PORTLAND, Maine— On Saturday, March 28 kids across Maine will gather online to raise funds for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital (BBCH) by playing their favorite video games with professional ESports players and streamers as part of Play with a Pro’s latest virtual event.

Play with a Pro raises money for BBCH through the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals gaming fundraiser, Extra Life. Their unique gaming event concept allows kids, some of them BBCH patients, to play with Professional ESports players and streamers online while fundraising for their local hospital. This Saturday’s event will take place online from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Play with a Pro Half Marathon schedule

· 9 a.m. to noon: Rocket League twitch.tv/Gizzmo3000, GRUNTo ESports and active Air Force. Special Guest: SuperSwiftPics 14-year-old Rocket League Player with Competitive Titles

· Noon to 3 p.m.: Fortnite twitch.tv/vicTorey_ Rogue ESports Content Creator and Stream Captain from Maine. Special Guest: AlexJJ from Rogue ESports

· 3 to 6 p.m.: Overwatch twitch.tv/SLEVN Founder of the former RoE Competitive League and ESports Shoutcaster. Special Guest: Browniewell- 6-year Local Maine Extra Lifer

· 6 to   9p.m.: Minecraft twitch.tv/CapnCornflake Streamer and advisor of our Minecraft Build Team. Special Guests: Play with a Pro Build Team featuring BBCH Superstars and local kids from Maine!

 “Playing games online is a great way for kids to connect virtually. But for many of our patients with autoimmune conditions or diseases such as cystic fibrosis, social distancing has been a part of their lives for much longer than just these past few weeks,” said Meaghan McNamara, Philanthropy Specialist at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. “They have to be very careful to stay healthy, so building virtual communities and meeting friends online to play games is an important way they stay connected with peers. Play with a Pro takes that connection even further by empowering these kids to use their gaming as a force for good, raising funds to support the hospital that cares for them or their friends. And as a bonus, they’re playing with real professionals; as one of our patients said at an event last year ‘it’s better than Christmas!’”

Those interested in viewing the Play with a Pro half marathon can find more information on the team’s website, or on Play with a Pro’s Twitter feed. Donations can be made on Play with a Pro’s Extra Life page; 100% of those donations support BBCH, and will advance the care provided to children in Maine and all of northern New England. 

Those interested in gaming for kids treated at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital can register individually- or build their own team- at www.Extra-Life.org. They also can connect with the Portland-area Extra Life community by visiting the Portland, ME Extra Life Facebook page.