Team “AcaGameia” Provides Decades of Support for Hurley Kids through Extra Life Gaming

While the official #ExtraLife Game Day on November 4th may still be a few months away, many in the Extra Life community are already getting a jump start on their fundraising efforts for #HurleyChildrensHospital.

Last month, the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals team at Hurley announced its 2023 Extra Life Ambassador, Andrew Kieras. Andrew was voted into the role by the Extra Life gaming community and is looking forward to serving as Hurley’s ambassador this year alongside his teammates from Team “AcaGameia”.

We recently got a chance to speak with Andrew and learn more about the team, their motivations for joining forces, and their favorite Extra Life Game Day memories. As a group, Team AcaGameia has raised more than $30,000 for pediatric patients treated at Hurley Children’s Hospital since their first Extra Life Game Day in 2013.

Over the years, AcaGameia’s team members have put their own comfort and wellbeing on the line in an effort to entice supporters to donate to Hurley kids. Whether it’s eating jars of condiments, attempting to play board games while wearing oven mitts, or agreeing to eat progressively hotter and hotter chicken wings as the donations roll in, the AcaGameia live stream is always an exciting place to be.

Highlights from past years include the famous chanting of “FRESH POTS!” every time a fresh pot of coffee is brewed (the coffee pot now enjoys it’s one dedicated camera and refill counter on the team’s live stream).

“The annual [Extra Life] gaming marathon has been a highlight for us year after year. The event has really taken on a life of its own as we add more members, inside jokes, games, and most importantly: donations and community!” says Kieras.

Meet the Members of Team AcaGameia: the Second Decade

Tim Streasick (he/him) has participated in Extra Life since Team AcaGameia’s formation in 2013, but his connection with playing games and Hurley Children’s Hospital goes back much further. At 12-years-old, Tim was admitted to Hurley during an incredibly scary time in his life. Being allowed the space to do something as small as play games at Hurley took his mind off the pain and fear helped him focus on the business of getting better. The Extra Life charity and its goals mean a lot to Tim because it’s a way for him to give back to Hurley in the same way they helped him- through play.

David “David Wilson” Wilson joined Extra Life in Team AcaGameia’s first year. While they’ve rescinded their ridiculous food challenges as they’ve aged, they have helped run the streaming equipment and win Twilight Imperium games throughout the teams events. They said if I wrote this they’d stop singing the “Knight Rider” song every time I’m driving.

Seth (he/they) is one of the inaugural members of Team AcaGameia, having participated in Extra Life since the team’s formation in 2013. That first year, they ran four sessions of the Mouse Guard RPG on stream, helping solidify the team’s emphasis on tabletop games as their way of fundraising. Though they moved to Columbus, OH in 2015 and began raising money for Nationwide Children’s Hospital, they still make the pilgrimage back to Michigan every year to play games to change kids’ health to change the future. When they’re not participating in Extra Life, they spend entirely too much time playing Final Fantasy XIV and play-by-post RPGs.

Zekk Walker has been part of Team AcaGameia for 8 years, As one of Tim’s high school friends Zekk learned the importance of CMN hospitals and how they save lives. Zekk has been a dedicated long distance member, and keeps the spirit of Extra Life kicking all year round, with frequent video game marathons and fundraising streams throughout the year, even dedicating whole weeks of streaming to fundraising!

Andrew Kieras (he/him) joined Team AcaGameia in 2015, becoming a full-fledged fundraising member in 2016. David invited him to a bizarre event which promised hours upon hours of board games, food, coffee, and laughter. Fast forward to 2023 and Andrew is enjoying his 7th year with the team. The people he met that fateful night have become some of his best friends. Andrew fulfills the role of willing vessel: a spirited ally (enemy?) who is “surprisingly good at board games”

Matt “Mortivas” Riley is an inaugural AcaGameia member and has dutifully served as its technical wizard. Whether it’s setting up the hardware, optimizing the lighting/audio, streaming, or doing the work of reading a new game’s instruction booklet, Matt has been the backbone.

Eric “Nomad” Engel has been with Team AcaGameia for 9 years, and has provided a certain “je ne sais quoi” to the events with his sometimes manic descents into the tired midnight hours. He always brings the spirit of Extra Life with him, creating fun donation goals for himself and keeping the nights exciting for all.

Hurley’s growing Extra Life program is only as successful as the gamers participating in it. Think you’ve got what it takes? Sign up today to PLAY GAMES. HEAL KIDS.

Questions? Contact Brooklyn Kennings at bkennin1@hurleymc.com.