Gamers raise over $14,000 to help injured classmate

by Kevin Kelly { May 8th 2007 at 5:57PM }

Proving that video game players aren't the cold, robotic androids that most media reports like to portray them as, gamers in Kaukauna, Wisconsin held an event yesterday to raise money for a classmate who was struck by a drunk driver. The result? Over $14,000 raised, which impressed even the organizers. All of the money will to go the hospitalized Tiffany Pohl as part of her recovery.

Tony Bushner of the Kaukana Gamer's Club said, "It was successful to a degree that none of us even dreamed of, and we are all deeply touched by the community's involvement." Pretty impressive for an event that sold $1 raffle tickets for things like a Nintendo Wii and 50 cent tickets to play games like Guitar Hero, DDR, and Super Smash Bros.

This is the kind of story we'd love to see on every media outlet, rather than "Guy who played a video game shot someone" pieces that TV stations seem to love. Great work, you Wisconsonites! That warms the cockles of our gaming hearts.

Tags: charity, Kaukauna, Tiffany Pohl

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Todd @ May 8th 2007 6:06PM

Good, positive news. I doubt you'll be hearing about this on the evening news.

...now if this story involved shootings and whatnot, you bet!

AirIntake @ May 8th 2007 6:06PM

Way to go, lack of universal health care.

Chocolate Starfish @ May 8th 2007 6:23PM

Sadly, we've still got Milwaukee...

OhJustSomeRandomGuy @ May 8th 2007 6:41PM

"Doesn't that just warm the cockles of your heart?"
"Warms the shit out of my cockles."

Geo @ May 8th 2007 7:02PM

My uncle Jack told me all gamers are ticking time bombs...

Killer @ May 8th 2007 7:05PM

@2

LOL, Better than 41% of the average American's paycheck being ripped out by taxes to pay for universal healthcare. :p

Good job, people of Kaukauna, Wisconsin! You should have invited Jack Thompson. To show that GH2 doesn't make people want to kill someone or do drugs. lol

laserboyjc @ May 8th 2007 7:07PM

good to see people support a good cause...all the better while having fun with video games

AirIntake @ May 8th 2007 7:08PM

@Killer

If your government is taking 41% of your paycheck JUST for universal health care, than they are managing it very, very badly.

zombiejim @ May 8th 2007 7:30PM

It doesn't warm the cockles of my heart.
More like below the cockles. Maybe in the sub-cockle area.
Maybe in the liver, maybe in the kidneys. Maybe even in the colon. I don't quite know.

Shmil @ May 8th 2007 8:05PM

@ zombiejim

do you drive really slow in the ultra-fast lane?

zwarrior @ May 8th 2007 8:08PM

Awsome, for an event that cheap, no wonder it was so succesful.

NekoMode @ May 8th 2007 8:17PM

Crying shame that the mainstream media never picks up on positive stories. Crying shame that only fear-mongering sells in our society...

Killer @ May 8th 2007 8:15PM

@AirInTake

Well I wouldn't doubt that our goverment would manage it horribly, they do everything else. The reason it would be that high is that American Hospitals are the most expensive, quickest, and most high tech hospitals in the world. Over $5,000 a day is the average of payments. It's been running off of capitalism so long that even goverment intervention isn't going to lower the cost. I'm glad we don't have universal health, our goverment is horrible at everything it does (social security problems, budget, the works). Even if our goverment steps in the cost will still be the highest in the world and then we would have people checking into hospitals when they aren't really in need of care at all. Besides it's big business's favorite dream of universal healthcare in American. No more paying half or more for the insurence of their employees, which equals more profit. If the price of health insurence is going up even though millions share the risk, what are the chances that universal healthcare would lower the cost? None, because it's the same concept, and that concept isn't working right now anyway.