We've pledged to play games and raise funds for kids at The Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

The Manitoba School Esports Association (MSEA) is proud to announce its partnership with the Manitoba First Nations School System and the Manitoba First Nations Educational Resource Center to host the largest scholastic Esports event in the province to date. The event will take place at the new Red River College Polytechnic campus, Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, in the heart of Winnipeg’s Exchange District on May 25-26, 2023, welcoming over 400 middle school and high school students from across the province to compete in titles such as Rocket League and Brawlhalla.

As part of the Scholastic Esports Expo, MSEA will host the first ever school based Extra Life fundraiser. The Extra Life program raises funds for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which includes HSC Children’s Hospital – Manitoba’s only Children’s Hospital. Since Extra Life’s inception in 2008, it has raised over $100 million USD to help “Change Kids' Health to Change the Future”. Tax-deductible donations go to local children’s hospitals to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, and child life services.

All funds raised from the MSEA Extra Life fundraiser will stay in Manitoba to help  HSC Children’s Hospital purchase a Portable Ventilator, which run at a cost of $18K per unit. Andrew Ferris, CMN Program Director for the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, expressed his gratitude for the support, “The Portable Ventilator is an essential piece of life-support equipment that will make a significant difference for the patients at the Children’s Hospital. We are grateful for the support of MSEA in putting on this Extra Life event and to the students for their efforts in helping us provide the best care for young patients.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Extra Life in support of the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba at the MSEA Scholastic Esports Expo. $18k is an ambitious goal for our first Extra Life Fundraiser but we want to call on all Manitobans and local corporations to support our students as they use their passion for gaming to create a positive impact on the community, and some of Manitoba’s most vulnerable youth” says Melissa Burns, Chair of MSEA. “As the mother of a medically complex child I have seen firsthand the impact our medical professionals have not only on the lives of their patients, but their families too. Providing them with the tools and support they need to maximize their impact has a lasting effect on the lives of so many.”

Graeme Fortlage, Co-President of the Extra Life Winnipeg Guild, added, “As a member of the Extra Life Winnipeg Guild, I’m so excited and proud to see MSEA take the initiative to integrate Extra Life Fundraising into their Esports Expo! This is a great way for gaming to bring people together and make an impact in their community in a meaningful and positive way. We’ve brainstormed a bunch of awesome incentives and I cannot wait for it to all come together!”