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Local boys raise money for sick children in unconventional way

Four local boys have found a way to use their passion for good. Four passionate gamers teamed up to raise money for Extra Life, a North-American-wide fundraiser that raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’.
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Finn Hepher and Brodie Earl. Submitted photo

Four local boys have found a way to use their passion for good. Four passionate gamers teamed up to raise money for Extra Life, a North-American-wide fundraiser that raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’.

Brodie Earl, Finn Hepher, Kai Deydey and Jayden Grivell raised $305 which will be donated to the Calgary Children’s Hospital. This exceeded their original goal of $150. They were united under the team name, Gamegeeks.

Groups of motivated individuals across North America signed up for the Extra Life tournament, setting a goal of how much they would raise, and what hospital they would donate to. Teams were not limited to just video games either; board games were also an option.

“We want to help sick kids, and really, we just want to play video games for charity,” read a post by the Gamegeeks team.

This year, Extra Life raised $7,300,000 globally for sick children, in just 25 hours. Since its inception in 2008, it has raised over $30 million for sick and injured kids.

To Deydey, the importance of raising money for the children’s hospital is, “To help raise money to support children who are in need, and maybe cannot pay for their treatment.“

Hepher was excited to raise funds doing something he loved. Outside of this fundraiser, he is also involved in the collection of food to send around the world, which he participates in through his grade seven student council.

Brodie Earl is a brother to Lily Earl, who was diagnosed with Leukemia at a young age. Hepher remembers the Earl family having to make regular trips Calgary for treatment. Brodie participated in the Extra Life fundraiser with Hepher.

“It was partly for that,” said Hepher. “That’s why I wanted to give it to them [Calgary Children’s Hospital]. It was a scary time.”



Phil McLachlan

About the Author: Phil McLachlan

Phil McLachlan is the editor at the Penticton Western News. He served as the reporter, and eventually editor of The Free Press newspaper in Fernie.
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