06.07.2017

Gaming For Good – The Gauntlet: Infinity

By Dana Petrarca, Treehouse Community Engagement Officer

What happens when you get 74 passionate table gamers together for an all-day tournament to benefit charity? A whole lot of good!

The past few months, I had the pleasure of working with the charitable giving program for Mox Boarding House and Card Kingdom, called ENGAGE, on their annual fundraising tournament—The Gauntlet: Infinity. Spearheaded by ENGAGE’s Lyla Ross, the program selects a different nonprofit to honor each year, and we’re delighted they picked Treehouse as the beneficiary for 2017.

Several weeks before the tournament took place, various gaming companies and community organizations formed tournament teams and began online fundraising campaigns for Treehouse. The more money teams raised, the more power-ups and advantages they received during the tournament. Beyond the competitive nature of the fundraising, it was moving to see how connected the fundraisers were to supporting youth in foster care. Altogether, 74 tournament participants recruited 2,992 donors over the course of 6 weeks.

When I arrived at Mox Boarding House in Bellevue on May 21, the day of the tournament, the energy in the room was inspiring. I was thrilled to finally meet the gamers. Many teams were in amazing, elaborate costumes and were in great spirits ready for a full day of competition.

I find that everyone has their own unique connection to Treehouse—whether they have personal experience with foster care or know someone who does. I loved getting to know the participants and learning how their personal journeys intersect with our mission.

The Gauntlet: Infinity gamers came together in a way that was special and meaningful for them, and because of that they were able to raise a total of $138,609 for Treehouse youth! We cannot express enough how grateful we are to Lyla Ross, Mox Boarding House, Card Kingdom and the tournament participants.

Watching this fundraiser unfold was one of the most rewarding things I’ve witnessed while working at Treehouse. From all of us to you: Thank you for supporting our youth and foster care!

Special thanks to photographer Charles Hildreth for capturing this event!  

 

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About the Author

Dana Petrarca, Treehouse’s Community Engagement Officer, works closely with community members to encourage and support engagement opportunities with Treehouse. She is passionate about building relationships, philanthropy, and storytelling. Contact Dana at [email protected] if you are interested in hosting a donation drive or event on behalf of Treehouse.


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