The Plattsburgh State Anime Club is in the midst of planning a video game tournament for Sunday, Nov. 9 in the Warren Ballrooms of the Angell College Center.
This tournament is not only a chance for gamers to get together and compete, but it is also an opportunity to raise money for charity. Santiago Loja, the public relations chair for Anime Club, said he is an avid gamer himself.
The club is working with Child’s Play, which is a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children through toys and games in a network of over 70 hospitals nationwide, according to its website, childsplaycharity.org.
Through the club’s efforts, all funds raised from the event will benefit Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen.
The Anime Club is selling tickets for the event at $2 per ticket. Students, faculty and locals can purchase these tickets at the information desk in the ACC.
Eight teams will participate in this event, all from different clubs on campus. Some clubs participating include PSTV, WQKE, the LGBTQ Student Union, the Anime Club and the Pokemon Club.
Loja said the best thing about the event is the support the club is receiving.
“When we started, we thought that Anime Club would raise a couple bucks, but every organization we spoke to has been really interested in operating with us and doing something for the community.”
Loja also said he is surprised no one has brought it to campus before. “It’s so nice to be able to do something for the children in such an easy way.”
An obstacle for Loja came in planning the event. Last semester, he was president of the club, but he stepped down to make time to plan the video game tournament.
A trophy is designated for the first-place winner. “Whoever wins gets bragging rights for the entire semester,” Loja said.
Ryan Clark, the president of Anime Club, said he plans to donate $40 to Child’s Play in order to help out the cause. He also said possible games in the tournament are Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart and Call of Duty. “It should be lots of fun,” Clark said.
An Amazon wish list made up of toys for the hospitalized children is available by way of the charity’s website. This list not only includes big-ticket items such as Super Mario 3D World for the Wii U, a portable DVD player, a VTech laptop computer, two Nintendo DS portable gaming systems and several games, but it also includes lower-priced items as well, such as a Melissa & Doug drawing pad, crayons and a bottle of bubbles.
While Clark admits their donation may not cover all items on the wish list, they hope to be able to raise enough money to help as many children as they can.
“As long as we can provide some of the things they want, I think we can make some children happy, and that’s really what this tournament is all about,” Loja said.
Shannon Martin, the secretary of the Anime Club, said the tournament is good on two fronts. “I think that it’s going to be a good turnout because people will come for their interest in video games, but (they) stay because it’s a charity that’s supporting people who need our help.”
Martin also said Child’s Play is a charity that appeals to a wide variety of people. “Sometimes people won’t support specific charities because they have certain political views, but this is not about political views. It’s just about helping children.”
Loja agreed.
“Those children that are in a position right now, they are sick, they are in the process of healing, and they really have not much to look forward to in a hospital,” Loja said. “We want to give them that environment where they can actually look forward to treatment.”
Email Tim Lyman at timothy.lyman@cardinalpointsonline.com.
