've ever needed a reason to come play with this guild, now is the
time.

So here comes the pitch:

If you work in a library, or are you closely associated with someone
who does (loved one, family, s.o.), you are eligible to join the
guild. If you are willing to join our team of players, and raise
pledges among your friends in support of the charity...? Sign up on
the team page, then! (Every individual on the team makes their own
page, linked to the team page. Yes, it's confusing. You're all web-
savvy, right?)

If you can’t play with me there (or even if you can), will you pledge
your dollars? I originally set a modest goal to raise just $300 and
have already blown past that! The hospital now has the team looking to
raise $500 and I could sure use some help.

I expect to be running my Death Knight (Recalled) which, after all, is
appropriate … battling back from death’s door, which is what the
children of the hospital must do every day but in real life. I can
launch a level 1 paladin named Zenodotus (the first librarian of the
Library of Alexandria) in order to work in a group with others on the
team starting new toons if there are any who might want company.

This is the link to my own page on the Extra Life website: http://bit.ly/y8NqY

This is the link to my blog where I talk more about this initiative,
about what and why: http://www.lizdanforth.com/?p=92

Games, libraries, charity, WoW. What's not to like? I hope to see some
of you there.

Liz Danforth
----------------------------------------------------
Liz Danforth, MLS
D3 / Danforth Design & Development
website: http://www.lizdanforth.com
Facebook: LizDanforth
Twitter: lizdanforth
LinkedIn: Elizabeth (Liz) Danforth
Games Gamers and Gaming in Library Journal: http://www.libraryjournal.com/blogger/3814.html












http://bit.ly/aLFyq

[Liz Danforth]

Looking over the site, I see that La Crosse Public Library is also
involved in this project already. Bravo!

And if you are medical librarians or interested in supporting a cause
more substantive than a handful of librarians playing WoW, let me
direct you to Kanada's Kids http://waystogive.texaschildrens.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=210&frtid=461
and to my most recent Library Journal blogpost http://bit.ly/yfkAI
written by guest-blogger Laverne Pouissaint.


Liz