I have been part of the Extra Life fundraising team for over a decade. Being a part of this community and doing good for the Stollery Kids is one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. And I get to play games? Win Win! On a more serious note, I Extra Life for all the kids and parents who need a place to feel safe and cared for at the hospital. Programs at the Stollery are not found in many communities and are sorely needed to ensure hospital stays can be a less scary place for kids.
My favorite games to play are jrpgs, boardgames and tabletop rpgs. Final Fantasy is my favorite series with Kingdom Hearts and Persona a close second. When I’m not playing games, I’m knitting socks for friends and family or snuggling with my rescue cats, Freya and Mouse.
In 2014, I started as a fundraiser/volunteer for Extra Life Edmonton becoming a member of the organizing team shortly afterwards and have been since. I’ve always enjoyed being a part of this gaming community while also giving back to a great cause in supporting the Stollery Children’s hospital. I play a wide range of games but some more recent ones that come to mind are: Final Fantasy VII Remake, The Last of Us Part II, Spider-Man Miles Morales, and Doom Eternal to name a few. Also multiplayer games like Mario Kart, Rock Band, Overwatch, and Fall Guys are always fun to go back to.
I met the Extra Life Edmonton team while volunteering for another event and the idea between Extra Life immediately caught my interest. I don’t game a lot so I don’t fundraise, however I like to donate my time in helping the team with organization, meeting prep, sending out invitations etc. When we run the Game Day event in person, you can usually find me at the sign-in registration table / merch table talking about Extra Life and greeting everyone that comes in. My husband, Derek Law, also volunteers with Extra Life Edmonton as Guest Manager / Compliance Officer.
In my non-volunteer life, I work as an Executive Assistant and spend majority of my time either surfing the Netflix options, or playing farming sim games.
I have an unhealthy obsession with coffee, tea, and sushi. Additionally I am a washi and stationary addict and attend quarterly Stationary Anonymous parties with fellow addicts =)
I have been fundraising with Extra Life since 2014, and have been on the organization team since 2019. I participate in Extra Life for my wife, who wouldn’t be here without the Stollery, as well as all my students that have been treated there. When I’m not Extra Life-ing, I am a junior high and high school English teacher, and an amateur luthier (guitar builder). I’m also a 5th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwon-Do, and in 2010 was a member of Team Canada, competing at the World TaeKwon-Do Championships in Telford, England, earning a silver medal. I’m probably best known for my donation incentives, such as the Happy Meal Smoothie™ and waxing my legs on stream. My favourite games include Skyrim, the Assassin’s Creed series, Pokemon, and The Forest.
This is my 7th year as an organizer and 8th year as a fundraiser. Being the oldest of 8, I have seen first hand how the Stollery Children’s Hospital helps kids year-round with any issues. I love gaming and utilize the power of both to the best of causes! Some other fun facts about me: I collect cups from the movie theatre, am an avid sports fan, and can ask me all about DND. I'm also pretty much the greatest person to ever walk the earth.
So I’ve been with Extra Life for over 4 years taking one year off for personal reasons, but since then stayed with the team and continued to do my part. Extra Life was a no brainer being an avid gamer all my life and giving back to the Stollery to help sick kids into getting a better and healthier life ahead of them, not to mention a great community of like minded people and so far it’s been an amazing four years so far.
I can’t say that I’m as active as a gamer as I have been in the past but these days I really enjoy games I can play with others (League of Legends, Apex, Valorant) and story driven single player games (Cyberpunk, Last of us, Horizon: Zero Dawn) And occasionally i like to suffer and play SC2 1v1 ladder and I think I’m the only one who does so far so if you play please hit me up and for any of the other games listed!
Apart from gaming I have a vast list of hobbies and pursuits that I am currently undertaking such as Photography, video and movie production, acting, working out, music production, and anything that requires me to be the social creature that I am! Currently I’m focused on music and advising on production projects that I hope brings me new and exciting ventures.
2021 marks my 4th year with the Extra Life Edmonton team – I met a few of the other organizers while volunteering at a different event, and was ecstatic when they asked me to come aboard. I thought it seemed like a great way to merge two of my passions – videogames and graphic design – in service of a good cause, but it ended up being so much more than I could have imagined. Extra Lifers truly are one big family; I feel incredibly lucky to have met so many wonderful people while doing this, and to be able to play a small part not only in fundraising for the Stollery, but also in connecting gamers across Alberta.
As far as games go, I play a frightening amount of Dota and frequently re-visit my childhood haunts in Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Anything can be fun with friends though, and I’m always down to try new things – most recently I’ve been getting into Paladins and some lighter party games like Overcooked and (of course) Among Us. I also really love music – seriously, send me your favourite bops! I’m a huge nerd for metal, but variety is the spice of life: ska punk (thanks, THPS!), folk, hip hop, shoegaze, nightcore… cool earhole sounds can come from anywhere, and I try to keep an open mind. Once upon a time I enjoyed a lot of live music, and I’m pretty excited for that to be a thing again in the future.
I became involved with Extra Life after meeting several members of the team at another event that I was volunteering at, where eventually my wife (Clara) and a very close friend (Lisa) dragged me into the team. It has been nothing but a great experience since then, from playing games with other team members and fundraisers, engaging and interacting with guests, and helping fundraise for the Stollery Children’s Hospital. In addition to Extra Life, I also have experience volunteering for other non-profit organizations where I manage Guest relations, as well as create and negotiate contracts. It is through these volunteering opportunities that I was able to meet great people, create new friendships, and continue to find a passion outside of work, and continue to volunteer where I am able.
Outside of volunteering, I do enjoy playing games, such as NHL, Civilization VI, Overwatch, and Among Us. I also tend to get absorbed into gacha games like Genshin Impact and Fate Grand Order, where I simply must keep rolling for the chance to get that one character. I also enjoy many kinds of Asian food, but especially sushi and Korean fried chicken, and have started taking a liking to experimenting with food and cooking. One day, I’ll be able to make a wide range of delicious food without a recipe!
I like to be a competitive gamer among my friends, currently playing FFXIV, Halo, Overwatch, Valorant, Genshin Impact and waiting for Scavengers the game to come out. I love traveling, cooking, eating, cosplaying and sleeping when I'm not gaming. Currently exploring videography and it's been fun so far still, lots to learn though, hit me up if you have some cool scenes or footage! Started with Extra Life 4 years ago helping out with Stream/Stage production and it has been fun ever since.
Gamer, anime fan, dog lover, foodie, and travel enthusiast! Starting with my early days with Super Nintendo to currently doting on my PS5, my steam stats are telling me that I have certainly spent too much money on its library, so yes, let’s also add “avid” to my gaming title. I am a firm believer to always contribute back to something that I love and the community that I am a part of, hence it was inevitable for me to join the team with Extra Life Edmonton.
I was introduced to Extra Life Edmonton by a close friend who has been actively involved for 6 years. Since then, I've had the pleasure of participating in their community game nights and meeting some truly incredible individuals. As a passionate video game enthusiast and full-time 3D model content creator, I find joy in enhancing others' experiences through my creativity. Video games have always been a significant part of my life, and I'm thrilled to be part of a team that is making a positive impact on the world. I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than myself and to work alongside such an amazing group of people.