Members of the Keene State Esports team hosted a 14-hour charity livestream, which raised more than $500 for the charity Extra Life. From 12:00 p.m to 2 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, student-athletes played a variety of games while livestreaming on Twitch.
The foundation chosen by KSC Esports raises money for hospitals that are local to the organizations that fundraise through it for life-saving treatments and healthcare services. Esports Head Coach Noah Drouin spoke on the final destination for the funds after communicating with Extra Life.
“The money is going to Boston Children’s Hospital. I had originally selected Extra Life as a platform and I was put in contact with a representative of Extra Life to choose a local hospital relative to where we are,” said Drouin.
The head coach also spoke about what hospitals use the funds for. “There’s a list of things on the Extra Life website regarding what those funds might go towards,” Drouin said. “Equipment for treatment or even game consoles and things like entertainment for children that are at the hospital.”
Throughout the games that were played, first-year Valorant player Gavin Pierce participated in a push-up challenge and did a push-up for every single dollar donated. Around the 10-hour mark, Pierce began the challenge that ended in 202 push-ups. The first-year commented on why the team committed to such a challenge.
“It’s knowing that this is for a good cause, knowing that this is for charity. I’ve always been a big charity guy ever since I found out that I could be a part of such amazing charities,” Pierce said.
For the gaming aspect, Pierce cited a similar reason for his commitment to the stream.
“Boston Children’s Hospital has always meant a lot to me. So the fact that I’m able to play one of my favorite video games and support children in need, it means a lot to me personally,” Pierce said. “It puts a lot of pressure on me to perform, not as an athlete, but as a member of the team.”
The team set its goal at $500 and surpassed that number with a total of $572. The KSC Esports team was created in 2023, and Drouin spoke on the impact the program and esports can have through an event like the charity stream.
“Esports and gaming don’t really have an age requirement. It’s beyond something that I think transcends the notion that it’s a hobby that is kind of like a waste of time. Like these students are doing what they love to do,” Drouin said. “They’re competing in it, and now they’re also leveraging that to provide entertainment for people and turning that into very real change.”
This is the first time that the team has held a charity stream, and Drouin insisted that it would not be the last.
“The next time we do this, which there will be a next time, I’m going to explore and advertise further in advance to expand the reach,” said Drouin.
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