From Gaming Fundraisers to Photo Shoots: My Experiences with WCK
How your passions can be used to support important work
By Jacob Aron Leung
WCK provided some lasting memories for me last year: one through my experience as a Gaming for Josh volunteer, and another through photographing WCK’s Food in the Freezer program.
I first encountered WCK when they sought out volunteers for Gaming for Josh 2022, a fundraiser they held last spring.
The core message of gaming together to raise funds for children with cancer and blood disorders resonated with me. Hearing that Josh, a child with cancer, used gaming to continue socializing with friends really highlighted how important gaming can be.
Gaming allows people to connect, both remotely and in person, and to explore experiences that often differ from real life. Gaming for Josh embodied this message.
I frequently heard, “We need someone who understands the gaming community,” and I hoped to deliver on that request. I helped spread the word by emailing people about the event.
All those hours of watching video game streams finally came in handy. When I reached out to companies and streamers about the event, I didn't think much of it. Yet, everything culminated into something larger than I expected.
When (1) symbols appeared in my inbox, I’d say to myself, “Wow, I am doing something. Emails do work, after all!” The meetings that followed felt more impactful.
As a WCK volunteer, I attended MountainSideGames’ Gaming for Josh event.
MountainSideGames, a B.C. organization for the Super Smash Bros. video game franchise, holds monthly GrandSlam tournaments for the community. They hosted GrandSlam #5 on May 15, 2022 as a tournament, bake sale, and Gaming for Josh fundraiser, all in one.
By the time Gaming for Josh 2022 ended, five gaming events had happened in collaboration with streamers and B.C.-based organizations such as MountainSideGames, Pepper Esports, Vancouver Street Battle, TGS Esports (The Gaming Stadium), and the British Columbia Esports Association (BCEA).
It felt so surreal. I helped raise funds for children with cancer and blood disorders through one of my passions. I experienced prior volunteering only remotely, so viewing in-person events helped me realize the impact of this work.
Always back for more
After Gaming for Josh ended, I left that volunteer position. I had my hands full preparing to study journalism that fall. However, as I’m sure many other volunteers can relate, one cannot leave without feeling a desire to contribute again.
I still remember my interview for Gaming for Josh, where I heard about WCK’s mission. Hearing about the stories, people, and various programs of WCK made a positive impression. The Food in the Freezer program piqued my interest, despite my lack of involvement.
Even after I left WCK, those details continued lingering in my mind.
A new interest
When a photojournalism class I was taking required a photo story assignment, I knew exactly what I wanted to cover. The “Food in the Freezer” program fulfilled all the points of what I felt made a newsworthy story.
Food in the Freezer is focused on the families of children with cancer and blood disorders, and it is about an issue people might not consider – the challenge of staying nourished during the journey.
It eases some of the burden for families in the hospital by providing them with meals directly where they’re staying.
I wanted to showcase WCK’s work for the community, providing a small step-by-step look at how they did things. This included everything from seeing all the fridges, viewing the distribution of inventory, and seeing everything being packed for the hospital.
A new title
It was a quick one-hour shoot, with many things happening at once — and admittedly, I did have some camera issues — but I loved learning to adapt by working on the spot.
I also loved getting to see Colleen and Greg work together during the process. Viewing and talking about their contributions towards WCK painted a fuller picture about the people behind programs like this.
Volunteer work combines the collective effort of not just the volunteers, but the organization staff and other partners as well.
Volunteering is all about the people.
Hey! I'm Jill.
Want to learn more about volunteering with us? Reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Jill Leddy at jill.leddy[at]wckfoundation.ca.