Alright you lot, if you already know what this is all about, you can skip a bit. Go have a snack, we'll be ready when you come back. For the newcomers, listen up!
Couple years ago those fellows over at Penny Arcade start this charity, see, it's about buying games/toys/books what-have-you for sick kids who are stuck in the hospital, and giving the little guys all these gifts for the holiday season. Now, you're probably wondering how much a bunch of poor gamers can afford to give. The answer is: an awful lot. Last year Child's Play racked up 1.4 million dollars U.S. in monetary donations and purchased gifts. Remember, this time last year the economy was going down faster that a wizard who's gotten himself surrounded by soldier types, and yet still: 1.4 million $$$$$.
So, how does this work? Well, either you send Child's Play the money directly via check or Paypal or things like that, or you purchase a gift for the kids at a specific hospital off of one of those Amazon wishlist things. And every dime that you give goes to making the charity work, there's nothing being skimmed off the top.
And welcome back old-timers! Snack was good I hope? Good! Alright, now that everyone's up to speed, one more time:
Head over to www.childsplaycharity.org for more information and give whatever you can. This charity covers a huge number of hospitals in a number of countries, so the odds aren't too bad that you can donate to one near you (or, perhaps, get your local hospital involved for next year). $1.4 million stands as the high score at the moment, so to speak, and it is undeniably high. But we're gamers. When has that ever stopped us?
Disclaimer of a sorts: And no, I'm not Tycho or Gabe or anyone like that in disguise. I'm not an official Child's Play organizer, I don't know the guys, I've never met them, nobody's slipping me a single cent here, and so on and so forth. Just trying to make the holiday season a bit nicer for some kids who could use a break.
Thanks for your time!