GenCon Charity Appeal • Collecting General • The Acaeum

The Acaeum Forums • Collecting General

GenCon Charity Appeal
	Page 1 of 1

Author

ExTSR
Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor
Valuation Board

Posts: 1945
Joined: May 01, 2004
Last Visit: Aug 06, 2026
Location: Almost Lake Geneva, WI

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 4:33 pm

The Irish Challenge

In late January 2016, attendees of WarpCon in Cork, Ireland had an idea. At their charity auction, four of them pooled their resources and bid 1,000 Euros for... Absolutely Nothing.

This caught the attention of international media, and made Hobby Gamers look VERY generous. Even the NY Times carried the story!

Will America respond to this insult? Will you permit Eire Power to conquer our pride, make us look cheap?

I dare you to act.
I ask that...

1. Somebody volunteer to assemble a team of donors (no limit).
2. Rustle up more than $1000 US from the donors before GenCon.
3. Attend the GenCon Charity Auction (Sat 08 Aug 7pm) and, when I open the subject, bid that amount for... "Nothing At All" (or an equivalent phrase).

The funds will go to the standard GenCon Charity.
I'll coordinate with GenCon and handle the PR after the fact.
.

Frank Mentzer

MadCatUSA
Prolific Collector

Posts: 512
Joined: Sep 30, 2015
Last Visit: Dec 12, 2021
Location: California

Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2016 11:13 pm

Awesome idea! Wish we would have thought of it first!

If we can get someone to take point, I'd kick in a few bucks.

Old Man
Active Collector

Posts: 55
Joined: Mar 01, 2016
Last Visit: Jun 13, 2021
Location: Michigan

Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2016 7:50 pm

MadCatUSA wrote in GenCon Charity Appeal:Awesome idea! Wish we would have thought of it first!
If we can get someone to take point, I'd kick in a few bucks.

I'm in - very cool idea.

Regards,
OM

Boredflak
Active Collector

Posts: 71
Joined: Jun 23, 2005
Last Visit: Apr 29, 2026
Location: Central Illinois

Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2016 1:17 am

Maybe we come up with some small totem that gets auctioned off for charity and then has to be returned the following year to be auctioned off again. (Old PHB the winner gets to sign?)

I'm all for supporting the charity auction in any way possible.

Phentari
Prolific Collector

Posts: 178
Joined: Aug 11, 2010
Last Visit: Jul 15, 2026

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 2:06 pm

Hey, if I can bid on the first Twinkie out of the box, I can bid on this. I'm in.

ExTSR
Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor
Valuation Board

Posts: 1945
Joined: May 01, 2004
Last Visit: Aug 06, 2026
Location: Almost Lake Geneva, WI

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 3:56 pm

Boredflak wrote in GenCon Charity Appeal:Maybe we come up with some small totem

'fraid not. The whole point of international media was that the bid was for 'nothing at all'.
Even a CoA could taint that.

c'mon, you can beat the Irish!

ExTSR
Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor
Valuation Board

Posts: 1945
Joined: May 01, 2004
Last Visit: Aug 06, 2026
Location: Almost Lake Geneva, WI

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:00 pm

fyi

I have been in touch with Anna Ahern, the Director (faculty sponsor/advisor) of the club who runs WarpCon (Cork, Ireland, late January annually).

A big PR spread (USA vs Ireland) would be undertaken with their full cooperation.

Ireland does of course reserve the right to reply to this American offering with another of their own.
Play your cards right, this could escalate in good ways.

MadCatUSA
Prolific Collector

Posts: 512
Joined: Sep 30, 2015
Last Visit: Dec 12, 2021
Location: California

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:12 pm

ExTSR wrote in GenCon Charity Appeal:fyi

I have been in touch with Anna Ahern, the Director (faculty sponsor/advisor) of the club who runs WarpCon (Cork, Ireland, late January annually).

A big PR spread (USA vs Ireland) would be undertaken with their full cooperation.

Ireland does of course reserve the right to reply to this American offering with another of their own.
Play your cards right, this could escalate in good ways.

Indeed! Very brilliant thinking Frank! Again, let me know if we can bid remotely and I'll gladly kick in a few bucks.

cdenham
Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 595
Joined: Mar 12, 2007
Last Visit: Mar 31, 2026
Location: Alabama

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 4:27 pm

I would certainly be willing to help but I'd also be remiss to not ask which charity gets these funds?

Carpe DM!

Bracton
Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 1110
Joined: May 14, 2008
Last Visit: Aug 06, 2026
Location: West of a site called "Chicago" . . .

Posted: Wed Jul 13, 2016 5:25 pm

Gen Con LLC | 2016 Charity Partner

I'm happy to participate (though don't have time to be the organizer).

"Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus."

ExTSR
Verbose Collector
Acaeum Donor
Valuation Board

Posts: 1945
Joined: May 01, 2004
Last Visit: Aug 06, 2026
Location: Almost Lake Geneva, WI

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 10:51 am

Nobody willing to take point, alas...

I can be the auctioneer but I can't also be the bidder.
So maybe next year.

cdenham
Prolific Collector
Acaeum Donor

Posts: 595
Joined: Mar 12, 2007
Last Visit: Mar 31, 2026
Location: Alabama

Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2016 11:28 pm

I'd certainly contribute but I won't be at the con so I couldn't handle the bid.

Carpe DM!

MadCatUSA
Prolific Collector

Posts: 512
Joined: Sep 30, 2015
Last Visit: Dec 12, 2021
Location: California

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:49 am

ExTSR wrote in GenCon Charity Appeal:Nobody willing to take point, alas...

I can be the auctioneer but I can't also be the bidder.
So maybe next year.

Sorry dude... If I still lived in La Crosse, I *might* have been able to get to GenCon, but now that I'm in NorCal... Yeah, not happening.

The Acaeum Forums • Collecting General

Page 1 of 1