Dirigo Union Hosting "Binho For BBCH"
“Captaining the Dirigo Union Extra Life team is such an exciting prospect, because here we have a community full of passionate folks that have already invested so much into each other."
For Tyler Emery, Saturday’s “Binho For BBCH” is more than just getting some lads together to play a soccer table-top game.
Emery spent some time at Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital after being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. While recovering, Emery also got to be distracted from the diagnosis and instead play some video games.
“At the end of the hall that I was in, there was a room that had an air hockey table, some comfy chairs with tabletop games, and a huge wall-mounted TV,” he told The Balzing Musket. “They had a PS2 hooked up to the TV, and Guitar Hero had just recently come out. My most vivid memories from that stay, despite the mental and physical exhaustion of all of it, was going into that rec room to just play games. My world had completely and suddenly changed in a matter of hours, and I just didnt know how to cope with it at the time, but I was able to escape and have a ton of fun learning this new game.”
That was the genesis of Emery wanting to give back through Extra Life. Extra Life is a fundraising program of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. The Extra Life community fundraises year-round, and donations go to local member hospitals to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services.
A member of the Dirigo Union — the Portland Hearts of Pine supporters’ group — Emery was excited to potentially be able to continue his fundraising efforts through his newfound soccer family. The Dirigo Union Extra Life team currently has 15 members, and while Emery wasn’t able to host a marathon gaming event as he has done in prior years, the group’s love of playing Binho sparked an idea.
Working with co-chair of the group, Donald Thibodeau, the Dirigo Union will be hosting a Binho Tournament that will raise funds for Extra Life at Apres Distillery.
“Captaining the Dirigo Union Extra Life team is such an exciting prospect, because here we have a community full of passionate folks that have already invested so much into each other,” Emery said. “The passion we have for the Hearts of Pine has to come from somewhere, so I knew we as a community had it in us to support a good cause.”
The tournament will take place on Saturday, December 13th at 10 AM. Players can enter the tournament for just $10 and if you just want to support the cause and have a drink with some soccer fans while some English Premier League action plays on the TV’s, attendance is free for spectators.
34 people have signed up to play in the tournament and you can donate directly to the Extra Life campaign by visiting the Extra Life team page. Additionally, walk-up players will be accepted.