Not Just Child’s Play
Christmas is a time for joy, peace, and understanding. Too bad we’re all such greedy wankers then, eh? But seriously, if you even have one ounce of common decency left in you (the eensy-weensy speck of your soul that hasn’t been crushed by the ruthless corporate machine), then read on.
Instead of just giving love on Christmas day (as the Jackson 5 would sing, right before little Mikey decided to become La Toya), Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade propose that you show your goodwill in the form of gifts for sick kids through the Child’s Play charity drive.
Child’s Play was started by Mike Krahulic and Jerry Holkins in response to what they perceived to be a constant barrage of negative press about the gaming culture in mainstream media. Frustrated that gamers were being portrayed as negligent and shiftless (among other presuppositions), Krahulic and Holkins urged fans to show their mettle by lending their support to the cause. Since Child’s Play began three years ago it’s raised nearly a million dollars worth of toys, gifts, and cash, all of which have directly gone to help ailing children at hospitals across the United States. This year, the charity’s scope widened to include hospitals in Canada and Europe.
The charity’s site links to hospital-specific gift registries filled with entertainment goodies like gaming devices, video players, books, and DVDs. All you have to do is pick a hospital you’d like to donate to and purchase a gift. Keeping with the no-middleman approach of the charity, all the proceeds (Child’s Play also accepts cash donations through PayPal and by snail mail) go directly to the recipients.
This wouldn’t be a Cheap and Tiny post without a few gadgets, however. Some of the gadgets up for sale include a COBY TFDVD7100 Portable DVD player ($119.99), a Panasonic SL-SX450 Portable CD/MP3 player ($32.99), a Leapster Multimedia Learning System ($49.99), a Nintendo Game Boy Advance Spongebob bundle, and an UNO 5 Card Value Pack bundle ($19.97).
(Since Cheap and Tiny has roots in both Washington, D.C. and the San Francisco Bay Area, the links for the items posted are for either the Children’s Hospital Oakland or the Children’s National Medical in Washington, D.C. If you’d like to donate to a different hospital, please visit the Child’s Play website and select another. Click on the “About” link to see the charity’s FAQ if you have any questions or concerns.)