It’s nearly time for the annual Child’s Play Charity Auction and we would love it if you joined us. This year’s diner auction will take place on November 22nd in downtown Seattle at the Seattle Convention Center Skybridge. You can also get a special discounted rate on a room at the Sheraton across the street. I did this last year and it made the whole night super convenient not having to worry about driving home after the event. You can get your tickets for the auction and see details for the Sheraton rooms right here.
If you have never attended one of these nights I cannot recommend it enough. It’s an opportunity for nerds like us to dress up and have a wonderful night out for a good cause. It’s great seeing folks from PAX in fancy dresses and suits which is something I know we don’t normally do but it turns out we all clean up really well!
The evening starts with a huge silent auction where we browse tables loaded with goodies donated by gamers, game studios, and artists. While you check out all the auction items you can sample Hors d’Oeuvres (did I spell that right?) and grab a drink from the bar while chatting with fellow dorks.
Then it’s onto the live auction portion of the night. You’ll be seated at a table and served a three course dinner while you watch our hosts parade an assortment of incredible items across the stage for you to bid on.
You’ll also hear from folks who work at Child’s Play who will explain our current initiatives and show you where your donations go. Last year we got an amazing demonstration from a team using VR to let kids interact with therapy dogs who normally cannot enter the quarantine sections of the hospital. We also learned about a group of developers using VR to transport kids to magical places during scary procedures with a project they called Gurney Journey:
Jerry and I started Child’s Play 21 years ago with the goal of delivering toys and games to sick kids. Today I sit on the board of directors for the charity alongside doctors and industry leaders. We still deliver toys and games but we also place our Pediatric Gaming and Technology Specialists in hospitals who are there to manage all the technology being sent and devise best practices for utilizing that technology to help kids.
None of this would be possible without your donations. Please consider joining us for our annual auction not just to help support Child’s Play but to learn about what we do and how you’re helping. I hope I see you there!
-Gabe out
