'Play with Your Food': Board game charitable event overachieves in raising money for Carmichael Outreach
Everyone loves a good board game night with friends. However, for a group of enthusiasts in Regina, it’s become so much more.
‘Play with Your Food’ (PwYF) a fundraising event in the Queen City, raised a record $42,575.02 for Carmichael Outreach.
“This is a significant amount of money,” Amanda Benesh, development coordinator for Carmichael Outreach said in a news release.
“It equates to 24,094 meals. It costs Carmichael approximately $11,812 a month to feed between 250-300 meals a day throughout the year.”
According to Tyler Gelsinger, operations manager with the organization, the funds raised can also help Carmichael’s milk program, which assists 1,400 families a year.
The 24-hour gaming marathon held at the University of Regina over the weekend was the finale of a year-long effort by competing teams to fundraise for community based organizations.
"We take the model of micro fundraising where lots of people gather to do what they find fun and engaging, and we monetize for very needy organizations at the same time," Matt Robertson, a coach with the event, told CTV News.
For participants, its work towards a good cause while also doing what they love.
"Events like these were shut down for a few years, and connecting face to face over a board game rather than maybe a video game or other ways is really needed to connect to people again, and meet new people," participant Rick Gorzalczynskai said.
Over the course of 2022, PwYF repeatedly exceeded its goal for fundraising.
The first goal was $15,000 in September. When that was reached, it was raised to $25,000.
When that record was smashed, the group decided the sky was the limit.
For Robertson, the event can be described as a win on two fronts.
“They do very important work in the community. So, if we can support them with their mission, we get to have fun,” he said.
“We get to win twice; win by playing games and enjoying the community of board players that gathered around in this lobby and additionally support some very worthwhile needs within our community."
During it eight year run, PwYF has raised more than $255,000 for charities in Regina.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S., Canadian navies stage rare joint mission through Taiwan Strait
A U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said, in a rare joint mission in the sensitive waterway at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over Chinese-claimed Taiwan.

4 youth killed fishing on Quebec shore after tide overtakes them
Four children were killed and one man is missing after they were swept away by the tide while fishing in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a riverside community in Quebec's Côte-Nord region.
Fighting climate change or funding fossil fuels? America wants it 'both ways': U.S. ambassador
The U.S. Ambassador to Canada says America 'absolutely wants to have it both ways' when it comes to fighting climate change while pursuing fossil fuel projects.
Antipsychotic drugs use increased in Canadian long-term care homes, pointing to possible quality-of-care issues: study
New study finds increase in antipsychotic drugs use in long-term care homes across Canada, despite no significant increase in behavioural symptoms – something that may expose a potential area of concern for quality of care, researchers say.
More than 5,000 new species discovered at future deep-sea mining site in Pacific Ocean
More than 5,000 new species have been discovered at an expansive future deep-sea mining site in the Pacific Ocean.
Ukraine says inspections found nearly a quarter of its air-raid shelters locked or unusable
Concerns around civilian safety spiked in Ukraine on Saturday, as officials announced that an inspection had found nearly a quarter of the country's air-raid shelters locked or unusable, just days after a woman in Kyiv allegedly died waiting outside a shuttered shelter during a Russian missile barrage.
Pope warns of risk of corruption in missionary fundraising after AP investigation
Pope Francis warned the Vatican's missionary fundraisers on Saturday not to allow financial corruption to creep into their work, insisting that spirituality and spreading the Gospel must drive their operations, not mere entrepreneurship.
Feds open to cutting plastic production but global agreement will be hard: Guilbeault
Canada is open to the idea of including a requirement to cut back on the production of plastic in a new global treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said Friday.
Montreal hot sauce makes spicy new addition to YouTube show 'Hot Ones'
La Pimenterie's Curry Verde is the hot new thing on 'Hot Ones,' a hit celebrity interview show on YouTube.