The second Mine-Thon concluded at 11AM PST today, with the weekend-long event earning a total of $10,148 for Child's Play --more than double the amount raised last year. Like old-school telethons, the fundraiser, created by Ethan Smith in 2011, has a simple concept: Six brave volunteers play Minecraft for 72 hours straight and stream their adventures on the Internet to inspire donations. All proceeds, processed by PayPal, go straight to Child's Play , a game industry charity devoted to improving the lives of sick children.
Smith understands the needs of hospitalized children first-hand. When he was seven years old, he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, a bacterial infection that can cause paralysis and vision loss. Smith recalls relying on his Game Boy Color to occupy his time in the hospital, helping him make a full recovery.
“Being stuck in a hospital is never fun--especially during the holidays--and that's why the Mine-Thon volunteers are committed to bring the holidays to the hospitals,” said Smith. “Child's Play Charity ensures that hospitalized children throughout the world won't go without this holiday season.”
Congratulations to the Mine-Thon volunteers and to everyone who donated. We sincerely hope Smith and crew can dream about something other than Minecraft over the next several hours.
